Australian Aborigines; Maori; Native Americans

Separated by thousands of miles, the peoples depicted in these three further titles in the Threatened Cultures series nevertheless share a common bond - their way of life was totally transformed and very nearly wiped out by the arrival of European explorers and settlers, and centuries later they are still counting the cost.

The 'civilised' immigrants not only deprived them of their lands, they used strikingly similar methods to try to destroy the peoples themselves. 'Less than a generation ago it was common practice to take Aboriginal babies from their mothers' whilst 'from the 1880s until the 1960s, children were taken from their homes and sent to strict military-style boarding schools to be turned into "Americans" or "Canadians"' and 'were brutally punished for speaking their own languages'. Even today in Australia 'which prides itself on its social harmony', its 'original inhabitants remain socially and culturally disadvantaged and subject to terrible racism'.

Despite the many appalling social and economic injustices chronicled in these compelling narratives, there is some cause for optimism. A reaffirmation of pride in their heritage, coupled with a growing political acumen and determination to fight for their rights, hopefully will ensure that all three cultures will be able to preserve their unique identities and lifestyles.

This important and thought-provoking series deserves the widest promotion and readership amongst young readers of all cultures.