Rosanne Hawke, Daughter of Nomads (The Tales of Jahani #1), University of Queensland Press, 27 June 2016, 290pp., $16.95 (pbk), ISBN 9780702253935
Daughter of Nomads is set in the 17th century in Sherwan, a village in the Kingdom of Hazara, which was part of the Mughal Empire. The heroine is 14 year old Jahani a beautiful girl who is unsure of who she is. This is because she continually finds out that what she was told and believed about herself is a fabrication designed to protect Jahani’s life; so the more Jahani finds out about herself, the more adventures she encounters.
Jahani is a feisty heroine: she is adept with a sword, a fine horse rider, and a heart breaker –winning the hearts of the two handsome heroes. Through her adventures, she (and therefore the readers) learn about the history of her time: the different cultures and customs, the stories and the languages of the time. I particularly enjoyed reading about the clothes Jahani wore, the food she ate and the customs she observed, each time she experienced a new community.
Daughter of Nomads includes maps, information on the languages spoken at the time and a glossary of words used in the text.
The book is suitable for children aged 10 and over, and is a very good way to introduce history to reluctant students.
Teachers’ Notes can be found on the UQP website.
Reviewed by Katy Gerner
