Jacqueline King – författare

Dirt is an essence in which things grow. We plant our cacao seeds and cultivate its surroundings, pulling out weeds, providing nurturance, love and protection so our seeds can grow into beautiful flowers. Chocolate Dirt is a fun filled book that inspires readers to learn about self-acceptance. Teaching them the ability to love oneself unconditionally no matter what flaws or traits they may have.

Winter, 1942, and eighteen months since the Germans invaded the beautiful island of Jersey.For Joe, Spinner, Clem and Ginger, memories of carefree days are fading. They try to lift everyone’s spirits with their band, and they play tricks on the enemy. The local newspaper is controlled by the Germans, there’s no post to England and telephone calls are monitored.Everybody is hungry.16 year-old Clem is angry. His brother’s been killed in action and his father is unwell. Then he and Joe discover that Russian slave labourers have been brought to Jersey to build bunkers for the German army. These prisoners are beaten, starving and desperate.The gang devise a plan. What if they can help the prisoners? Risking life and limb, they embark on an adventure to help in any way they can. But danger lurks in every corner and will it make it worse?Jacqueline King is a Channel Islander living in Somerset.

Slotting in beside THE MACHINE GUNNERS and WAR HORSE, A CAKE FOR THE GESTAPO tells the story of a fictional gang of kids in Jersey during the German Occupation in WW2, weaving in very real islanders’ own stories of the Occupation at its core – A history that has never before been told in children’s literature June 1940. Jersey. Joe makes light of his father’s unpredictable anger, and Spinner tries to ignore the school bully, Percy, while dealing with her own mounting fears. As for Ginger, her cousin, he’s nervous of the biggest bully of all, Hitler, while her neighbour, farmer’s son Clem, is apparently just keeping his head down. But on the sly, Clem is learning to box, has hidden a gun and he’s going to deal with Percy – and possibly the Germans – all by himself. All the same, none of them believes the Germans will actually invade. Then the island is bombed, Joe is injured and outrage turns to terror as the Germans arrive and their grip on the peaceful island tightens. Initially, the adults avoid direct confrontation, while the gang is determined to go further, aiming to destroy German morale and trip them up in their every move. At first, they simply play tricks on the soldiers, but as the situation worsens, their defiance escalates, leading them all into terrible, mortal danger. As the Occupation wears on, and deprivation turns to starvation, a distinct plan emerges for the kids - the successful elimination from the island of a Gestapo sergeant, the cruel and repugnant Viktor.