Jen is desperate for life to begin, but her first love relationships are so devastating that she believes she is jinxed.
Do not love me. Be warned! I am Jinx. No one is safe from heartache. Not Jen, Jen's mother, Jen's father (the Rat), or her friends and neighbours.
Each yearns for connection, but love can't always stay. And Jen's first encounters leave her fractured, reckless - no longer Jen, but Jinx.
Young or old, everyone in Jen's life has a story to tell. Margaret Wild reveals the essence of their lives in this fine, fierce, deeply compassionate novel of loss, longing, courage and joy.
Winner: Silver Kiss, Dutch Association Awards Shortlisted: Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis, Germany's premier children's book Awards Shortlisted: SoSL International Book Awards shortlisted: CBCA Awards shortlisted: QLD Premier's Literary Awards shortlisted: VIC Premier's Literary Awards shortlisted: NSW Premier's Literary Awards
Margaret Wild is one of Australia's most highly respected and popular children's authors. She was born in South Africa and emigrated to Australia in 1972. Margaret has worked as a journalist and an editor of children's books, and is now writing full-time. Since her first book in 1984, Margaret has published over thirty picture books, including the acclaimed The Very Best of Friends (1990 Children's Book Council of Australia Picture Book of the Year), Let the Celebrations Begin! (shortlisted, 1992 CBCA Picture Book awards), Toby (shortlisted, 1994 CBCA Picture Book awards), Old Pig (shortlisted, 1996 CBCA Picture Book awards), The Midnight Gang (Honour Book, 1997 CBCA Picture Book awards), First Day, Rosie and Tortoise, Jenny Angel (2000 CBCA Picture Book of the Year), and Fox (2001 CBCA Picture Book of the Year).