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Jack
is a
trolley jack - nothing unusual about that. Every garage has one
or more trolley jacks. They're used to lift vehicles when a mechanic
needs to work underneath them, or change a wheel.
But
Jack is a trolley jack with attitude. He works at Bill Green's
Garage Services, and apart from assisting Bill with all the lifting
jobs, he's also a well liked member of the local community - a
gregarious and helpful individual who frequently steals the show
with his heroic feats. It's all about Jack's ability to lift
heavy loads.
Working
at the garage also is Stocky, another trolley jack. But
Stocky lives up to his name - a real bruiser who can lift
extremely large, heavy lorries. Then there's Phil, a petrol
pump, and Amy, another pump who dispenses diesel fuel.
Jack and Friends
is a simple, back-to-basics illustrated storybook with narrative
pitched for both parental delivery to the younger audience, and
unaided reading by the more accomplished child. Storylines are
highly innovative and take the reader on an entertaining journey
through Jack's day-to-day escapades.
Importantly, Jack is portrayed as a good role model,
and this is reinforced with positive lifestyle messages embedded in
the storylines: 'Reading can be fun - Fire can kill - Take care when
skate-boarding - Cycle safely on main roads'. And the reader is
encouraged to think: How will Jack come to the rescue? - How
will Jack tackle this problem?
Full
colour pen and ink artwork was chosen for the illustrations, as
although computer graphics can render bright colourful detail,
pictures produced by hand inherit the soul and feeling of the
artist, and capture delicate nuances. My chosen artist was the
Talented Shirley Chiang, whose stylistics adapted well to my requirements, and who
was quick to synch with Jack's mentality and bring to life my
pencil sketches. If you'd like to find out more about Shirley and
her work, please click this link:
Shirley's Illustrations.
Jack and
Friends is aimed broadly at five to nine year olds. Book 2 of this series is
already on the stocks, and there are plans to add further books.
Downloads
Low resolution PDF of Jack and Friends
High resolution example PDF
Information Sheet PDF |
