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The Book Chook

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Children’s Book Review, Being Jack
Posted: 18 Nov 2014 10:00 AM PST

Reviewed by Susan Stephenson, www.thebookchook.com

Being Jack was written by Susanne Gervay, illustrated by Cathy Wilcox, and published by Harper Collins Australia, 2014.

From the publisher:

Jack is in Year 6 now and still loves his photography, surfing, and crazy family. Things are going well for him, particularly at school where he isn’t bullied any more. But he notices that his best friend Christopher is being taunted and is starting to miss school and hiding out and avoiding everyone. And when a football match turns ugly and Jack and Christopher witness some unfair dirty play, they know that, again, the bullying has to stop. Ages: 9+.

I very much enjoyed the earlier Jack books: I am Jack, Super Jack and Always Jack. I also adored Monkey Baa Theatre’s performance of I am Jack. Being Jack, the final book in the series, sees our hero Jack at almost 13, an immensely likeable and believable character. I think that’s one of the reasons kids relate so well to the Jack books – they can see themselves in Jack. His life is like theirs. He interacts with good friends, kids at school, teachers, and relatives. Jack loves his family but is often flabbergasted by their behaviour and their idiosyncrasies.

Gervay knows how to make kids laugh, and humour there is, as well as drama and lots of moments for kids to think about and discuss. We see inside Jack’s head and feel what he feels. The present tense makes everything immediate, often almost like a stream of consciousness as Jack is bewildered by chaotic thoughts and real problems. How can he best help his mate, Christopher? Should he try to find and contact his real dad? How will that impact those he loves?

The illustrations by Cathy Wilcox are minimal because this is a novel. But the little black and white sketches add a real charm to the story, and may help younger readers not to be daunted by the amount of text. I hope so, because this, like all the Jack books, is such a great read!

In Being Jack, Gervay challenges us to think about bullying in all its forms. No longer tortured by bullies as he was in I am Jack, nevertheless, Jack has hard decisions to make about being a witness to bullying. For children, for all of us, these are important issues to think about, making Being Jack not just a book kids will very much enjoy, but one that nudges them towards taking responsibility for their own actions.

The post “Gervay challenges us to think about bullying in all its forms” – Review appeared first on Susanne Gervay's Blog.

Thanks for talking to Boomerang Books, Amanda Diaz. Thank you for having me! You’re a publicist at HarperCollins Publishers and you’re going to share your Christmas picks with us. But first let’s find out about you and some books you’ve been working on. HarperCollins Australia (based in Sydney) is known for its children’s/YA books as […]

How cool is it to connect with kids across Sydney through video conferencing.

Lots of enthusiasm and plenty of waving, the kids and teachers were right into I Am Jack’ and NO to School Bullying.

Electroboard was a great facilitator – thankyou Concetta!

HarperCollins organised it – thankyou Jacqui

Teachers – thankyou for reading I AM JACK

Kids – you were the BEST & I loved your comments and questions -

We’re going to make the world a better place –

NO to School Bullying.

Thankyou to Chester Hill Public School, Bulli Public School, Gymea Bay Public School, Bronte Public School!

Love being an ambassador for the National year of Reading 2012 advocating reading for kids.

Thankyou for the gift of your congratulations from the writing community and friends all over the world and those who love  JACK.

www.cancercouncil.com.au 

The Cancer Council:-

‘Susanne Gervay’s ‘Always Jack’ makes it safe for children, parents and the wider community to talk about cancer.’

Here are some of the many, many emails and facebook messages for ‘Always Jack’ and this award :-

FANTASTIC FANTASTIC FANTASTIC! CONGRATULATIONS!!!  Wendy Blaxland author

Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators QLD

CONGRATULATIONS to Susanne Gervay, SCBWI Regional Advisor – Australia and New Zealand New South Wales & Queensland – winner of the 2011 Australian Family Therapists’ Award for Children’s Literature for her book, ‘Always Jack’.

Congrats!  Patricia K. Dean, Ph.D., Associate Professor Salisbury University Maryland USA

