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Jakey
132 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
About the author
Lesley Beake
56 books13 followersLesley Beake has been involved with writing and editing children’s stories for twenty years now and has published nearly seventy books. All her stories are set in Africa and are rich in African imagery and landscape. They vary from picture books for the very young, to novels for teenagers, with a good spread of stories for all ages in between.
Much of her work involves writing for readers who are reading in English as their second, third, or even fourth language. The challenge of corresponding a reading level with an interest level is helped by her background in primary school teaching and in teaching English as a Foreign Language in the Middle East for the British Council.
Lesley also has a wide portfolio of travel writing, radio broadcasting and website work. She was editor of two major South African travel publications and of the Air Malawi in-flight magazine and currently manages and edits a website for San communities at www.kalaharipeoples.net.
Her books have been translated into numerous languages, worldwide and in Africa, and she has received many awards for her books. But the greatest satisfaction comes with meeting the young people who actually read her books – and in typing the last word of the manuscript in hand!
Much of her work involves writing for readers who are reading in English as their second, third, or even fourth language. The challenge of corresponding a reading level with an interest level is helped by her background in primary school teaching and in teaching English as a Foreign Language in the Middle East for the British Council.
Lesley also has a wide portfolio of travel writing, radio broadcasting and website work. She was editor of two major South African travel publications and of the Air Malawi in-flight magazine and currently manages and edits a website for San communities at www.kalaharipeoples.net.
Her books have been translated into numerous languages, worldwide and in Africa, and she has received many awards for her books. But the greatest satisfaction comes with meeting the young people who actually read her books – and in typing the last word of the manuscript in hand!
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August 25, 2013
When I started reading this book, I thought "Oh no not another book about Apartheid."
But, the way the story was constructed and the way the author dealt with the tention of leading up to the elections in 1994, was brilliant.
The story is mainly from Jakey's point of view. The book is written in such a way that it seems as though Jakey wrote his thoughts in a journal. Jakey tells the main story of what happened in his childhood, and how he came to live in Saldanah Bay. Every other Chapter or so, has an insert by Hendrik. Hendrik's parts are told as though he were writing on a note pad for a psychologist. The two boys, both 13 years old, become friends, and almost without knowing it, help each other with their problems. Jakey is full of anger, and Hendrik of sadness; which, seems to correlate with the mood of the country at the time. Each chapter is headed by a headline taken from newspapers of that time. The headlines echo the boys' personal mood levels. As the country became more volitile so did the moods and situations of the boys. When peace finally came to South Africa, and civil war was averted, the boys find peace as well.
This book reminded me just how close we were to civil war before the elections, and the miracle of avoiding such a disaster. It was a brilliantly executed book, with memorable characters and a heart wrenching story.
But, the way the story was constructed and the way the author dealt with the tention of leading up to the elections in 1994, was brilliant.
The story is mainly from Jakey's point of view. The book is written in such a way that it seems as though Jakey wrote his thoughts in a journal. Jakey tells the main story of what happened in his childhood, and how he came to live in Saldanah Bay. Every other Chapter or so, has an insert by Hendrik. Hendrik's parts are told as though he were writing on a note pad for a psychologist. The two boys, both 13 years old, become friends, and almost without knowing it, help each other with their problems. Jakey is full of anger, and Hendrik of sadness; which, seems to correlate with the mood of the country at the time. Each chapter is headed by a headline taken from newspapers of that time. The headlines echo the boys' personal mood levels. As the country became more volitile so did the moods and situations of the boys. When peace finally came to South Africa, and civil war was averted, the boys find peace as well.
This book reminded me just how close we were to civil war before the elections, and the miracle of avoiding such a disaster. It was a brilliantly executed book, with memorable characters and a heart wrenching story.
Displaying 1 of 1 review