Ballad of Jubal Jacques

We're a group of Tasmanian children's writers and illustrators led by celebrated children's writer Ann Martin. We're all passionate about supporting refugees in Australia and overseas and our means to raising funds to support this cause is to publish a book to sell. The Ballad of Jubal Jacques: Assorted whimsies for all ages is an illustrated anthology of stories and poems donated by award-winning Tasmanian writers and artists.

There are 37 million refugees and asylum seekers in the world today, and that is not counting internally displaced persons. Because of war, invasion, rebellion and natural disaster, whole families, men, women and children, through no fault of their own, are forced to flee from their homes, leaving behind relatives, friends, everything they cherish. They leave with only what they are able to carry with them, in search of a place that will grant them refuge.

Many of us care deeply about these people and we also have a strong sense of justice and human rights. For that reason, we have come together to create this book.

About the project

After several years of development, the book is finished! The Ballad of Jubal Jacques consists of 20 short stories and poems which have been professionally edited and proofread. Each one is accompanied by an illustration from a Tasmanian artist. 

Because all the work has been donated royalty free, all your donations will go towards printing copies of the book which will be sold in bookshops across Tasmania, and directly to the charities we’re supporting. Proceeds from sales will go to legitimate organisations which fund food, shelter, medical aid and every other need of families and children who have been displaced, injured or suffered in any way because of conflict or natural disaster. We shall be donating this support through reputable organisations. Locally, this is the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre in Australia. Overseas, this is UNHCR, Madinah (Muslim), Think Humanity (operating in Uganda) and the Bersatu Project (Jakarta). We also intend to set aside a portion as an emergency fund to meet unforseen crises as they arise.

Another important feature of The Ballad of Jubal Jacques, is that it is a labour of sheer love by its creators. Each author, illustrator, editor, designer and consultant donated their talents and time without charge, simply because they believe in what the book attempts to achieve. 

About the book 

To read this anthology is to enter a world of whimsy, fantasy, reflection and laughter. You are invited to be swept away to fantastical lands where trees play love songs, the three little pigs build bamboo houses and a tree grows every time a child is born. From award-winning children’s authors, these new short fictions and wonders will delight readers of all ages from 8 to 108. 

Enjoy the book for yourself or buy it as a gift for your children, grandchildren, local school or street library. The themes of belonging run through many of the stories in the book, including ‘Lavender in the Snow’ which was inspired by the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. 

About Ann Martin 

The Ballad of Jubal Jacques was imagined and developed by Ann Martin. A prolific children’s author under her full name, Carol Ann Martin, Ann has worked as a children’s book author and editor for more than 35 years. Since 1990, she has lived in Cygnet, southern Tasmania, where she is a freelance children’s author. Ann’s 30-plus books have been published by Hardie Grant, Penguin Australia, Shortland Publications and Omnibus/Scholastic Australia including CBCA notable Once There Were Mermaids and Heart and Soul.

As well as her love of writing for children, Ann cares deeply about the ever-worsening plight of refugees and asylum-seekers all over the world. She cares about the daily breaking news of more and more men, women and children caught up in wars and famine, cruelty, oppression, and ethnic persecution. She cares that governments aren’t moving fast enough, but it is of huge hope and encouragement that ordinary people do care and do what they can to reach out to those caught up in the hopelessness and helplessness of today’s vastly unequal world. 

It is for that reason that Ann formed a group of like-minded Tasmanian authors and illustrators to publish The Ballad of Jubal Jacques.

How to support us

If you would like to support our project, you can help to make this happen by: 

• sharing this link with anyone who might be interested in getting and reading this book.    

• donating any amount towards this project that will help support refugees

• pre-ordering a copy of the book here.     

For all donations $20 and above we’ll list your name in the back of the book as one of our wonderful supporters who has helped bring the book into being (unless you prefer not to, of course, then choose keep your donation private). If you're buying the book as a gift, let us know by email ([email protected]) their name (First name and Initial or First name and age) and we'll list their name in the book. We will also send you the ebook to enjoy.

For all donations $40 and above we'll send you a paperback copy of the book once we've printed it. Copies will be ready to post in November so you'll get it in time for Christmas. A perfect gift for the holidays! Postage is included for Australia and the US. We can't guarantee other locations so please check with us first or donate a little extra to cover the additional postage costs.

