Jones Kirby and her mum and dad have had to sell their family farm and move to the city because after years of dreadful drought they can no longer afford to live in the town of Cotton. Their new flat is small and right beside a railway line. For readers who live in Sydney you might know the suburb of Wollstonecraft. In the alternate chapters we read about August. He lives with his footy mad dad, older brother Archer who has the potential to be a football (Australian Rules Football) star, mum and his sister Lexi. I just need to make a comment about Lexi - I love her! She is a beautiful older sister. There is a scene near the beginning of this book where August tells Lexi he has been chosen to show Jones around the school. Here is part of his conversation with Lexi that made me cheer!
"Want me to tell you the school tour I'm going to do for Jones, in order of importance?"
Her reply: "Absolutely."
So Jones has to go to a new city school leaving her two best friends back in her old class. When Jones was a baby she lost her eye to retinoblastoma. She now only has vision in one eye but she knows how to navigate her way around, she is keen on climbing and running and she is very used to answering curious questions about her prosthetic eye.
August has his own issues at home. His dad is crazy for football but August is not a skilled player and he really does not want to practice or play this game every weekend. He prefers reading, telling jokes and learning new facts. He is also learning, thanks to Lexi, how to knit. His mum and dad keep fighting and it is clear that very soon they will separate.
August and Jones become the very best of friends and Jones suggests they should write a bucket list. At the top of their list they put - see a sloth - but it turns out there are no sloths in Australian zoos so they have to settle for a Francois Langur monkey at our Taronga Zoo here in Sydney and best of all this monkey has a new baby named Meimei. Also on their list is running a 10km race across Sydney and climbing Mount Kosciuszko.
It is SO lucky that the class teacher asked August to show Jones around the school on her first day!
Here is the publisher blurb: Eleven-year-old Jones Kirby has just moved to Sydney from her farm in country New South Wales. She's missing her alpacas and wide-open paddocks and can't get used to her family's tiny city apartment. She's also worried that her vision is blurry - she lost her eye to cancer as a toddler. Could it be another tumour? Enrolling at her new school, Jones meets shy, awkward August Genting. He loves fun facts, the library and knitting as much as Jones loves rock climbing and being outdoors. Who would have thought they'd become fast friends? At home, August's parents are fighting. And for Jones, the news from the doctor is not good. To cheer themselves up, the pair hatch a brilliant plan: the August and Jones Must-See Bucket List. Together, this brave duo will set out to meet a rare monkey, run across the Harbour Bridge and even climb Australia's highest mountain.
Here are some review comments for August and Jones:
Kindness and love are celebrated in this story of an unusual and moving friendship. Reading Time
In this interview with Paperbark words Pip Harry talks about writing her book during the pandemic.
Here are the judges comments for August and Jones:
August and Jones explores complex and challenging concepts such as parental expectations, drought, unemployment, changing homes and schools, anxiety, depression and childhood cancer. The characterisation is strong, with adults and children presented in an authentic and believable way. Contrasts in family life are highlighted with Jones's supportive family juxtaposed with August's angry father, depressed mother and sibling ties. The book is written expertly and sensitively, balanced with humour, showing how friendship, love, personal strength and belief in oneself and others can help overcome difficulties, change and loss. Jones’ cancer is never used for sympathy, and she remains positive despite the hardships she faces.
As I read this book I had so many personal connections with the story. At my former school we had a student with retinoblastoma. He had lost both his eyes but nothing could stop this wonderful boy. I feel so privileged to have met him. I recognised all of the places in the story, even the cafes because I have been to many of them here in Sydney. I'm terrified of heights so I really sympathised with August when he is too frightened to ride the chair lift at the ski field. Pip Harry read a story in our Sydney Morning Herald (October 19, 2019) about two kids just like August and Jones. You need a subscription to read the article but I found this report from the ABC about Mathilde and Jarrah.
I have been reading my way through the 2023 CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) Younger Readers shortlisted titles. When the list was announced I had already read three of the six and today I completed my final title - August and Jones by Pip Harry.
The early scenes in August and Jones when Jones and her family pack up their farm reminded me of this wonderful (but sadly now out of print) verse novel:
Jones has cancer. You might like to also read these books:
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