The Journal of Watkin Stench tells the story - from the viewpoint of the ship's rats - of the arrival of the First Fleet in Botany Bay, Australia. Much of it is drawn from the real journals of the young marine officer Captain Walter Tench in 1788, who commented on the rats - 'not only numerous, but formidable'. But here, it is the talkative young black rat, Watkin Stench,who records the antics of the humans.

A fast-moving, enjoyable story, based soundly on fact, Watkin Stench energetically conveys the ups and downs of the lives of the rats of the First Fleet.

Previously published by Lutterworth Press this revised edition appears for the first time in the Hodder Silver list.

This book is part of a book series called Hodder Silver .

There are 144 pages in this book. This book was published 2000 by Hachette Children's Group .

Meredith Hooper is a well-known and successful author of non-fiction books for children.