Katrina B

When a young French girl’s world turns upside down amidst war, she finds many things in the darkness. Some of those things are scary—there’s nightmares and heartbreak. But there’s also love, family and friendship. These are the beacons of light that drive this story—and Jacqueline—through the dark. Jacqueline – a soldier’s daughter is a new book by Pierre-Jacques Ober and Jules Ober, published by Ford Street Publishing. Their first book, CBCA shortlisted title and winner of the NSW Premier’s Young People’s History Prize, The Good Son has been hailed as ‘having the power of a timeless fable’ by The New York Times. The French version of Jacqueline – a soldier’s daughter has won Jules Ober the 2021 HiP prize, and the book will be part of a travelling art exhibition in French-speaking countries in 2022. As Jacqueline navigates her way through loss in a town ravaged by war, and faces loneliness and isolation in a new city, she ultimately discovers happiness in an unexpected place. Her journey, woven together with the use of short text and miniature photography, becomes a testimony to resilience of the human mind and the love of family. This unique pairing of text and photography creates a new brand of immersive storytelling. The short text gives the miniatures room to breathe and come to life in a place where they can tell their own story. Each page turn becomes like watching a “paper movie”. Jules Ober found her main challenge was how to bring emotion to the “very stiff and expressionless little plastic men”. Speaking with CBCA about her first book, she said: “When I photographed [the figurines], I discovered who they were and then worked to bring out their emotions by the angles I chose, sometimes tilting a tiny head, or emphasising the droop of shoulders.” These choices are reflected on each page of Jacqueline; Ober’s decision to use natural lighting for her photography speaks in volumes. Bleak lighting becomes the framework for the gloomy, freezing climate Jacqueline and her mother navigate through to find her father. Vibrant colours pierce through the landscape in sunnier sections of the book—a stark contrast to orange bombs glowing in the dark nights of others. Ober delicately captures the raw human emotion that was a sign of these times. Each figurine gives the impression of something very small being controlled from above, giving a first-hand view into what it’s like being small in a big world—just like Jacqueline. Jacqueline’s young age gives younger readers the chance to resonate and empathise with her, making this book an imperative one for upper primary/lower secondary students. And for the teachers, you can find a handy PDF of teacher’s notes on Ford Street Publishing’s website—helping you bring this important story to the classroom. Available now from Ford Street Publishing, and all good bookshops. RRP $34.95 ISBN 9781925804911 (HB) Reviewed by Katrina Burge