Gaolbird

It’s 23 October 1821 and convict William Swallow stands on the deck of the Malabar for muster. He is wearing a canary yellow convict uniform and his legs are chained. He’s just completed the 121-day sea voyage from London to Hobart Town, but his wild and audacious adventures have barely begun.

He’ll soon ditch the convict uniform and the chains, take part in a mutiny, become a pirate captain and fool the world in what just might be the most outrageous and unbelievable true story in Australia’s convict history.

‘Simon Barnard’s Hogarthian yarn of cunning and hapless convict pirates is no less absurd for being true: the kind of slapstick lunacy that so often passes for actual history. Wonderfully conceived, surprisingly original, terrifically entertaining. Three cheers for Gaolbird!’ Shaun Tan

‘A boisterous slice of Australian colonial history…the visual style will appeal to lovers of Horrible Histories or the ever-increasing range of graphic novels.’ Books+Publishing

‘Barnard manages to use the picture book format to capture the historical in a clever and engaging way… A hugely entertaining look at a moment in our history.’ Magpies