narrative nonfiction
for readers ages 8-12
and everyone else
I like to tell little-known tales from the past; stories about special animals who profoundly impacted the lives of everyday people, and in doing so, made a mark on history—and in a way, on humanity itself.
Jack was exactly that.
—KT
© Capstone Editions
Well, monkey. Have I just bought myself more trouble?”
RAILWAY JACK is the true story of the remarkable partnership between a railwayman and a baboon in 1880s South Africa.
When Jim Wide lost his legs in an accident, he had to find clever ways to get around and perform his work. He obtained a very unusual, and very smart, helper: a baboon named Jack. But not everyone was happy to see a baboon at the rail yard signal hut, and Jim was fired. He pleaded with the authorities to give Jack a chance and they agreed to a test. But what about a monkey’s monkey business?? Jim and Jack’s futures lay in the hands—er, opposable thumbs—of a baboon!
RAILWAY JACK should entertain and enlighten readers of any age, and provides several topics of conversation for young people and their adults.
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Praise for Railway Jack
“A warm, engaging tale of the bond between a resourceful man and his service animal.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“In the annals of service animals, there can be but few to equal Jack.”
—Booklist
“The book successfully shows people’s relationships with service animals and offers a positive portrayal of disability. A good conversation starter.”
—School Library Journal
“A human story, a story of resilience, a story of a dependent relationship and the human/animal connection, and most of all, a story of great friendship.”
—Kevin Kling, author, playwright, and commentator for National Public Radio’s All Things Considered