First published as an adult novel in 1952, this special edition for younger readers has been prepared by the author. No major changes have been made in this story of a wandering Australian family of the '20's; some of the riper speech and patter has been scrubbed. It's Sean Carmody's story. He's a 14 year old at the start and , ""intelligence gleamed in his eyes like a weakness."" The central issue is the true meaning of what makes a home and a family. During the course of a novel crammed with excitement and color, Sean, who had always wanted to settle in a permanent place, passes the unwritten tests and invisible barriers that separate boys from men.