That Boy, Jack

Book excerpt: Will Jack have the courage to follow his heart or will he keep his promise to his best friend? Best friends Jack and Gilbert made a pact when they were younger – work in the copper mines, just like their fathers and other Cornish immigrants. But the thought of working underground fills twelve-year-old Jack with panic. When Gilbert is forced to leave school to earn a wage, Jack wants to keep his promise – but that means facing his fear. And his heart is telling him to follow another path. That boy, Jack must find the courage to choose. That Boy, Jack is the latest junior fiction novel from award-winning Australian author Janeen Brian. This historical adventure set in 1870s Australia is a story of bullying, friendship, courage and growing up. Read more about the author and her books: www.janeenbrian.com “[The author] subtly transports the reader back to the 1870s through the observations, activity and dialogue of her characters in a natural, credible way … An enjoyable work of light historical fiction themed around friendship and aspiration suited to middle school readers.” Magpies magazine “Janeen Brian has created a vibrant and engaging scenario which realistically portrays the hard life of the Cornish miners … The characters are well-drawn and fully rounded, the plot engages the reader and some of the social issues (typhoid, mine accidents, lack of education) are integrated seamlessly into the story. This is an excellent book about colonial life in early South Australia and readers will absorb much information while being engrossed in a good story.” Reading Time magazine “This evocative book is the reason we read …This beautiful Australian junior fiction novel by accomplished author Janeen Brian will easily become a classic. I cannot recommend it enough. It's absolutely brilliant.” Kids’ Book Review “Depicting aspects of Australian history which may be unfamiliar to young readers, [That Boy, Jack] will appeal both to young history buffs and to any reader who simply likes a story of adventure … Brian weaves a story which allows the reader to experience both this history and the personal journey in an intimate, exciting way.” Aussie Reviews “This is a moving coming of age story set in Moonta, South Australia, 1874. It shows an in-depth view of life in the mines and the prefiguring of boys’ lives to follow in their father’s footsteps.” BuzzWords Books