TY - BOOK AU - Stredder,Eleanor TI - Jack and his ostrich AV - PZ PY - 2025/// CY - Salt Lake City, UT PB - Project Gutenberg KW - Animals -- Juvenile fiction KW - Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction KW - Children -- Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction KW - Adventure stories KW - Nature stories KW - Hunting stories KW - Africa -- Juvenile fiction KW - Voyages and travels -- Juvenile fiction KW - Students -- Juvenile fiction KW - Teachers -- Juvenile fiction KW - Ostriches -- Juvenile fiction N1 - Release date is 2025-04-17; Originally published; London: T. Nelson and Sons, 1900 N2 - "Jack and his ostrich: An African story" by Eleanor Stredder is a children’s novel written in the late 19th century. The book centers on Jack Treby, a young English boy growing up with his father on an isolated farm on the South African veldt, and his close bond with his pet ostrich, Vickel. The narrative seems to explore themes of family resilience, cross-cultural encounters, and rural adventure amidst the challenges and dangers of frontier life in colonial Africa. The opening of the story introduces Jack as proud of his English heritage despite being born and raised in South Africa. He lives with his widowed father in a remote homestead, aided only by a Hottentot woman, Tottie, and her husband, alongside occasional labor from local Kafir men. Their tranquil life is violently disrupted when their home is attacked by thieves, leading to a night of fire, chaos, and the loss of their cherished flock of sheep. Escaping with only a few belongings and Vickel, Jack and his father seek help from their Boer neighbors, the Van Immerseel family, navigating language barriers and cultural differences. Through these early chapters, Jack befriends the Boer children, copes with homesickness and illness, and clings to his father, his ostrich, and his identity amidst hardship—the narrative blending adventure, coming-of-age, and a vivid depiction of colonial farm life. (This is an automatically generated summary.) UR - https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/75898 ER -