Mr. Speaker, Jan Coates is a children's author and teacher from Wolfville, Nova Scotia, who has been writing for children since 2000.
This year her book A Hare in the Elephant's Trunk was one of five finalists for the 2011 Governor General's Literary Award--Children's Text.
The novel for young adults is based on the life of Jacob Deng, who as a seven-year-old in southern Sudan embarked on a journey of survival. Jacob fled from a civil war, lived in a refugee camp, endured hunger and aspired to an education as a path away from violence.
In 2003 Jacob arrived in Nova Scotia as a refugee. He has since studied at both Acadia University and St. Mary's University and has established a charitable foundation, Wadeng Wings of Hope, to build schools in Sudan. Forty per cent of the proceeds from the sales of Jan's books is donated to Jacob's charity.
Jacob's life is a story of courage, and Jan's book about it is a lesson on life for all of those who read it.
Congratulations, Jan and Jacob.