Like Jake and Me facts for kids
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| Author | Mavis Jukes |
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| Illustrator | Lloyd Bloom |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's literature, Young Adult, Early Children Books |
| Publisher | Yearling Books |
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Publication date
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December 27, 2005 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 64 |
Like Jake and Me is a children's book written by Mavis Jukes. Lloyd Bloom created the pictures for the book. It was published in 2005 by Yearling, a part of Random House. This book won a special award called the Newbery Medal Honor in 1985. It tells a story about a boy and his stepfather learning to get along.
Story Summary
Like Jake and Me is about a young boy named Alex. His mom has married again, and she is expecting twins with Alex's new stepfather, Jake. Alex finds it hard to connect with Jake. He feels like they are very different and have nothing in common.
The story shows Alex learning an important lesson. Even strong people can have fears. They also need help sometimes. A surprising creature helps Alex and Jake become closer friends.
The Pear Tree and the Spider
The story begins with Alex watching Jake. Jake is cutting wood for their fireplace. Alex thinks Jake looks very strong. Still, Alex asks if Jake needs any help. Jake tells Alex he is fine and keeps working. This makes Alex feel even more distant from his stepfather.
Alex then talks to his mom, Virginia. She is pregnant with twins. Virginia is checking on her special pear tree. She had put a glass bottle over a pear blossom on a branch. Inside the bottle were twigs, leaves, and two small pears. Over the summer, the pears grew big and sweet inside the bottle.
When the pears were ripe, Virginia would carefully pull the bottle off the tree. The pears would be trapped inside. She would then fill the bottle with pear juice. She planned to give it to her sister, Caroline. Caroline would never guess how Virginia got the pears inside the bottle!
Alex tries to help Jake again. He wants to load the wood back to the house. Once more, Jake tells Alex he doesn't need help. As Jake starts to unload the wood, Alex sees something. A wolf spider is on Jake's neck!
Alex tries to tell Jake about it. But Jake thinks Alex is talking about Virginia. She is right outside the window by the pear tree. After a long, confusing talk, Alex finally makes it clear. He tells Jake they are talking about a wolf spider.
Jake panics when he hears "spider." He asks Alex for help. Jake starts frantically searching all his clothes. Soon, Jake is standing on the porch with no clothes on. He only has his cowboy hat in his hand.
Virginia comes over to see what is happening. Alex tries to explain the funny situation to her. Virginia then points to Jake's hat. The spider had been hiding there the whole time!
Jake is so relieved. He picks Alex up and starts dancing with joy. Virginia watches them. She feels the twins dancing in her belly too. It's a happy moment as Jake and Alex finally connect.
Main Characters
- Alex - A young boy who lives with his mom and stepfather.
- Jake - Alex's stepfather.
- Virginia - Alex's mom, who is expecting twins.
- Caroline - Virginia's sister.
Awards and Recognition
- Newbery Medal Honor Book in 1985
