Former sheep farmer from Bimbi Sally Nowlan has released a new book for young readers delving into the reality of live exports from a sheep’s perspective.
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The book titled Jumbuck’s Misadventure is about a pet sheep who gets accidentally mixed up in the live export trade and finds himself on a boat heading to the Middle East.
Sally is a former sheep farmer, a vet nurse, and rural journalist with a detailed knowledge of rural life, and sheep.
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“I wanted to share my knowledge of sheep and live export in an engaging and informative way with a realistic story, that allows young readers to make up their own mind about this cruel trade,” Sally said.
Rescued as a baby lamb and raised by young Jill, a farmer’s daughter, Jumbuck learns to do lots of clever things.
He’s way too smart for his own good, and of course, doesn’t think he’s a sheep. A terrible mistake lands Jumbuck on a doomed live export boat headed to the Middle East.
He has to use all the skills he’s learned to survive a terrifying situation.
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The book takes young readers, aged eight to 12 years of age, to different and challenging places, from Jumbuck’s life on the farm, to him being stuck in a feedlot, trapped on a boat in terrible conditions, then stranded on a deserted island.
It also gives insights into the special friendships between people and the animals they care for.
“I’m not saying – ‘end live exports’ in this story,” says Sally.
“I’m leaving it up to the reader to draw their own conclusions about this controversial trade, by presenting the facts imaginatively and first-hand – from the perspective of a sheep.”
