title: The Family Conspiracy
text: # The Family Conspiracy
  
  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.
  
  ## 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."
  
  ## Awards
  
  * 1963 - winner Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers
  