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Jump
Bursting from these foot loose and freewheeling pages: the unrestrained adventures of a guy named Bob, who, as a kid, could never sit or stand still. As his teachers and parents found out early on, his path would always take him anywhere but where he was: relentless, driven, ready and packed. Or as his mom would say, trying to comfort his teachers. “Shpilkis—ants in the pants, he’s a boy.” Sadly, not much comfort.
His early travel dreams were inspired by Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon Tiki. As a young adult, he found himself in the air ride seat of an 18-wheeler, where he logged over a million miles in eleven western states.
But that was just the beginning.
The journey continued overseas, where, after getting the right credential, he was able to teach in ten schools on four continents, stretching his wanderlust to include forty-seven countries over many years.
His longing for adventure turned out to be way more than a call to travel. He may not have recognized it in himself, but friends, colleagues, and family did: he was on a mission, where, with his newly acquired credential, doors opened to places he had never imagined—schools and school libraries. As a lifelong raconteur, his storytelling skills, together with his teaching/librarian responsibilities, reinforced a perfect skill set from which to inspire kids to explore, be passionate in their learning, and resist like hell, the word, boredom. By the time he entered a school setting, his life’s experiences, more than any credential, enabled him to motivate, inspire, stimulate, stir, cajole, provoke, and do whatever was necessary to get kids to read.
Relying his obsession for libraries, travel, books, stories, and literacy, he’s always taken the lead, wherever he’s been, to inspire kids to discover the worlds that have brought him so much joy.
His early travel dreams were inspired by Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon Tiki. As a young adult, he found himself in the air ride seat of an 18-wheeler, where he logged over a million miles in eleven western states.
But that was just the beginning.
The journey continued overseas, where, after getting the right credential, he was able to teach in ten schools on four continents, stretching his wanderlust to include forty-seven countries over many years.
His longing for adventure turned out to be way more than a call to travel. He may not have recognized it in himself, but friends, colleagues, and family did: he was on a mission, where, with his newly acquired credential, doors opened to places he had never imagined—schools and school libraries. As a lifelong raconteur, his storytelling skills, together with his teaching/librarian responsibilities, reinforced a perfect skill set from which to inspire kids to explore, be passionate in their learning, and resist like hell, the word, boredom. By the time he entered a school setting, his life’s experiences, more than any credential, enabled him to motivate, inspire, stimulate, stir, cajole, provoke, and do whatever was necessary to get kids to read.
Relying his obsession for libraries, travel, books, stories, and literacy, he’s always taken the lead, wherever he’s been, to inspire kids to discover the worlds that have brought him so much joy.
392 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2023
1 person is currently reading
2 people want to read
About the author
Bob Jonas
10 books16 followersBob Jonas has been a school librarian for nineteen years-four in Beaverton, Oregon and seven in China -- Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong. In South America he worked for three years in Santiago, Chile, and then three years in the in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. After retiring from his last post in Germany, on July 1, 2015, he will continue to write, visit schools, present at conferences, and use what he knows—which is a lot—to get kids excited about books, reading, and writing.
His travel and writing obsessions began after reading Thor Heyerdahl's Kon Tiki-he was ten. His storytelling obsession began with his dad-the greatest tale teller, BS artiste, mesmerizer, and raconteur the younger Jonas would ever lean on for inspiration.
His first fifteen years of adulthood found him living the travel adventure in a semi-truck where he logged over a million miles in twelve western states. Unfortunately, the road stint lasted about twelve years too long. After too many speeding tickets, too many run-ins with angry weigh masters, bad, bad, and double bad winter weather, not to mention a real bad back, he knew it was time to find his old college degree and get himself somewhere else.
As a storyteller, writer, and librarian he has motivated, inspired, stimulated, stirred, cajoled, provoked, and done what was necessary to instill a love of reading in kids on fours continents.
ChinAlive, published in 2013, was his first YA novel. Imposter, a second YA novel, was published in 2015, followed by a sequel, Death Brew, just released March 26, 2017.
