The Legend of Jessie Hickman

Cover of children's book 'The Legend of Jessie Hickman' featuring a woman sitting on a horse, which is standing on its back legs, holding her hat up

Jessie Hickman lived a life of adventure, action and danger. She joined a travelling bush circus at the age of eight, performing as a whip cracker, sharpshooter and a rough rider. When the circus closed, Jessie became an outlaw and a cattle rustler, famous for her daring escapes.

In the collection

Illustration of police on horses riding up a mountain past large rocks chasing bushrangers on horses

Samuel Thomas Gill, Lake Albert mounted police chasing bushrangers ... overland from Port Phillip to South Australia, c. 1840, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-134366618

Article from newspaper reading 'ELIZABETH HICKMAN, alias JESSIE McINTYRE," alias Mrs. BELL, alias Mrs. HUDSON, alias G. MUR RAY, charged on warrant with stealing six head of cattle, the property of James Frederick Mills, has been arrested by Sergeant 2nd Class Buckley and Constable Smith, Rylstone and Wollar Police. Further charged with stealing two cows, the property of Roy Halpin and Allan Doyle Willis respectively.'

'Apprehensions.', New South Wales Police Gazette and Weekly Record of Crime, 16 May 1928, nla.gov.au/nla.news-article252094757

Black and white photo of a standing on the back of a horse swining a lasso above his head

Bob Nicol & Australian News and Information Bureau, Professional trick rider on horse with lasso in Brisbane, Queensland, 1964, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-137759575

Very detailed illustration of a valley, with a waterfall going down to it and a man standing on a cliff looking out at it

Eugene von Guérard, Weatherboard Fall, N.S.W, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-292558048

Colourful post with text reading 'Wild Australia' and illustrations of a man hitting a gun out of another man's hand with a whip, a man weilding a lasso on a horse and a horse-drawn carriage being robbed by men on horseback

Wild Australia, 1910, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-137927836

Reviews

Books+Publishing, Linda Guthrie

A beautifully crafted nonfiction picture book that tells the remarkable true story of the 20th century Australian circus performer turned bushranger. Read more at The Legend of Jessie Hickman (Mark Greenwood, illus Frané Lessac, NLA) - Books+Publishing

Just So Stories, Sue Warren

This amazing duo – legends themselves! – have teamed up again to bring readers a vibrant narrative non-fiction that provides some insight into the life of a woman who was very unusual for her time. Read more at The Legend of Jessie Hickman – Mark Greenwood/Frané Lessac – Just So Stories

The Book Muse, Ashleigh Meikle

Everything in this story is simply told, but filled with exquisite detail in Mark’s narrative, and Frané’s beautiful illustrations. Read more at The Legend of Jessie Hickman by Mark Greenwood, illustrated by Frané Lessac – The Book Muse

The Bottom Shelf, Barbara Braxton

If I see a book with either Greenwood or Lessac or both on the cover, I know I am in for both a good, enlightening read as well as a burrow down some interesting rabbit holes! Read more at The Legend of Jessie Hickman | The Bottom Shelf

About the author and illustrator

Mark Greenwood is an author with a passion for history. He enjoys imaginatively reconstructing stories that celebrate the characters and events that have played an important role in defining our past.

Photo of Frane Lessac smiling in front of a garden

Frané Lessac is an author and illustrator of over 50 books in the UK, US and Australia. She has won numerous awards, including the Muriel Barwell Award for Distinguished Service to Children’s Literature in 2010.

Mark and Frané frequently collaborate to produce wonderful stories, such as Simpson and His Donkey, Midnight – the Story of a Light Horse and the Our Country series. Their award-winning books tackling Australian bushranger legends include Ned Kelly and the Green Sash and The Legend of Moondyne Joe. Their latest collaboration is The Legend of Jessie Hickman.