Book Week 2026 is almost here! Costume ideas for parents, caregivers, librarians and teachers for this year’s events. Times are tough, so if you can make a costume from what you already have in your wardrobe, that’s perfect. Here are a few simple Book Week 2026 Costume Ideas inspired by A Big Blue Boat, A […]
A Big Blue Boat is now available at The Book Cow in Canberra. I had the privilege of meeting with Peter at the Book Cow book shop in Canberra late last week. I can now share the news that a number of the A Big Blue Boat books and the acitivity book are now available […]
There was reading fun at Kempsey Library when I shared the story, A Big Blue Boat, last Thursday. Everyone had a great time! We had children aged from 18 months up to 12 years. There was something for everyone to do. I just love sharing my stories with the children. It was lovely meeting Melanie, […]
Last year I entered A Big Blue Boat in the Story Monsters Purple Dragonfly Awards and then promptly forgot about it This morning an email arrived from the Purple Dragon Awards and I couldn’t believe what I was reading. A Big Blue Boat has received A Purple Dragon Fly honourable mention and a winners badge […]
Containing ideas, activites and games, the K-1 Literacy Pack is well on the way to completion. Books are such a great source for learning, and A Big Blue Boat is perfect for this. To assist teachers of the K-1 year levels (also referred to a R-1 or F-1), I am creating this pack filled with […]
The first sequel to A Big Blue Boat is coming closer to fruition. In this new rhythmic, rhyming story, what ocean living animals will a big blue boat and her captain see? This morning, Lesley sent a couple of photos through and I just have to give you a small peek of a section from […]
Walcha, Laurieton, Port Maquarie & Wauchope Libraries Visiting the libraries of Walcha, Port Macquarie, Laurieton and Wauchope this week has been so much fun. Thank you Cassie, Penny, and your fellow librarians for welcoming me to your libraries. I look forward to returning when the A Big Blue Boat sequel is ready. Thank you parents […]
Back in the day, I was a youngster who preferred doing activities that were considered a ‘boy’s thing’ and was often referred to as a ‘Tom Boy’. Then at the age of 12 or 13, I found myself being informed that I had need to start behaving like a young lady… Being a female sailor, […]
It’s a pretty exciting month in May, as I visit Laurieton, Port Macquarie and Wauchope libraries. I am looking forward to meeting everyone.
I can’t really say there is one clear cut event that led to the idea of writing A Big Blue Boat. There were, however, four key issues. The first being that there are no realistic sailing picture books out there for young children, especially girls. For girls, the stories are imaginative and dreamlike. The second […]
