Latest news

Smarter than Jack has a new owner - November 22, 2007

Avocado Press Limited, creator of Smarter than Jack, has been sold, effective January 3, 2008.

The reason for selling the business is to enable me to focus on our new family and to pursue other interests. It will be sad to no longer be involved in Smarter than Jack, but it is the right thing to do.

It was very important to me to find the right person to take over Avocado Press. I wanted someone with passion for Smarter than Jack and with the right skills and infrastructure to make it succeed.

The new owner will be Chris Mundy from National Pacific Press. Chris is based in Camborne, Wellington, New Zealand.

I reviewed several applicants and chose Chris because he had solid publishing experience, a strong empathy with animals and for those who care for them, and because he wanted to make a serious commitment to Smarter than Jack. I'm sure he will do a brilliant job.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact me at jenny@smarterthanjack.com.

I have very much enjoyed reading your stories and creating wonderful books over the last few years. Thank you!

Jenny Douché

From the new owner…

I feel really privileged to have the opportunity to take over Smarter than Jack.

My wife Caroline and I have always had a love for animals. Over many years we have kept a pet sheep who lived to the age of 12, a dog, two cats, two rabbits, numerous doves, an axolotl, a canary, a weta, several gold fish, and a duckling. In short, we have had many more pets than children! Our children, Lance and Charlene, have grown up with animals and still love them, even though they are now growing into adulthood.

Through Smarter than Jack, Jenny has come up with a great concept for fostering the love of animals, and has done so much to promote animal care through her innovative work with animal charities. Caroline will be helping me to ensure that all Jenny's hard work for animals continues, and we are very much looking forward to this challenge.

A major focus for us this year will be the gathering of material for new books, and looking for new ways of helping animals through the sale of those books. So if you have any ideas for improvements or new things we could try, please let us know - we will value any suggestions you may offer, especially regarding how we can build an even stronger online community of animal lovers. 

We will also consider making some changes to this website, in order to keep it looking fresh and up to date. But animal stories will always be a key feature of the site, so please keep sending your stories to us. We have certainly enjoyed reading your stories in the short time since the handover, and from the votes and comments we know that many others have too.
 
Thank you so much for supporting Smarter than Jack and everything we stand for -  together we can make a big difference to the welfare of animals around the world.

Very best wishes,

Chris Mundy
Smarter than Jack Ltd

Smartest Pets - November 1, 2007

This is the first edition in the Smarter than Jack Young Reader & Writer Series. It will make great holiday reading for young animal lovers. Read more.

Rescued animals are SMARTER than JACK - September 1, 2006
You'll love the heart warming true stories in Rescued animals are SMARTER than JACK (called Smart Rescued Animals in North America), released mid September. Read more.

Winners of the Scholastic NZ writing competition announced - August 31, 2006
We are pleased to announce the winners of the Amazing Animal Story Writing Competition, run in New Zealand schools earlier this year. Read more.

RSPCA Awareness Week 2006
RSPCA Australia, official partner of Smarter than Jack, will be holding RSPCA Awareness Week from 1-8 October. This year's theme is It's up to you. Read more.