We would love for the book to get into as many hands as possible but we appreciate any amount and all amounts will be very kindly received with much gratitude and love. 

The target amount covers the cost of making the book a tangible product. This is not much, as it is fully designed, but includes: proofs, printing, shipping, getting the book into bookshops, some marketing and promotion. After that, all the rest of the money raised will be a direct donation to charities that support refugees. These are some of the charities we plan to donate to: Asylum Seeker Resource Centre in Australia, UNHCR, Madinah, Think Humanity and the Bersatu Project.

About the other writers and illustrators 

Dr Anne Morgan has a background in teaching, research and writing. Anne’s children's books include Tardigrades: Nature's toughest survivors; The Way of the Weedy Seadragon, illustrated by Lois Bury; the Captain Clawbeak junior novels, and the award-winning illustrated book The Smallest Carbon Footprint in the Land & Other Ecotales. 

Jacinta Lou is a children’s book author living with her black pug, Bellatrix, alpacas and chooks in southern Tasmania. Jacinta writes from the heart and strives to create stories that inspire children to ask questions and make sense of their world. Jacinta has two books for early readers coming out soon with Wombat Books. 

Reena Balding has worked in an embassy, at a Turkish newspaper, as an official storyteller and a yoga teacher and now publishes books for the Australian government. Reena’s first picture book is coming out with Magabala Books in 2026. 

Christina Booth is an award-winning, internationally published author and illustrator. With over 30 books for children, Christina is especially known as the creator of Kip, the story of a crowing rooster who lives in the city; One Careless Night, the story of the journey of the last known thylacine; and Purinina, the story of Tasmania’s iconic creature (also known as the Tasmanian devil).

Lynda Young is a retired teacher-librarian who recently published a non-fiction picture book for children that she wrote and illustrated called Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, all about the diet of twelve native Australian animals.

Paul Martin is a well-known Australian jazz musician (clarinet and saxophone) who dabbles in drawing as a hobby. He lives in a vibrant little town with a lot of other creative people in Tasmania’s Huon Valley.

Hannah Moon is a Tasmanian artist based in Hobart. She mainly works with watercolour, gouache and pencil, but also works digitally. Hannah mainly captures landscapes and buildings in her works, aiming to showcase the detail and beauty in the everyday world.

Gay McKinnon is a former scientist and lecturer who left academia in 2010 to pursue a lifelong interest in design and illustration. Her first book as illustrator, The Smallest Carbon Footprint in the Land by Anne Morgan (IP Kidz, 2013) won The Wilderness Society’s 2014 Environmental Award for Children’s Literature. She subsequently illustrated two picture books, When I was a Boy in Sudan and When I was a Girl in Sudan.

Andy James is a Tasmanian artist who dabbles in a range of creative outlets, including digital art, costume making and video editing. Pixel art is a very interesting medium, as every single pixel matters. If one is out of place it can throw the whole piece out of balance.

Emily Duggan is a jeweller and gemologist in Southern Tasmania, especially known for her exquisite Celtic designs and for working with clients to create unique pieces for individual commissions.

Dr Mark Macleod is a writer and editor for children. As well having a career in publishing, Mark is the author of poems for adults and children, and picture books for children. His most recent book is a collection of poems for children, The Secret Boat, illustrated by Hélène Magisson, and published by WestWords in 2023.

Leonie Brothers is an emerging illustrator based in Hobart, Tasmania. After completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Tasmania, Leonie has exhibited her watercolour botanical illustrations, and developed skills in digital design.

Katherine Richardson is a Tasmanian writer and artist, passionate about sharing beautiful things with the world. She is the author and illustrator of the children’s book Diary of a Red Handfish and has illustrated a number of books for other authors. She is currently working on her second picture book, as well as her debut novel.

Sam Lyne is a Hobart, Australia-based illustrator and designer, obsessed with the little bits that are often lost. To keep up with his day-to-day illustration work and doodlings, you can find him on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Sally Odgers has written innumerable books for children over the past 30 years. She has edited and published even more. Sally is based in Latrobe and she still writes a lot of books.