It’s amazing to see How to Help a Hedgehog and Protect a Polar Bear not only hit No.1 Best Seller on Amazon UK recently, but also gathering some great reviews here in NZ and the UK. Thank you to all those who have bought a copy and sent me messages!
Here is one recent book review from NZ children’s book website The Sapling - a review of Factual Books in NZ.
And another from the Daily Mail in the UK..
Daily Mail (UK) 7-12-2018
This Saturday I’ll be at the Dorothy Butler Bookshop in Ponsonby, Auckland celebrating National Bookshop Day and the launch of How to Help a Hedgehog and Protect a Polar Bear in New Zealand! Come on down Saturday 27th at 11.00am. Hope to see you there! 🦔🐾📚 🌎
Today is publication day in the UK for my latest children's book, ‘How to Help a Hedgehog and Protect a Polar Bear’! It's a wonderful 64 page book which includes 13 different habitats, and a range of animals some of which are endangered, and gives readers simple everyday ways to protect them.
It is written by the multi-talented Dr Jess French who is a qualified vet and T.V presenter for the BBC children's channel CBeebies, as well as a children's author and a teacher for school groups interested in the natural world. Published by the wonderful team at Nosy Crow in association with the British National Trust. It was a dream to be a part of such a special book and definitely the kind of book I would have wanted to read when I was a child!
I had so much fun making it! My hope now is that it will not only encourage children but inspire them to learn more about the beautiful world we have around us and empower them to take action to protect and preserve it.
Happy reading everyone!
Available in Uk stores now! Available in Australian and NZ stores in October.
Synopsis:
From beetles and butterflies, to puffins and polar bears, animals and habitats all over the world need our protection. In this beautifully illustrated book, children (and adults!) can learn about thirteen different habitats – gardens, hedgerows, heathlands, woodlands, highlands, wetlands, the coastline, freshwater, oceans, savannahs, jungles and mountains – and simple everyday ways to protect them. Find out how to help hedgehogs in your own back garden or spread the word about endangered animals further from home, as you discover all the little things you can do to make a big difference.
Hello folks, it's been a while since I've posted here... If you want to keep more up to date with goings on see my instagram page. Just letting you know I've been asked to be part of an awesome panel of children's illustrators at the SPARK International Festival during Hamilton Book Month. The lovely Kat Merewether, Donovan Bixley and James Russell are also on the panel with me, so if you are a fan of children's books, lock Tuesday 7th August from 5-7pm in the calendar!
Check out the spark programme as there are loads of other creative industry talks and workshops happening too! https://www.spark.net.nz
We have spent this past week attending our third Bologna Children's book fair and it's been wonderful! For starters Bologna, the city itself is a hive of activity over this week with exhibitions and events popping up all over the place. The Fair itself is a visual feast with Illustration on display at every turn, great talks and conferences and lots of meetings and introductions to new and interesting people. Here are a couple of highlights...
We were invited to an exhibition opening called 'The Horse'. Featuring a variety of Latvian illustrators/authors and their interpretation of what kind of story a horse might tell. Our lovely friend Ruta Briede had work featured in it and there was a beautiful catalogue to accompany it.
Also got to see the exhibition called 'The Forest' which featured illustrations by some of my favourite italian illustrators, Valerio Vidali and Violeta Lopiz. The artworks are from a book with the same name written by Riccardo Bozzi. The exhibition was held in Zoo cafe and I thought it was really creative the way they had incorporated the elements of paper cut and paintings into the actual display of the work. It was also great to see some of the process and storyboarding, as well as the final artworks.
All in all, we had so much fun and it was over before you knew what had happened! Onwards to London for the London Book Fair which takes place in a weeks time!