Paul Bird
 
Paul began writing children’s stories in 2005, initially to entertain his three children. The stories in this book have been tried and tested on his children and their friends, who have listened and provided feedback so that Paul has been able to alter them in line with the test audience response. As with any child audience, brutal honesty has been the rule, and this has been essential in reworking the book to make it appealing to young readers. The stories are interlinked, with characters reappearing, and they flow on as the reader becomes familiar with the main character,  habits and sense of humour.

Importantly, the children who have listened to the stories seem to enjoy the characters because they are familiar in a very Australian way. Threaded through the book is the underlying idea that although children can feel alone, frightened or embarrassed, they are ultimately not on their own as they take on life’s challenges. Each chapter is an adventure, but through the action and dialogue, subtle messages about how to make your way in the world are conveyed.