# The Family Conspiracy

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Book by Joan Phipson

The Family Conspiracy First edition Author Joan Phipson Language English Genre Children's fiction Publisher Angus and Robertson (Aus) Constable (UK) Publication date 1962 Publication place Australia Media type Print Pages 188pp 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](/source/Joan_Phipson); it was illustrated by [Margaret Horder](/source/Margaret_Horder). It won the [Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers](/source/Children's_Book_of_the_Year_Award%3A_Older_Readers) in 1963.[1]

## 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."[2]

## Awards

- 1963 - winner [Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers](/source/Children's_Book_of_the_Year_Award%3A_Older_Readers)

## See also

- [1962 in Australian literature](/source/1962_in_Australian_literature)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Austlit - *The Family Conspiracy* by Joan Phipson](http://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C147561)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Two Fine Books for Young People", *The Canberra Times*, 1 December 1962, p18](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article136932533)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [The Family Conspiracy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Family_Conspiracy) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Family_Conspiracy?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.