That Boy, Jack

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 - promising to work together in the copper mines, just like their fathers and other Cornish immigrants. But now Jack is turning twelve, and the thought of working underground fills him with panic.

When Gilbert is forced to leave school and earn a wage, Jack wants to keep his word to his friend - but that means facing his fear. And all the while his heart is telling him to follow another path. That boy, Jack must find the courage to choose.

About the Author

Janeen Brian spent her childhood in the seaside town of Brighton, in South Australia. After attending a 'dame school type' kindergarten, she attended Brighton Primary and Brighton High Schools. Aged 16 she trained as a primary teacher at Wattle Park Teachers College and at 18 stood in front of her first class of Year 5 Students. Her teaching career saw her work as in Junior Primary, Primary, Drama and as a Teacher-Librarian. While raising a family of two daughters, she also began a 4-year career with a professional children s theatre company, both acting and writing.

She has also been involved in over 100 television and radio commercials as well as dozens of voiceovers for radio and video. She began dabbling in writing in her thirties but it was several years before she began to be published with an educational publisher. Since then she has written over 60 books both in trade and educational, and in genres ranging from picture books to poetry, short fiction, non-fiction and novels. Janeen has several awards to her name and many of her books have been translated and published overseas. She also writes for national and overseas children s magazines and has over 100 poems, plays, stories or articles published.