Published February 2012 Hardie Grant Egmont
From the publisher:
The only thing that the 'B' in Billie B Brown DOESN'T stand for is BOY! In response to demands from the market, industry, children, parents AND teachers we are BURSTING with pride to introduce the coolest, the funniest, the most imaginative dude that the early reader scene has ever seen...
Jack is invited to a costume party, and he's made an awesome robot suit. But what if the other kids at the party think it's lame?
If you have read any of the Billie B Brown series, then you know Jack. Jack is Billie's friend and neighbour. Billie B Brown has been such a popular series because it really filled a gap in the 'first novel' market. Hey Jack! will do the same for boys. They are thin, just over 40 pages, there are illustrations scattered throughout, the font is large and easy to read, but it's a novel and has chapters!
There have been other books at the same level, same style for boys, Zac Power Test Drive and Spy Camp, as well as Boy vs Beast. This series has no spys, no gadgets, no monsters...just a boy who plays soccer, sometimes gets mad or moochy and he tries to to be brave enough to do things even when he feels his tummy 'jump around like a jumping bean bean'.
In Robot Blues, Jack is going to a fancy dress party where he won't know anyone except for the birthday boy Jem. He is nervous about that, and to make matters worse he is starting to worry that his home-made costume might make the other kids laugh at him. For such a simple book it really captures the nervous (wobbly) tummy feeling of doing something new and the worry of not fitting in. Mum tries to help, by convincing him his costume, is great, but Jack's still not sure...it's not until he braves the party and the other kids tell him how cool his costume is, that the wobbly feelings start to subside.
See below for a look inside (from another Hey Jack! title)
Who will like this
book: Boys age 5+
Read it if you like: the look of Billie B Brown books but think they are too girly!
Read it if you like: the look of Billie B Brown books but think they are too girly!
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