Who is Jane?

By Teena Raffa-Mulligan

Jane stops being Jane at breakfast on Monday. It's way too plain a name.There must be a better one, more suited to who she is. Mum and Dad go along with her plan. So does her class teacher. But finding the right name is far more difficult than Jane expected.

Every name she tries for herself feels wrong until her class holds a Name Jane Contest. Jane chooses a winner and the family plans a picnic to celebrate her new name. When there is an incident at the park, Jane must decide whether to become Sharla - or stay Jane. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sea Song Publications
• Release date: May 7, 2021
• ISBN: 9780645150308

Teena Raffa-Mulligan

Teena Raffa-Mulligan is a reader, writer and daydream believer who believes there is magic in every day if you choose to find it. She discovered the wonderful world of storytelling as a child and decided to become a writer at an early age. Teena writes for children and adults and her publications range from poetry and short stories to picture books and novels. Her writing life has also included a long career in journalism. She shares her passion for books and writing by presenting talks and workshops to encourage people of all ages to write their own stories.

Book preview

Chapter 1.

Jane decided to stop being Jane at breakfast on Monday. She hated her name. It was boring and plain and it rhymed with pain, which was what her older brother Ben called her when he wanted to make her mad. And that was often.

So when Mum said, Hurry up, Jane, don’t dawdle, Jane crunched another dry Crispy Flake and announced, I’m not Jane.

Dad picked up Mum’s reading glasses from the table, perched them on his nose and stared at her.

Hmm. You look like Jane. Jane’s freckles... Jane’s curls... Jane’s angry eyebrows.

And The Lip, said Mum. Don’t forget The Lip.

Whenever Jane was angry or upset, she stuck out her lower lip. Grandpa Jones said a person could fry an egg on The Lip. It was a family joke. But Jane wasn’t laughing.

She frowned. I’m sick of being Jane.

Who do you want to be? asked Mum.

Jane had worked that out last night in bed. Dakota, she said, Dakota Marie.

Ben