• Age: 9 to 12
• Grade: 4 to 7
• Reading age: 9 to 12

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. It's a down-to-earth version of a heavenly tale.

Gentle, playful, and very funny, Jack and the Manger is the second in an on-going series of Jack tales, combining the talents of Andy Jones, one of Newfoundland's finest storytellers and actors, and Darka Erdelji, one of its most distinctive artists. It was a Christmas sensation in St. John's when it was first published, and is sure to please even the most Grinch-like of readers.

Erdelji, whose illustrations for The Queen of Paradise's Garden were widely praised, captures the sly wit, intelligence and great heartedness of Jones's tale in her pictures once again. Jack and the Manger is a fine Christmas tale for young and old alike.

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 on numerous television shows; and has appeared in such films as Extraordinary Visitor, The Adventures of Faustus Bidgood, and Rare Birds.

His on-going series of Jack tales, illustrated by Darka Erdelji, has been widely praised: The Queen of Paradise's Garden was named to the IYL's White Ravens List; Jack and the Manger received the 2012 Bruneau Family Award for Children's/Young Adult Literature; 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 has been shortlisted for the 2017/2018 Hackmatack Award.

With Philip Dinn, he is the author/adaptor, of Peg Bearskin, a folktale from Placentia Bay; the first edition of the book was shortlisted for the 2004/05 Hackmatack Award and named to the International Youth Library's prestigious White Ravens List. The book is being republished in a new edition, featuring all new illustrations and design, in February 2019.

Andy Jones' profile page

A native of Slovenia, Darka Erdelji received a Masters of Arts in Puppet Scenography from Prague's Akadmie Muzickych Umeni. She lived in St. John's for several years; during that time, she began collaborating with Andy Jones, first on their puppet play "The Queen of Paradise's Garden", and then on their acclaimed series of illustrated Jack tales. Darka currently lives in Maribor, Slovenia, and designs puppets for Lutkovno Gledalis—e Maribor, a state-of-the-art puppet theatre housed in a renovated medieval monastery. She has illustrated books in Canada and Slovenia.

Darka Erdelji's profile page

• Winner, The Bruneau Family Award for Children’s/Young Adult Literature
• Short-listed, Heritage and History Book Awards

"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. There, as here, Jones' words are compellingly illustrated by Darka Erdelji's colourful and Expressionistic images."

The Newfoundland Quarterly

"Everyone needs joy and beauty at Christmas, and this latest Jack tale supplies both in abundance."

The Northeast Avalon Times

"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. Highly recommended."

Canadian Review of Materials

A bit of gently subversive humour here, a grin and a poke there, but without fundamental disrespect. The yearning for peace and joy at the heart of Christmas is there, but the trappings, instead of fluff and syrup, are all in the figure of the folk hero, Jack– so heart and humour are on a pedestal.

Deborah Furchtgott

"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