Squashum and Blue: Honesty

By JA Clark

Emma and Glen are brother and sister, and they are holidaying in outback Queensland, Australia, with their parents. On this trip, they experience the unique sights and sounds of the rugged countryside and the distinctive people and animals that live there. Two special animals share this adventure, but they are not really animals at all. Squashum is a toy possum who is really alive, but nobody knows. Blue is a toy blue-heeler dog, and this is the story of how he and Squashum meet. It is also a story of a family, a secret (or two), and why honesty with people we love is so important. A true Aussie book written for children 7 to 10 years old that educates and entertains. Crikey!

• Language: English
• Publisher: JA Clark
• Release date: Dec 5, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463221990

JA Clark

I have been an avid reader and writer all my life. Even at primary school I dabbled with poetry and stories, loving English as one of my favourite subjects. Fast forward to adulthood, and after motherhood and a couple of career changes I became a self-employed bookkeeper and business manager. Lifestyle and commitments meant that my writing became limited to business correspondence, policy documents, and grant funding applications on behalf of my clients. I have always dreamed of writing a book, but had no idea where to start or what genre might work for me. By chance, a friend was given a plush possum and she began taking photos of it in the natural surroundings of our camping and gem-fossicking trips in Queensland, Australia. Squashum was joined by Blue at the Qantas Founder's Museum gift shop and the unlikely partnership was born. My friend and I have had more than 20 magazine articles published in the Australian Gold, Gem and Treasure magazine over the last 3 years, which gave me hope that someone wants to read what I write! I have always felt strongly about family, family values and traditions, and now that I am a grandma I have a desire to write wholesome stories for children that reinforce positive, healthy activities, and kindness toward others as a way of life.

Book preview

Squashum and Blue

Book 1

Copyright 2019 JA Clark

Published by JA Clark at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Dedications

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

About JA Clark

Dedications

This, my first book, is initially dedicated to our Australian pioneers, and the ‘families on the land’ that came after them. These hardy, industrious men and women feed us and clothe us, and are what makes this country a great place to live in.

Secondly, I honour the miners and fossickers who came to Australia to ‘get rich’, but succeeded in opening up our mighty wilderness outback to industry and profit, through blood, sweat, and perseverance. Without these two groups of people, this book would not be.

Lastly, I want to acknowledge and appreciate my family and friends, who go on adventures with Squashum and Blue in real life, and helped make sure this story was told.

Prologue

As a parent and grand-parent, I want to share my love of the Aussie outback with Aussie kids who may never have the opportunity to experience it for themselves. I want to help them to appreciate our unique country and see the magic of the