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COMING SOON

Whale Sharks (in the "Exploring our Oceans" series) will be published by Cherry Lake Publishing in the USA later this year. It will be available in hardcover, paperback, pdf, and ebook formats.

Other titles in the series will be: Bull Sharks, Blue Sharks, Tiger Sharks, Great White Sharks, Goblin Sharks, Hammerhead Sharks and Mako Sharks

Here's the blurb: "This book takes readers on a journey under the sea to discover the fascinating facts about whale sharks, including physical features, habitat, life cycle, food, and more. Readers are engaged with life science content while improving their critical thinking skills."

March 2013

Happy news: Great Barrier Reef Under Threat has been shortlisted for the Wilderness Society's Environment Award for Children’s Literature.

The Environment Award honours books that promote a sense of caring and responsibility for the environment through quality Australian children's books.

View 2012 Wildnerness Society Environment Award shortlist

This book also received a Certificate of Commendation in the Whitley Awards, 2011


May 30, 2012









2012 new releases

See my "Publications" page for two new non fiction picture books for young readers - "Whose Baby is This?" and "Whose Home is This?".  As usual, Capstone Press has done a wonderful job!

cover    cover    

Jan 2012


2011 Whitley Awards:

Each year the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales hosts the Whitley Awards for outstanding publications (print or electronic) relating to the documentation and conservation of Australasia's fauna. Entries range from the academic to general readership, including children's books. The Awards include the prestigious Whitley Medal as well as Certificates of Commendation.

I'm thrilled that  this year, a Certificate of Commendation (Children's series) has been awarded to What's the Issue? Great Barrier Reef Under Threat

Congrats to the team at Macmillan Education who worked on the What's the Issue series (1 and 2), for which 3 titles earned Certificates of Commendation this year, and thanks to the Royal Zoological Society of NSW for this wonderful honour.


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I recently received this wonderful treat in the mail. Friends in the US sent me this photo of their lovely grandsons, Jake and Cal, reading my book, Great Barrier Reef Under Threat. As an author, it is rewarding to work on a book manuscript, editing and revising (and revising some more) until the text seems just right. It is a thrill to see the finished book arrive at the front door step, sometimes years after writing it. But a photo like this, in which young people are actually reading the book - my book - takes the cake. 

Thanks Rodger and Nancy!  : )

Jake and Cal reading Great Barrier Reef Under Threat, 2011

Photo by Rodger Clemmer.

(August 2011)

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ANIMAL ADAPTATIONS books out now

Two new books have just been released through Capstone Press - Desert Animal Adaptations and Ocean Animal Adaptations. See my Publications page to view the gorgeous covers, and for further details.

Other books in the series are Polar Animal Adaptions and Rainforest Animal Adaptations

July 2011

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GREAT BARRIER REEF UNDER THREAT!

No, it's not a dire news item - we have certainly had enough of those lately! This is the name of my new non fiction book for students aged around 7-13, published by Macmillan Education. 


See my "Publications" page for more details. I am really pleased with the way it has turned out.

Here's an article about it from the local newspaper: Preston Leader


May 2011

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BUG NEWS!

The latest edition of Bug News is out! Bug News is from the Bug in a Book website, which promotes children's literacy. In this edition of Bug News, my Wild Things column is about "Lending a hand - 10 steps to helping sick or hurt wildlife". I thought this would be a timely topic, considering all the terrible natural disasters that have occurred around Australia over the recent summer months.  Happy reading.

Here's the link - Bug News

Feb/March 2011

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In 2011, the following titles will be published (yay!):

The Great Barrier Reef Under Threat (due April). What’s the Issue? (series 2), Macmillan Education Australia. ISBN 9781420282375 (hardcover) – here’s the link, which gives more details – What’s the issue?, series 2

Great Barrier Reef Under Threat cover image

Ocean Animal Adaptations. Capstone Press, USA. (due July)

Desert Animal Adaptations. Capstone Press, USA. (due July)

“Gilly’s Treasures”. Short story in: Gilgamesh Contemporary Fables Vol.2. Gilgamesh Connections, St. Kilda.

"The Three Little Wombats". Picture Book story donated to LitWorld to appear as an iPad app.  (www.litworld.org)

Stay tuned for further news on these releases...


February 11
, 2011


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I have just signed on to write a column about animals for Bug News...which is associated with the Bug in a Book website...which is an Australian-made website promoting children's literacy. The latest emag edition is hot off the press. Check it out, and show it to your little ones. Anything that helps kids to read gets a BIG tick from me, but I reckon both the emag and web site are terrific so these two get a GI-NORMOUS tick!  P.S. My first column for Animal Antics is called "Cool It!", and is about how animals cool down in our Aussie summer (which is fast approaching).

Bug News, edition 3
Bug in a Book website

November 2010



It's nice to see some finished work in print, as lately I have been working on drafts and proofs of new books due out next year.
Two short articles about "Kids and Dogs" have just appeared in the Illawarra district (NSW) newspaper for parents, "Early Years Magazine". The first article concerns teaching children how to safely behave around dogs - your own dog, and strange ones they meet on their travels. The second article is about how to prepare your pet dog for the imminent arrival of your new (human) baby. Both discuss important safety issues. Interested? Here is the link...Early Years Magazine Issue 4, 2010

October 2010



I have started up a blog called "Stranger than fiction" at Good reads. It is about
life, the universe and everything, and all the absurdities they entail. It is the stuff that often inspires my writing. If you would like to check it out, here is the link...Stranger than fiction

August 2010



I haven't posted any news for a while...I have been busy writing. I was working on a children's non fiction manuscript due for publication mid 2011. (I can't say more about it at this stage.) It just goes to show that a lot of a writer's life is spent writing, with little to show for it until the project finally reaches completion.






July 2010
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I have just received my copy of Learn Every Day About Animals from Gryphon House, USA. I am quite impressed with it! This is a teacher's resource book, filled with 100 activities for young children. Each activity is designed to to make learning fun and engaging, and features learning objectives, a vocabulary list, materials list, preparation (if required), what to do, assessment and a list of relevant children's books. I wrote an activity for the book, called "Feathers, Fur or Scales?" I bet you can't guess what it is about!

www.gryphonhouse.com

April 2010





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US Release of "Weird, Wild and Wonderful" - "Arachnids" and "Seabirds"


Gareth Stevens Publishing, NY, USA

See "Publications" web page for further details (you'll find the link on the left)

 


(Jan 2010)
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