Description
A down-to-earth version of a heavenly tale.
Jack and the Manger retells the story of Jesus’s birth as if it were a Newfoundland folktale. It’s all seen through the eyes of Jack, the hero of many a story, who befriends a young couple on their walk to Bethlehem. There’s a bit of ‘angel talk’, some gravel pit camping, an edge-of-your-seat birth drama, and the low-down on how Caesar Augustus’s ‘count-and-tax plan’ brought them all together.
Gentle, playful and very funny, Jack and the Manger is the second in an on-going print series of Jack tales, written by Andy Jones, one of Newfoundland’s finest storytellers and actors, and the first produced as an audio book. It was a Christmas sensation in St. John’s when it was first performed, and is sure to please even the most Grinch-like of readers.
This audiobook was recorded and produced by award-winning audio-documenatry maker Chris Brookes at Battery Radio Studios in St. John's, NL, and features music by acclaimed Newfoundland fiddler Christina Smith.
Author Bio
An actor, writer, storyteller and director, Andy Jones lives in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Once a member of the acclaimed comedy troupe CODCO, he has had a long and accomplished career in theatre, film and television. He is the co-adaptor of the award-winning folktale Peg Bearskin and author of an acclaimed series of Jack tales. In 2019 he was named to the Order of Canada in recognition of his contributions to the culture of Newfoundland and Labrador.
An actor, writer, storyteller and director, Andy Jones lives in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Once a member of the acclaimed comedy troupe CODCO, he has had a long and accomplished career in theatre, film and television. He is the co-adaptor of the award-winning folktale Peg Bearskin and author of an acclaimed series of Jack tales. In 2019 he was named to the Order of Canada in recognition of his contributions to the culture of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Review Quotes
“Everyone needs joy and beauty at Christmas, and this latest Jack tale supplies both in abundance.” – Jean Graham, in The Northeast Avalon Times
“The usual Christmas story of Bethlehem, shepherds and stars has taken an unexpected turn. Such is only to be expected when it is being told by Andy Jones. Jones has performed the traditional Jack Tales for years, and recently debuted the stories in print with The Queen of Paradise’s Garden.” – Joan Sullivan, in The Newfoundland Quarterly
“The Christmas nativity story has been set in Canada before–notable examples are The Huron Carol and Kurelek’s A Northern Nativity–but never has it been combined with a folktale character, set in outport Newfoundland, and served up with such cunning craft.” – Alison Mews, in Canadian Review of Materials
“The story is narrated as though it were a Newfoundland folk tale, with all the particularities of local speech and lore. Illustrations, by Slovenian-born Darka Erdelji, are especially memorable; they bring a child's open-eyed sense of wonder to this quirky retelling.” – Tali Folkins, in Anglican Journal
Biographical note
An actor, writer, storyteller, and director, Andy Jones was born and raised in St. John’s, Newfoundland. He worked with CODCO, both in theatre and on television, and with Sheila’s Brush Theatre Troupe. He has written, performed, and toured five one-man shows; has performed in theatrical productions across Canada and in numerous television shows and films.
He is the author/adaptor, with Philip Dinn, of Peg Bearskin, a folktale from Placentia Bay, which was shortlisted for the 2004/05 Hackmatack Award and named to the International Youth Library’s prestigious White Ravens List; the book has recently been re-issued with new illustrations and in a new design.
His on-going series of Jack tales, illustrated by Darka Erdelji and designed by Veselina Tomova, has been much lauded: The Queen of Paradise’s Garden was named to the IYL’s White Ravens List, and was shortlisted for the 2010 Bruneau Family Award and the 2010 Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage and History Award; Jack and the Manger, a re-telling of the Christmas story as if it were a Newfoundland folktale, received the 2012 Bruneau Family Award for Children’s/Young Adult Literature and was shortlisted for the 2012 NL Heritage and History Award; Jack and Mary in the Land of Thieves received the 2012 BMO Winterset Award and the 2014 Bruneau Family Award. Jack, the King of Ashes was nominated for the 2015 Ann Connor Brimer Award, the 2015 Governor-General's Literary Award for Illustrated Children's Book and the 2016 Silver Birch Express Award. Jack and the Green Man, the fifth book in this series, was shortlisted for the 2017/2018 Hackmatack Award, and included in the Canadian Children's Book Centre's Best Books for Kids & Teens.
His previous audiobook Letters from Uncle Val was produced by Rattling Books in 2006.
In 2019, Jones was named to the Order of Canada in recognition of his contributions to the literature and culture of Newfoundland and Labrador.
