Mr Angelou arrives with a bottle of wine and chocolates. So we’re all here. Mum doesn’t want any help in the kitchen while she’s doing last-minute preparations. Rob’s pouring drinks. Samantha’s patting Puss, and sitting next to Nanna repeating anything interesting that someone says. Nanna’s hearing gets worse when a lot of people are talking at the same time. I’m showing Mr Angelou my book.
‘This is a great achievement, Jack.’ Mr Angelou flips over the pages. Then he stops and looks at me. ‘If you believe in yourself you can do anything.’
‘You mean I can fly to Jupiter?’
He winks before turning to Mr Napoli who wants his attention. Mr Napoli is describing his renovations at the Napolis’ Super Delicioso Fruitologist Market. He talks a lot about those renovations. When he is finished, Mr Angelou smiles at me and puts out his hand. ‘Shake, Jack. You know, we won.’ I shake his hand. He smiles. ‘YOU won, Jack.’
Samantha runs to turn on the CD. It’s announcement music. Mum comes through the open door into the lounge. She is carrying a large platter decorated with rose petals and lemon peel. In the middle is…
The Napolis are shouting. Mr Angelou whistles. Samantha’s jumping up and down and Anna beams. Nanna’s laughing because she can actually hear the commotion.
‘The middle. The middle.’ Samantha points excitedly.
There it is in all its glory. Jack’s Ponto is perched on an overturned soup bowl. There’s a tiny plate next to it with carefully sliced and fried Ponto shoots. ‘I can’t believe this. It’s crazy.’
Mum’s blonde hair is fluffing into a cotton ball. She places the petalled plate onto the coffee table. ‘The famous Jack’s Ponto appetizer,’ she announces. Everyone investigates, asks questions, until Mum says we can all take a sliver of Ponto, but NOT eat it yet.
‘Before you taste Jack’s Ponto, I want to say something in front of all of you.’ She coughs. ‘Jack, whatever happens, I will always love you and think you’re smart and brave and inventive.’ Her voice falters a bit. ‘You enrich my life…’ Mum looks around. ‘All our lives.’
I can see Mr Angelou smiling.
I love you too, Mum.
‘All right. Let’s see what the Ponto tastes like.’
Super Jack
From the bestselling author of I Am Jack
Super Jack
I have a great family, but they drive me crazy sometimes.
There’s Nanna, who is obsessed with buying bargains, especially underpants.
How many pairs does a kid really need?
There’s Mum, who does star jumps. I wish she wouldn’t do them, especially in public.
There’s my sort-of-step-dad Rob, who is the best dish washer in the whole world. He doesn’t get it. I don’t really care if plates sparkle.
There’s my sister Samantha, who is in love with dogs, especially Floppy, who is big and flat and stuffed. Sometimes I think there’s something wrong with my sister.
There’s my best friend Anna, who is…well, she’s nice.
And ME. Jack. I’m twelve and a scientist. You should see my fantastic fungus.
We’re going on a terrific holiday up north. Beaches and theme parks. Well, it’s terrific apart from LEO, Rob’s son. Yuck! Why does he have to come? I KNOW he’s going to ruin everything.
Other Books from HarperCollins
Specky Magee
by Felice Arena and Garry Lyon
Twelve-year-old Simon Magee is the biggest Aussie Rules fan ever. Some might say he’s footy mad.
He’s a champion full-forward on the school footy team, but his friends call him ‘Specky’ because of his awesome talent at taking ‘spec-tacular’ marks.
Life couldn’t be better for Specky—except for one thing. He yearns for his dad to watch him play the game he loves so much. Unfortunately, his father—and the rest of his family—hate footy. In fact, they can’t stand it! Which is why Specky is so confused when he discovers a photo of himself as a baby dressed up in footy clothes. Who dressed him in those clothes? And why won’t his parents give him a straight answer when he asks them about it?
Specky’s quest for the truth throws his world into a spin. Determined to find an explanation, he uncovers something that causes him to question those he loves most.
Highly acclaimed author Felice Arena and AFL legend Garry Lyon have written an exciting and moving story that will delight all readers, whether or not they are into footy.
Phredde and the Purple Pyramid
a story to eat with a passionfruit
Jackie French
What happens when you head down the mysterious black tunnel that’s opened up right in the middle of the school oval?
Phredde, Pru and Bruce go WAAAAAAY back to Ancient Egypt to choose the next Pharaoh. Ancient messages, murderous plots and a pit full of snakes await them.
Who will be the next ruler of Ancient Egypt?
Will it be the handsome Prince Methen, whose roast hippopotamus is to die for? The unkingly and awkward young Prince Narmer? Or the gorgeous but sinister Princess Nut with her team of pet crocodiles?
And is Fluffy, Queen of the Nile, REALLY a cat? Then why is her tail tied on with string?
Oh, and a volcano is exploding back in the schoolyard—just to top off the day!
Another hilarious Phredde story from bestselling author, Jackie French.
So…Collectable
More gross and revolting stories from J.A. Mawter
FROM THE AUTHOR:
My Jacks—I Am Jack and SuperJack—are inspired by my wonderful, crazy family and the people I love. When you read these books, I am inviting you inside my home to meet fantastic characters—the nanna who is obsessed with buying bargains, the step-dad who is the best dish washer in the whole world, the sister who loves dogs, the mum (me) who does the best star jumps possible, and of course Jack.
I remember the time I was afraid to go to school because ‘the gang’ surrounded me and stole my lunch. No one played with me. It was lonely and scary. I didn’t feel I could ask my parents for help. They were both working so hard and tired ALL the time, so how could I bother them? As well as that, I was the older sister and I was supposed to be able to fix it up. I couldn’t. And can you believe that it all happened to my son, too. Did you know that one in six children in Australian schools are bullied. Well, I am a teacher, a specialist in Child Growth and Development, an author and the best thing of all, a mother. Don’t you dare tell my daughter or my son, but I just love my kids to death.
So I wrote I Am Jack for them and for all of you.
Visit Susanne Gervay’s website at: www.users.bigpond.com/gervays
Other books by Susanne Gervay
Butteflies
The Cave
Jamie’s a Hero
My Brother Is So Annoying
Next Stop the Moon
Shadows of Olive Trees
Super Jack
Copyright
Angus&Robertson
An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, Australia
First published in Australia in 2000
This edition published in 2010
by HarperCollinsPublishers Pty Limited
ABN 36 009 913 517 A member of the HarperCollinsPublishers (Australia) Pty Limited Group
www.harpercollins.com.au
Text copyright © Susanne Gervay 2000
Illustrations copyright © Cathy Wilcox 2000
The right of Susanne Gervay and Cathy Wilcox to be identified as the moral rights author and illustrator of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright Amendment (Moral Rights) Act 2000 (Cth).
This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Inquiries should be addressed to the publishers.
HarperCollinsPublishers
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National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication data:
Gervay, Susanne.
I am Jack.
ISBN 0 207 19905 1. (pbk.)
ISBN 978 0 7304 4464 0 (epub)
I. Wilcox, Cathy, 1963—. II. Title.
A823.3
I Am Jack Page 8