Robert Runs is a fast-paced thriller based on the author’s great-great grandfather, Robert ‘Goupong’ Anderson, who was once the fastest man in Australia and world-record holder. Goupong, his little sister Dot, and his best friend Jonathan belong to the Ugarapul people, the Green Tree Frog tribe, and live with their families and others within the harsh confines of the Deebing Creek Mission – a place run by the malevolent Boss Man.
Goupong and Jonathan are focused on winning the mission’s biggest running race that year, but when mysterious noises, unexplained occurrences and biblical events begin to plague the local area, they are forced to investigate.
Robert Runs is a poignant look into the Deebing Creek Massacre and the tough reality of mission life. Weaving fact with fiction, this compelling story details the events leading up to that fateful day.
Will Goupong and Jonathan be strong enough to defeat the monster in the bush, or are the real monsters closer to home?
Mariah Sweetman is a proud descendant of the Ugarapul people. She is passionate about First Nations histories and engaging young people with stories. Based on true events, her award-winning novel Robert Runs is a gripping thriller that sheds light on the brutalities of the past whilst championing the heroes who survived. This is compulsory reading for early teens and young adults.
The Daisy Utemorrah Award is presented annually for an outstanding unpublished manuscript of junior or YA fiction by an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander writer. Robert Runs was the winner of this award in 2022. Sweetman is deserving of this accolade, and I’m so glad everyone has the chance to read Robert Runs.
Vividly evocative, Sweetman writes with a strong sense of feeling and place, completely immersing readers at the Deebing Creek Mission. Going by the name Robert at the mission, we’re with Goupong during every step of his journey, from feeling the earth between his hands to a heart-racing climax at the end of the book.
You’ll feel a lot of emotions while reading this. The novel shines a strong light on the injustices, brutality and hardships of an unfair race. This is heavy reading – Sweetman has executed her prose in a way that makes it digestible for young readers, but doesn’t shy away from harsh realities.
There are themes of identity, culture and connection to religion. Goupong and the other children growing up on the mission grapple with being educated by white people, while still trying to maintain their own culture, language and traditions. Sweetman echoes these same thoughts in her acknowledgements.
While this is a fictional retelling, Robert Run is based on what Sweetman believed life would have been like for her great-great grandfather. It’s impactful, poignant and offers us a glimpse into a slice of history that everyone should know about. Robert Runs deserves a place in every school classroom, library and home bookshelf.
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