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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.

Can you believe that ‘I Am Jack’ came into the world 12 years ago?

He’s grown into ‘Super Jack’ and ‘Always jack’ and has had many reprints.

Written after my son was bullied at school, it seeks to make life safer for kids, families and communities:-

-Embraced by kids, families and schools across Australia.

-Endorsed by beautiful organisations that partner kids on that rocky journey of life:-

-Room to Read – www.roomtoread.org

-The Alannah & Madeline Foundation – www.amf.org.au

-Life Education Australia – www.lifeeducation.org.au

-The Cancer Council – www.cancercouncil.com.au

JACK’s just been released in the USA by Kane Miller Books

Has been translated into Korean, Slovenian and Bahasa (Indonesia).

The brilliant adaptation of I Am Jack by Monkey Baa Theatre will be having another season at the Lend Lease Darling Quarter Theatre Darling Harbour Sydney 11-16th March 2013

It should be touring the USA in 2014 – www.monkeybaa.com.au

It is now in  development as a feature film – the 3 JACKS – with plans to film later next year.

Watch out for I AM JACK the movie.

Jack and his family and friends wish you all a joyous Christmas and New Year.

W: www.lifeeducation.org.au

Healthy Harold and I had a big cuddle with Healthy Harold at the Life Education Christmas Party.

Healthy Harold knows how to have a fabulous Christmas – friends, family, community, and a great lunch  – Turkey preferred by me.

Life Education Australia supports  NO to school bullying.

They’ve endorsed ‘I AM JACK’ as a book that works against bullying and celebrates kids.

Thankyou to the kids and teachers of Central Coast Adventist School  for loving I Am Jack and my JACKS!

‘I Am Jack’ is a core study at the Adventist School for a term. As I entered the library, it felt like  I was welcomed by friends. The warmth of the kids and teachers was a special way to end nearly 2 months on this Book writing tour.

It was so much fun driving with my daughter Tory from Sydney to the Central Coast especially since my GPS went crazy.

We ended up at this Buddhist Cafe and gallery set amongst rolling hills and the green countryside. Beautiful. Then I got to speak to this fantastic kids on their last day before school holidays.

As an ambassador for the National Year of Reading 2012, love speaking to kids and promoting books – next year is going to be a major one – log onto and have fun:- www.love2read.org.au

I drive towards The Southport School at Southport on the Gold Coast Queensland. The skies are sparkling blue, the sun bright and the sprawling fields the green of  spring.

I had the pleasure of meeting Stewart Eglington again, a brilliant teacher and educator who two years ago took The Southport boys to MonkeyBaa Theatre’s  ’I Am Jack’ which was the feature event of the Somerset Celebration of Literature Festival.

In my 29 years of teaching that (I Am Jack) was the most powerful and moving experience that dealt with bullying in an honest open yet sensitive manner.

Stewart Eglington.
Coordinator of Students and Staff
The Southport School – Preparatory School

I spotted Stewart when I saw boys running towards him. They had things to tell him and share the education experience. When I asked if they’d like a photo with Stewart, there was a rush and crush.

Such great teachers – a special thanks to Mr Mac and librarian Deborah Schinckel and all the staff for the warm welcome.

It is such a special experience when a school embraces my JACK series where I invite readers to come into my home and life.

 The kids were excited as we connected – they’re in Mr Gambia and I’m thousands of kilometres away in Sydney.

 Hello to Robert who has a hair cut like my JACK in ‘I Am Jack’.

 Hello to Faith who knew all about beaches.

 Hello to Brodie who loved talking about everything.

 Hello to all the fantastic kids of the special class for kids with intellectual impairments at Mt Gambia North Primary    School in South Australia.

We had a great time today as I shared ‘I Am Jack’ with the kids.

They LOVED Floppy the dog and Nanna’s teeth from my books – ‘I Am Jack’, ‘Super Jack’ and ‘Always Jack’.

We talked about telling their Mum or Dad if someone calls them a name that hurts, like what happened to my Jack.

They promised to tell their parents if they were sad and in trouble!

Thankyou to Polycom for hosting the teleconferencing with the kids of Mt Gambia North.

      This was a Literature Live! Connected Classroom event for Book Week. www.literaturelive.net

Susanne Gervay is a Room to Read Ambassador  www.roomtoread.com

Sackville Public School is past Campbelltown in a township nestled between fields and national parks. 

BOOK WEEK is fantastic except it’s BOOK MONTH!!!

I loved the welcoming librarian Wendy and welcoming Principal Neil Robertson and the teachers and kids.

Everything was so easy and there was a -no problem – attitude even when I arrived late due to a breakdown on the freeway.

The Principal and Wendy will be taking a group of kids to Monkey Baa Theatre’s ‘I AM JACK’ at the Seymour Theatre 1st November- so hope to see them there.

www.monkeybaa.com.au

Gorgeous kids and teachers at Cherrybrook Public School.

Loved the fabulous posters they made of ‘I Am Jack’.

Monty Pryor and I are at Cherrybrook for Book Week.

Everyone wanted to see NANNA’s big purple stretchy glow-in-the-dark underpants!!!!

Everyone laughed at Jack’s famous Little Red Man Joke

Everyone said NO to bullying.

Yeah for the kids of Cherrybrook!!!!!!

The kids and their families come from all over the world – India, Indonesia, Korea, China, Vietnam, Turkey, Iraq, Columbia, England, New Zealand.

I love sharing my stories, my family and my JACK books with these kids from Athelsane Public School, Oatlands and Dundas Public Schools and Burwood Public School.

I perform I Am Jack’s ‘The Little Red Man’ joke and they laugh and laugh.

They love Jack’s wobbly old Nanna and Jack’s friends and families.

Then they discover that JACK who is a great kid was bullied at school

We work out how the bullying happened, why the bully bullies and what we have to do when we someone in trouble.