{{Short description|Book by Joan Phipson}} {{Infobox book| | name = The Family Conspiracy | title_orig = | translator = | image = File:The Family Conspiracy.jpg | caption = First edition | author = [[Joan Phipson]] | cover_artist = | country = Australia | language = [[English language|English]] | series = | genre = Children's fiction | publisher = [[Angus and Robertson]] (Aus)<br>[[Constable (publisher)|Constable]] (UK) | release_date = 1962 | media_type = Print | pages = 188pp | isbn = | preceded_by = The Boundary Riders | followed_by = Threat to the Barkers }}
'''''The Family Conspiracy''''' (1962) is a novel for children by Australian author [[Joan Phipson]]; it was illustrated by [[Margaret Horder]]. It won the [[Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers]] in 1963.<ref>[http://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C147561 Austlit - ''The Family Conspiracy'' by Joan Phipson]</ref>
==Story outline== The Barker family run a sheep farm in the Central West of New South Wales. When Mrs Barker is diagnosed with a medical condition that requires hospitalisation the family children create a "conspiracy" to raise the money required for her treatment.
==Critical reception== Writing in ''The Canberra Times'' a reviewer was impressed by the characterisation of the children: "These are no juvenile prodigies, outsmarting adults at every turn; they are very real people, combining childish strength and faults, and their actions are entirely credible. There is a great deal more that could be said in praise of this book; of its unassuming but faithful picture of the Australian country, and of the people who help give it character; of its patches of breathless adventure; and of the competent way in which characters and plot are welded together."<ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article136932533 "Two Fine Books for Young People", ''The Canberra Times'', 1 December 1962, p18]</ref>
==Awards== * 1963 - winner [[Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers]]
==See also== * [[1962 in Australian literature]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Children's Book of the Year Award for Older Readers}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Family Conspiracy, The}} [[Category:Australian children's books]] [[Category:1962 Australian novels]] [[Category:Novels set in New South Wales]] [[Category:CBCA Children's Book of the Year Award–winning works]] [[Category:1962 children's books]] [[Category:Angus & Robertson books]] [[Category:Children's books set in New South Wales]]