Media and Book Kit
Author: Jim Westcott
Book Series: Jack’s Tales
Author Contact Information:
Phone: 585-342-9932/ 585-705-5547
Email: jwestcott2011@hotmail.com
Website: www.jackstales.com
Publisher: SplashingCowBooks
Author Biography and Statement
Jim Westcott
Jim Westcott taught special education for fifteen years before deciding to
write for children full-time. Jack’s Tales is a book written especially for
reluctant readers. Jim lives outside of Rochester, New York with his
wife, Sue, and his two sons, Andrew and Jack. Jack's Tales has been
published under the Splashing Cow Books imprint and was chosen as a
2015 finalist in the category of Children's Fiction Chapter Books by the National
Indie Excellence Book Awards.
From the Author
Jack’s Tales is especially for boys at the critical third and fourth grade
ages. These ages tend to be the shifting point. Readers choose longer and
increasingly difficult texts or avoid independent reading in the future
altogether.
The book is three very fast and humorous stories. Readers receive a sense
of accomplishment by finishing the first two stories before they reach the
end. It’s uniquely written. Jack’s Tales can’t be more character-centered.
These elements provide a high degree of reader engagement.
Readers root for Jack as he faces his fears and grows stronger. With each
story, the reader becomes more entrenched in Jack's life, experiencing his
fears and triumphs along with him. The stories take place over a period of
three years.
Summary of Jack’s Tales
Jack’s Tales is three, fast and funny short stories that together tell a larger story about a
boy that refuses to allow his anxiety disorder to be anything but what it really is: vapor
and lies.
Illustration: Jack’s Monster
Jack is eight years old in Jack’s Monster. Jack is stuck on how not to become a breakfast
item for a prehistoric water monster in this story. By the way, the very spot where Jack
and his dad will fish over the upcoming weekend is the spot of a recent sighting. Jack is
nine in Jack’s Pizza Ghost. If Jack confronts an eerie presence in the basement of his
house, maybe he could rid himself of that feeling for good: the anxiety, the presence
within him. Jack decides that his plan of action is a pizza, a rope, and a kid-to-ghost
discussion. Jack has grown: in stature and in height, in Jack’s Save. After all, he’s bested
that scary feeling, or at least he believes. Jack’s Tornadoes (his Elite U10 Soccer Team)
have lost only once all season until a Cyclones Striker steals the ball with 80 seconds left
in the semi-final game. Jeff Thompson, the only player to score on Jack the entire
season, receives the cross and Jack freezes. All that he’s become is in question now. Will
the feeling return? Jack needs to save himself for good, and maybe, just maybe, he’ll
save Elite U10 Soccer too. Everything is on the line in this last story.
I wrote Jack’s Tales to read like a chapter book, however, it is three short and fast stories
that, in their entirety, flow like a continuous chapter book.
Bibliographic Information:


Released January 2015
Publisher: SplashingCowBooks
ISBN: 978-0-9882599-6-6
Retail Price: 5.99
Testimonials and News: Jack’s Tales
News:
 Jack's Tales Wins National Recognition