All his tales of travel and life as an international school librarian were published as a memoir, JUMP, in 2023, with his next YA novel, Ben's Story, is set to launch, March 1, 2024.
His travel and writing obsessions began after reading Thor Heyerdahl's Kon Tiki-he was ten. His storytelling obsession began with his dad-the greatest tale teller, BS artiste, mesmerizer, and raconteur the younger Jonas would ever lean on for inspiration.
His first fifteen years of adulthood found him living the travel adventure in a semi-truck where he logged over a million miles in twelve western states. Unfortunately, the road stint lasted about twelve years too long. After too many speeding tickets, too many run-ins with angry weigh masters, bad, bad, and double bad winter weather, not to mention a real bad back, he knew it was time to find his old college degree and get himself somewhere else.
As a storyteller, writer, and librarian he has motivated, inspired, stimulated, stirred, cajoled, provoked, and done what was necessary to instill a love of reading in kids on fours continents.
ChinAlive, published in 2013, was his first YA novel. Imposter, a second YA novel, was published in 2015, followed by a sequel, Death Brew, just released March 26, 2017.
All his tales of travel and life as an international school librarian were published as a memoir, JUMP, in 2023, with his next YA novel, Ben's Story, is set to launch, March 1, 2024.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 17, 2023
To answer the question “why the overwhelming need to move, to travel, to get myself gone …,” Bob Jonas takes the reader on a delightful vicarious adventure. He and Susan travel to 47 countries and work on 4 continents. To peel back layers of culture in each new situation, he refers to the need for flexibility, a sense of humor and the ability to live in the moment.
Both the title and the cover picture depict the thrill of engaging in new experiences by throwing yourself into unknown situations and successfully coping with whatever comes up. Bob’s joy as an international traveler as well as his honesty for challenges faced are insightful and definitely answer the question of “why” the wanderlust takes hold of someone.
The multiple “endings” did not surprise me. Anyone who retires from a job they love feels some level of regret. It takes time to find new direction. But accumulating as many memories as Bob and Susan have acquired should definitely soften the landing.
A great read for anyone who enjoys an authentic glimpse into what it’s like to live and work as an American in cultures as different as those of Shanghai, Hong Kong, Chile Germany, Saudi Arabia and Norway.
Both the title and the cover picture depict the thrill of engaging in new experiences by throwing yourself into unknown situations and successfully coping with whatever comes up. Bob’s joy as an international traveler as well as his honesty for challenges faced are insightful and definitely answer the question of “why” the wanderlust takes hold of someone.
The multiple “endings” did not surprise me. Anyone who retires from a job they love feels some level of regret. It takes time to find new direction. But accumulating as many memories as Bob and Susan have acquired should definitely soften the landing.
A great read for anyone who enjoys an authentic glimpse into what it’s like to live and work as an American in cultures as different as those of Shanghai, Hong Kong, Chile Germany, Saudi Arabia and Norway.
July 29, 2023
A former trucker Jumps from his cab to become a children’s librarian and spreads literacy around the world. “Vagabond Librarian” and author Bob Jonas has penned a wonderful memoire about his 20-year journey with his partner, Susan Stronach, as international school librarians in China, Santiago, Erlangen, Riyadh, Norway, and Hong Kong. It’s a wild ride filled with adventure, humor, and cultural diversity. Teachers and librarians, if you’re thinking of joining these expat educators, this is the book to read. If I had known about International and American Schools abroad when I was young, I would have seriously considered joining their ranks myself. What a life! I knew Bob and Sue before they went on their odyssey and had the pleasure of joining them for a few days at their various postings. I had no idea of what they had gone through until I read this book. Prepare to be entertained and enlightened.
September 10, 2023
Bob & Sue Jonas made an early professional decision to spend their lives in various teaching and librarian posts in residence overseas. About as big a "jump" as most of us could imagine. But that's what they did. This book is filled with stories, experiences, and lore about life and travel in some of the more exotic places on the planet. And about life as a teaching professional in a multitude of cultures very different from our own. Thoroughly enjoyable. Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews