Pamela Rushby was born in Queensland, Australia, more years ago than she cares to divulge.

She has worked in advertising, as a pre-school teacher, and a freelance writer. She was a writer and producer of educational television, audio and multimedia for the Queensland Department of Education for 16 years, and now freelances in children’s and young adult fiction and non-fiction; scriptwriting; and multimedia writing/designing.

Pam is a registered teacher.

Pam has written:

Books (and associated talks and workshops)

Over 250 titles for trade and educational publishers. Many have historical backgrounds, based on fascinating, little-known historical events. Pam gives talks on the historical backgrounds of these novels, with PowerPoints featuring archival photographs. Many have publishers’ teachers’ notes available. These include: 

When the Hipchicks Went to War

(Upper primary, secondary, adult)  The background story of sixteen-year-old girls who travelled to Vietnam as song-and-dance entertainers during the Vietnam War.

The Horses Didn’t Come Home

(Upper primary, secondary, adult) Australia sent 160,000 horses overseas during World War 1. Only one ever came back. The story of Australia’s war horses, the walers.

Flora’s War

(Secondary, adult) How Cairo was overwhelmed with wounded from Gallipoli during World War 1. The story of the volunteers who cared for them, and the very makeshift hospitals they worked in.

The Ratcatcher’s Daughter 

(Upper primary, secondary, adult)  1900, and the plague, the Black Death, arrives in Queensland. 13-year-old Issy becomes a very reluctant rat catcher.

Sing a Rebel Song

(Upper primary, secondary, adult)  1891, and Australia comes scarily close to outright civil war. The story of the Shearers’ Strike in western Queensland, and the start of the Labor Party.

The Secret Battle

(Upper primary, secondary, adults) In 1942, over two days, Australian and American servicemen fought each other, rioting in the streets of Brisbane. Then the Battle of Brisbane was totally hushed-up. Why? And why were Japanese Zeros commonly seen flying over Brisbane?

The Mummy Smugglers of Crumblin Castle

(Primary, lower secondary) Adventures on the Nile. Mummy unwrapping tea parties. And – an activity where students learn to write their name in hieroglyphs.

The Mud Puddlers

(Primary, lower secondary, adult) The history of mud larking on the Thames. What may happen if you wonder about an item from the past for too long … Includes real finds from the Thames, and an activity where students ‘lucky dip’ from a bag of simulated mud larking finds, and write or draw about them.

Those Girls

(Upper secondary, adult) In 1942, 7000 young women joined the Australian Women’s Land Army, working on farms and properties through the country, doing all the work men had done – many of them only 16 years old and weighing 7 stone wringing wet. This is the story of those girls with grit.

Pam has also written: children’s television scripts, short stories and freelance journalism.

Other Workshops and Talks under separate tab.

Awards

Literature Board of the Australia Council grant to work on archaeological excavations in Egypt and Jordan for research for a children’s novel.

Churchill Fellowship to study educational television at TVOntario, Canada

Two Arts Queensland grants to write young adult historical novels

Nine Notable Books in CBCA awards

Nance Donkin Award for children’s writer

Lots of long-listings and short-listings –

and a bag of gold coins at a film festival in Iran!