Jack's afraid of everything. But he’s also determined to
overcome his fears, even if it means serving pizza to a
ghost!
Written for 8-10 year old boys who are reluctant readers.
 Honors for Jack's Tales
Jim Wetscott has been invited to participate in the
inaugural Western New York Children's Book Expo!
_____________________________________________________
News Continued:
 Jack's Tales Author Jim Westcott has been chosen
as a participating author for the 2015 Hudson
Children's Book Festival, which is New York's
largest children's book festival.
Congratulations Jim!
_________________________________________________________
Press Release
2015 National Indie Excellence Awards Announced
Rochester, NY author receives national recognition from the 9th.
Annual National Indie Excellence Awards.
May 22nd. 2015—The 9th. Annual National Indie Excellence Awards
recognized Jack’s Tales as a Finalist in the Children’s Chapter Book
category.
This prestigious national award, based in Beverly Hills, California is
open to all English language books in print from small and medium
independent publishers, and self and independent publishers.
The National Indie Excellence Awards is at the forefront of assisting
with bringing attention to small and medium independent
publishers, and self and independent publishers that strive to
support excellent writing talent as well as books that compete with
any traditional publisher in the publishing business.
The competition is judged by established independent experts,
including publishers, editors, book cover designers, and copywriters.
Winners and finalists are determined by overall presentation as well
as excellence in writing.
Jack’s Tales is three, fast and funny short stories that together tell a larger
story about a boy that refuses to allow his anxiety disorder to be anything
but what it really is: vapor and lies.
“I wrote Jack’s Tales to read like a chapter book, however, it is three short
and fast stories that, in their entirety, flow like a continuous chapter book.”
Jim Westcott taught special education for fifteen years before deciding to
write for children full-time. Jack’s Tales is a book written especially for
reluctant readers. Jim lives outside of Rochester, New York with his
wife, Sue, and his two sons, Andrew and Jack. Jack's Tales has been
published under the Splashing Cow Books imprint.
__________________________________________________________________
Reviews:

“Young readers will not only love the accessibility and reading ease of these three original funny
but true-to-life short stories; they’ll love Jack too and his every-boy realness. Boys especially will
be turning the pages, cheering Jack on, as season after season, he learns to best his fears.”
- Esther Hershenhorn; Former SCBWI Board Member, award winning children’s author &
teacher at the University of Chicago Writer’s Studio.
"Thoroughly enjoyable ! My fourth grade students enjoyed hearing about Jack's adventures. They
could really relate to this boy's life. Several asked if there were more books about Jack. We need
a sequel!"
- Kathy McLean, Teacher
REVIEW COPIES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
For more information please visit: www.indieexcellence.com
Contact Jim Westcott
Website: www.jackstales.com
Publisher: www.splashingcowbooks.com
Email: jwestcott2011@hotmail.com
Phone: 585-342-9932 or 585-705-5547
To Purchase Jack’s Tales, please visit www.splashingcowbooks.com
Reviews:Testimonials:Praise

“Young readers will not only love the accessibility and reading ease of these three original funny
but true-to-life short stories; they’ll love Jack too and his every-boy realness. Boys especially will
be turning the pages, cheering Jack on, as season after season, he learns to best his fears.”
- Esther Hershenhorn; Former SCBWI Board Member, award winning children’s author &
teacher at the University of Chicago Writer’s Studio.


