The history of a suburb and the love of a mum and son

A school assignment led Marion Rosevear and her son Brycen on a 4-year journey ending in the publication of a book combining fictional fantasy and the history of Greenbank.

The book, The Adventures of Jake Jones and Grandpa’s Peculiar Time Machine: Back to Greenbank in 1893 is available at Logan libraries, as well as  Queensland’s State Library.

It’s also a tale about the connection between a grandad and grandson in a time-travelling race.

Marion says Brycen was ‘obsessed with the idea of time travel’ when, one day, he came home with an assignment from Greenbank State School called ‘The  Big Write’.

‘The school encouraged parents to prepare a story with their child, using the question ‘What was it like going to school as a child in 1893,’ Marion says.

‘It sparked a conversation in our family and it grew into a book. I became completely immersed in the history. Brycen would come up with the names of  characters and plot points along the way.

‘Accuracy was very important – right down to the pens the children used, what they learned, the games they played; we did a lot of research.’

A long-time Logan local, Marion says she loved diving into the history of the area.

‘My son and I had such a wonderful time putting it together, and it is something for the community,’ she says.

‘I’d say doing this book with my family was the best 4 years of my life.’

The book is available at all Logan Libraries.