The Several Lives of Orphan Jack by Sarah…

The Several Lives of Orphan Jack (original 2003; edition 2005)

by Sarah Ellis, Bruno St-Aubin (Illustrator)

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Member:	BrittanyGean
Title:	The Several Lives of Orphan Jack
Authors:	Sarah Ellis
Other authors:	Bruno St-Aubin (Illustrator)
Info:	Groundwood Books (2005), Edition: Reprint, Paperback, 88 pages
Collections:	Your library
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Tags:	orphans, history, fiction

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The Several Lives of Orphan Jack by Sarah Ellis (2003)

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Grades 3-6. Jack, or Otherjack (as there was already a boy named Jack) spent the first twelve year of his life avoiding trouble and floggings at all costs.In fact, he "skipped over trouble, danced over trouble, slid under trouble, melted away from trouble, talked his way out of trouble and slipped between two close troubles like a cat through a picket fence (pg. 16)". One day Jack is called into the schoolmaster's office and is told that he has been given the opportunity to apprentice as a bookkeeper. He is so excited! At least, until he can't keep the columns neat or get the numbers to add. To escape the tough life at the Opportunities School for Orphans and Foundlings, Jack runs away with his favorite dictionary in tow.

This charming children's chapter book is a winner of the IODE Violet Downey award. Jack is a aimable character whose love for words and dictionaries allows for clever ways to introduce new and bigger words to young readers. A cute and fun read. (

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BrittanyGean | Dec 3, 2012 |

This clever tale is about an orphan who runs away from the orphanage after he learns that he will spend his life as a bookkeeper. The book is especially good about introducing more difficult words to young readers as Jack's most prized posession is a dictionary. The story may be a little slow and the illustrations, while nice, do not add much, but children who enjoy stories about kids out on their own, will likely enjoy this book as well. (

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HLaurich | Feb 13, 2010 |

I really enjoyed the style of this story - Jack is an orphan, and is delighted to hear he will be apprenticed to a bookkeeper - how wonderful to be responsible for protecting books! The book is full of patterns, wordplay, and fun. It reads aloud very well. (

)

francescadefreitas | May 6, 2008 |

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2003

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Awards and honors

Governor General's Literary Award Finalist (Children's Literature-Text, 2003)

Mr. Christie's Book Award (2003)

IODE Violet Downey Book Award (2004)

Vicky Metcalf Award (1995)

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Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0888996187, Paperback)

For Jack, life is tough at the Opportunities School for Orphans and Foundlings, where he has to avoid trouble with the wrathful Schoolmaster Bane and Edwin, the school bully. But when he turns twelve, trouble finds him. Apprenticed to a bookkeeper, he believes he has the job of his dreams. He loves the idea of taking care of books. What could be better for a boy whose most treasured possession is a grubby, torn dictionary that he received from the Benevolent Ladies Auxiliary one year for Christmas? But when Jack learns that bookkeeping does not involve keeping books safe, he realizes he cannot stay. Traveling to the market town of Aberbog, the he becomes an ideas peddler, selling whims, concepts, plans, opinions, impressions, notions, and fancies, eventually winning the town's heart. Will Jack settle down in Aberbog or continue his hardscrabble life on the road?

Bruno St. Aubin's illustrations vividly capture the strong personalities drawn by the gifted and acclaimed author Sarah Ellis.

(retrieved from Amazon Thu, 14 Feb 2013 13:50:44 -0500)

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▾Library descriptions

Jack turns twelve and discovers that there is a place in the world for an enterprising boy who has whims, concepts, plans, opinions, notions, and fancies to spare.

(summary from another edition)