"Thoroughly enjoyable ! My fourth grade students enjoyed hearing about Jack's adventures. They
could really relate to this boy's life. Several asked if there were more books about Jack. We need
a sequel!"
- Kathy McLean, Teacher
"My name is Vincent and I am 10 years old. I go to Rogers Middle School in Irondequoit, NY. I
just finished reading your book with my dad. It was a birthday gift from my babysitter Joanne and
she even got it signed for me. It was a really good book. I get a little nervous about things and
have some fears I can't always control. Your book really helped me with that. I think I am a lot like
Jack. It made me feel good that other kids have fears too. I thought I was the only one. It made
me feel good that by the end of each story there was really nothing to be afraid of. I really liked
that there were places from my own town right in the story too. I think a lot of kids will like this
book."
- Vincent Maddaleno, 4th grade student
___________________________________________________
 Hello Mr. Westcott,
Thank you once again for coming to our school to share with our students
your experiences today as an author. Much appreciation for coming to
inspire our young readers and writers!
Good luck in your future writing endeavors and best wishes as you
continue to publish children's literature and inspire young minds.
Thank you,
Jennifer A. Patterson,
Library Media Specialist
Tonawanda City School District
______________________________________________________________
 Hello John,
I want thank you for your help with my school visit yesterday, and
let you know how impressed I am with your students and staff. I
hope all of my future school visits are received as warmly as mine
was yesterday at Fletcher Elementary!
Again, thank you
 To: Jim Westcott
Thank you Jim !!! We truly appreciate you sharing your talents with our
students. Hope to see you again soon. John M
Dr.John E. McKenna, Ed.D
Principal Fletcher Elementary School
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Author Spotlight Article:
The Winona Woods Association
Bradley Huber February 9, 2015 In the Spotlight
Jim and his wife, Sue, moved into the neighborhood in 1997. He lives at 940 Winona Boulevard and
has the good fortune to live next to Mike and Carol Ratigan.
They have two boys, Andrew and Jack. Andrew is a sophomore and Jack is in sixth grade. Sue
teaches fourth grade at Durand Eastman in East Irondequoit. Jim taught for fifteen years as a fifth
and sixth grade special education teacher until pursuing a career in educational writing and children’s
fiction.
Currently, Jim works with education publishers writing K-6 classroom instructional materials. He
just finished a book in a geography series for middle school aged students for a publisher called
Mason Crest. REA (Research and Educational Association) hired Jim to write a 336 page manual for
teachers in Texas seeking Special Education certification.
Jim wrote a children’s book called The Gift, a specialized book for struggling readers in fourth
through seventh grades. The Gift is in a series that recently won an Academic Choice Award.
Also, Jim writes on a small team that creates a children’s book series for a start-up in Annapolis,
Maryland called the JNPproject.
Jim recently hosted a book launch party for Jack’s Tales, the first book in his series for reluctant
readers. It was at I- Square on February 5th at 4:00.
_______________________________________________________________________________
A School Visit Article:
Reading is a very
good thing
Children’s book author Jim Westcott, a 1987
Newark High School graduate, told children at
Kelley School June 11th how important reading is,
not just in school but in all aspects of life.
His latest book, “Jack’s Tales” published
earlier this year, is intended to engage younger,
reluctant readers with three, funny short stories
about a boy who “refuses to allow his anxiety
disorder to be anything but what it really is: vapor
and lies.”
Readers will likely find themselves rooting
for Jack as he faces his fears and grows stronger and
triumphs over them.
Westcott’s presentation at Kelley included a
powerpoint presentation about what his life was like
growing up in Newark.
He talked with children about writing and
why he decided five years ago to leave his 15-yearcareer
as a special education teacher and write fulltime.
Westcott also outlined the nuts and bolts of
writing a children’s book and finding a publisher
and how “Jack’s Tales” became reality.
He also took questions from children and
signed some books.
The son of Nellie Colarocco, who retired from
her teacher assistant job with the NCSD in 2012 and
who still subs, Westcott lives outside of Rochester
with wife, Sue, and two sons, Andrew and Jack.
“Jack's Tales” was published by Splashing
Cow Books and was chosen as a 2015 finalist in the
category of Children's Fiction Chapter Books by the
National Indie Excellence Book Awards.
To learn more about “Jack’s Tales” and
Westcott, visit www.jackstales.com
To Close:
An Exerpt from Jack’s Monster
Jack attached a bright orange bobber to his line about two feet above his hook and
swirled his fingers in the bucket until he had one unlucky minnow in the palm of
his hand.
“I know how you feel,” Jack whispered as he put the hook through the minnow’s
tail. He cast his line out, watching the bobber follow the minnow as it broke the
water’s surface. The bobber stilled and Jack’s mind sped up, tossing out questions
and answers again.
Do sea monsters sleep during the day and hunt at
night, like vampires?
You heard Brandon. He saw it in daytime!
Do sea monsters sense fear, like bears and bees do?
If they do, Dad and I are monster bait!
Jack’s reel screeched and brought him back to Earth. The sun felt like a dragon’s
breath on his face. The bay water smelled stronger than ever. Somehow the bobber
had disappeared! His legs trembled. When he was able to steady himself against
the side of the boat, he tried to turn his reel but he could barely move the handle.
For an eight-year-old who was almost nine, Jack was awesome at fishing, but
suddenly he forgot what to do! Before he knew what was happening, his arms
stretched over the side of the boat like they were string cheese.
Whatever was on the other end of his line had taken his minnow and his hook and
now it wanted his line and his bobber and his pole and maybe even their boat and
then Jack and his dad would be next! I should have told Dad about the monster! he
thought.
“MONSTER! MONSTER!” he heard himself yelling.
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