From inside the dust jacket: "Vicky Bell and her brother Johnny live in New Zealand at the turn of the century. Their father is a local farmer who helps out when a ship belonging to Mr Lindsay, a rich importer who lives near them, is wrecked on the coast. A prize bull being imported on the ship escapes and swims to land. Vicky and Johnny and their friend Carrie, who is Mr Lindsay's daughter, find the bull in an unexplored valley in the bush and trap it, but there are many complications about catching it, not the least of which is that Carrie's governess and Vicky and Johnny's Aunt Clara do not approve of girls taking part in adventures of this kind. This is a fast-moving story with many exciting incidents and interesting characters that will delight all 8 to 13-year-olds, and many much older children."
The above blurb is a good summary of the book, though a little awkwardly put. The only part not accurately put, is the aunt and governess do not approve of the activities that any of the children do despite their gender or class!
This is a well-crafted, very original story. You won't find any caves or Moa hunting here. The first chapter is a little rushed with fast introductions to all the characters, but by the end of chapter two, the story settles into a nice pace. The author weaves the elements of the plot and the characters nicely together and makes an unlikely tale very believable. The children are very likeable and the Bell family are a lovely family unit. There are lots of adventures, suspense and heroics, so this is a great read.
I did find the children's behaviour a bad example at times. They kept secrets from adults and they were revengeful, but this behaviour catches up with them and Mr Bell firmly pulls the children into line when he finds out what has happened. Good lessons are learned in this story.
There is a feminist message in the book. It's along the lines, 'girls can do everything boys can do'. It's played out through the character of Vicky who is frustrated that she is held back by being "just a girl" and heavy skirts. She gets her "hero" moment at the end of the book.
A great book and one for the bookshelf.