Comment history

Add a Comment More from this Blog | Email This | Add a Tag 5. HarperCollins Launches Glamour in Sydney Add/View Comments | Previous | Top | Next By: Susanne Gervay, on 7/1/2011 Blog: Susanne Gervay's Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap) JacketFlap tags:  author Lisa Forrest. author Duncan Ball, CEO Michael Moynahan HarperCollins Australia, Cristina Rodrigues Children's Publisher HarperCollins Australia, picture book creator Emma Quay, Susanne Gervay'sJack, News, MONKEY BAA THEATRE, Writers Festivals, HarperCollins Australia, Duncan Ball's Emily Eyefinger, Add a tag HarperCollins’ new stunning offices looking over Hyde Park down the multi lighted William Street are fabulous. CEO Michael Moynahan welcomed us – enjoyed his literary jokes. Well, it was a publishing event! The launch party was fabulous – with everything from Chandon champagne, a cello welcoming us, fabulous food, jellybean bags, old friends – editors, authors, illustrators, the marketing and publishing team. Shared great news with friends:- Duncan Ball’s thrilled at the adaptation by Monkey Baa Theatre of  his Emily Eyefinger series to open at the Seymour in Sydney 9th July. I’ll be there. Emma Quay’s new picture book is a total joy – Nudie and Rudie – two nudie toddlers celebrating family and life. Love it. Lisa Forrest who’s nearly finished her new early teen novel with ABC Books an imprint of HarperCollins – about fantasy and circuses and sounds wonderful. My news is of course that I AM JACK the play will have a season at the Seymour end of October and it’s just come out in Slovenian. So exciting. Oh what a night…..!!!!!!!!!!!! Add a Comment More from this Blog | Email This | Add a Tag 6. The Cancer Council’s Pink Ribbon Day, Order of Australia, SCBWI Australia & NZ – What A Week! Add/View Comments | Previous | Top | Next By: Susanne Gervay, on 6/16/2011 Blog: Susanne Gervay's Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap) JacketFlap tags:  Room to Read, MONKEY BAA THEATRE, NSW Writers Centre, Charities, HarperCollins Australia, Always Jack by Susanne Gervay, Pink Ribbon Day Cancer Council, The Cancer Council Australia, The Hughenden home of SCBWI, Add a tag Yesterday I was part of the Cancer Council’s photo shoot for their Pink Ribbon Day – with kids, babies, young women, old women, guys – it was great fun and something close to my heart as a multiple breast cancer survivor and author of  ’Always Jack’ that carries the Cancer Council’s logo – the yellow daffodil. SUPPORT the Cancer Council’s Pink Ribbon Day in October. http://www.pinkribbonday.com.au   Beautiful congratulations are coming from all over Australia & the world. Thankyou to HarperCollins Australia for the stunning bouquet of flowers. Thankyou to the organisations I advocate for – the NSW Writers Centre, Monkey Baa Theatre for Young People, Room to Read, CBCA, the Children’s & Illustrators Network (at the Hughenden), SCBWI, Books in Homes, Cancer Council … Thankyou to my very funny friends – who think an OAM is hilarious and keep courtseying and sending me cards with OAM. Thankyou Australia for the OAM!!!! Thankyou for SCBWI – the messages are coming from everywhere. As the child of post war refugees, my parents with my baby brother, left everything to escape Hungary across minefields in the dead of night, for freedom. In the Austrian refugee  camp, they hoped a country would take them. They wanted to be chosen by the USA, but it was Australia who offered them home. They  didn’t know what or where Australia was, except it was far away from war, communism and imprisonment. They came on a refugee ship, without language, possessions, community, but with hope. Like many,  they rebuilt their lives in a new country. It is the story of America, Canada, UK …. many countries. It’s hard to believe that as the child of refugees, I have been awarded an Order of Australia. It is overwhelming and deeply meaningful. Add a Comment More from this Blog | Email This | Add a Tag 7. LIVEWIRE ~ Starlight Charity ~Supporting Kids & Families living with Serious Illness Add/View Comments | Previous | Top | Next By: Susanne Gervay, on 2/25/2011 Blog: Susanne Gervay's Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap) JacketFlap tags:  News, Young Adult Books, Gramedia, HarperCollins Australia, Susanne Gervay's Butterflies, Livewire initiative of Starlight Children's Foundation, published by Kane Miller Books, Add a tag   Loved speaking to the LIVEWIRE parents of kids who are facing prolonged hospitalisation, and fighting illness. There were lots of parents online.  It was a special experience. Loved sharing my book ‘Butterflies’ with them.   Right now in Australia, Livewire estimates there are 50,000 young people experiencing social isolation, lower peer support and lower wellbeing as a result of living with a serious illness or disability.    Livewire  is a free and safe online peer support program connecting socially isolated individuals affected by a serious illness, chronic condition or disability – Kids, teens, parents, siblings, community.    Livewire.org.au is an initiative of the Starlight Children’s Foundation and is supported by major partners including Optus.  It was established with funding from the Australian Government under the Clever Networks Program.   For information email :  [email protected] Add a Comment More from this Blog | Email This | Add a Tag 8. HarperCollins Celebrates Their Authors at Sales Conference Sydney Add/View Comments | Previous | Top | By: Susanne Gervay, on 5/11/2010 Blog: Susanne Gervay's Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap) JacketFlap tags:  News, Writing, Angelo Loukasis author, HarperCollins Australia, John Dale author, Lisa Berryman Publisher, Michael Moynahan CEO HarperCollins Australia, Add a tag Great food, sparking wine, overlooking Sydney Harbour talking books to be published this year. HarperCollins CEO  Michael Moynahan thanked the authors for their books, at the Sydney Sales Conference. Michael said that even with technology, nothing can happen without the author’s words. ALWAYS JACK - my new book is to be released October 2010 by HarperCollins. My great publisher is Lisa Berryman. Add a Comment More from this Blog | Email This | Add a Tag © 2017 Jacketflap.com                         About Us   FAQ   Advertise on JacketFlap   About our Widgets program for Publishers   Privacy   Terms