Melu
Melu has always been different. While the other mules stubbornly clip-clop around the sun-baked hills, Melu dreams of swimming in the glittering green sea below. But it will take more than stubbornness for Melu to reach the glittering green sea.
Like many of my stories, Melu is about friendship and following your own unique path.
It's being released both as a stunning hardcover and in Te Reo as Ko Meru.
The illustrations by Ali Teo and John O'Reilly are exceptionally beautiful.
Seesaw Po
Po and his friends loved the playground. But when they arrived at the empty swing, a tiny ant was sitting on it. "Shoo ant!" said Uta.
"But the ant was here first," said Po. Po's kindness is soon repair ... in a most unexpected way.
The idea for this story popped into my head while I was waiting for my (shopaholic) wife at the Powerhouose Museum in Sydney. There were loads of kids in the playground, and I suddenly wondered what would happen if a hippo sat on the seesaw. It took over three years for the story of big-hearted Po to slowly come to life.
It's also available in Te Reo - E Pioi e Po.
The fabulous illustrations are by Katz Cowley.
The story of Bo and the circus that wasn't
This isn't really my story, it's a collaborative story written by Telecom customers in New Zealand. I came up with the first line, then each week I had to choose the best line from several hundred entries. It was an exciting and very interesting project to be involved in. Good to see how many people have fantastic imaginations. The story worked out pretty well in the end, which was a relief. But I must say it's Donovan Bixley's illustrations which really made this story come alive. You can check out the story and find out more about the project at the telecom story project.
Hester and Lester
When big sister Hester finds her little brother Lester sitting sadly in the forest, she's keen to put things right. But making a little brother happy isn't always easy ... even with a very active imagination! It's a story about the special bond between a sister and brother, and the power of imagination.
In my family, there are three boys, Cameron is the oldest, the there's David then me. And I've got a younger sister called Raene. Raene and I used to play together all the time when we were young. But I sometimes wonder what it would have been like if Raene was my older sister, instead of being younger. That's why I dedicated this book to her!
It's illustrated by Harriet Bailey who is the first winner of the Storylines Gavin Bishop Award for Illustration. She's done a brilliant job.
Hill and Hole
Hill and Hole were best friends. Hill likes being a hill, and Hole likes being a hole, but sometimes they wonder what it would be like to swap places. Maybe Mole and Wind can help?
One day I was digging a hole for a corner fence post. The hole was very deep, so my arm just reached the bottom. To scoop out the last few handfuls of dirt, I had to press my face against the ground and stretch down as far as I could go. It's an unlikely place to get an idea for a story, but when I glanced sideways and saw the mound of dirt, I wondered if the hole and the pile would be friends. The idea really tickled my fancy, so I abandoned the hole and went straight to my computer to write the story. I think it's very funny, but there's also lots of little gems of wisdom, too... I think.
Illustrations by Vasanti Unka.
Hill & Hole won the LIANZA Russel Clarke Illustration Award and the BPANZ Best Book Design of the Year. It was also a Notable Book for 2010.
Moon Cow
Milly knew the moon must be lonely, floating in the cold night sky. It had nobody to talk to, and nobody to share its secrets. So Milly decides to keep it company. But how do you share secrets with the moon, when it is so far away and so silent?
This is another idea that came from a sound. There are heaps of cows (herd of cows? yeah. heard of sheep? hahaha) around my place. On hot days they all wallow in the creek at the bottom of my property. They aren't supposed to be in there (they're so heavy, it's like having bulldozers stomping along the banks), but I don't like chasing them away when it's so hot and they're obviously enjoying themselves so much.
But at night, it can be a bit creepy when they start crashing through the bush and splashing in the creek. Their Mooooooo's echo eerily like ghosts. It was on just one full moon night when I thought Moo Cow sounded a lot like Moon Cow. How could a cow become friends with the moon?
Illustrations by Deidre Copeland
Daisy's Maze
In my valley (well, it's not really MY valley ... I don't own it or anything!) there is a group of seven friends who get together for scrummy dinners with lots of champagne and delicious desserts. Everyone goes to so much trouble to make something special. But sometimes we go to sooo much trouble, we're all too tired to enjoy ourselves! That's what Daisy's Maze is about, too. Michaela, the illustrator has done a great job. I was very surprised when I discovered she'd drawn seven friends in the book, and they sort of remind me of my friends, too!! I'm the rabbit.
Illustrations by Michaela Sangl.
Old Huhu
Two years ago, my cat, Momo, died. Momo was very old, and she was getting sick, but it was still very sad. That's when I decided to write a book about losing someone dear. I was thinking a lot about my grandads, too, when I wrote it. They both died many years ago, but I still miss them sometimes. They were always telling stories. It was a very hard book to write. I was very excited when I saw Rachel's illustrations - they are BRILLIANT, and Old Hu-hu sort of looks like my grandad, too.
Old Hu-hu won the NZ Post Book of the Year in 2010, and was a LIANZA Notable Book. It is also published in Te Reo, Korea, Taiwan and China. It was also a Notable Book for 2009.
Illustrations by Rachel Driscoll.
Ant's Pants
Ant's mum bought Ant some baggy pants, the fanciest pants he'd seen. With polka dot patches and plenty of pockets, and buckles and zips in between. Some people think writing rhymes is easy, but I think it's very hard. Maybe that's why I don't write rhyming stories very often.
Illustrations by Dave Gunson.
The Eleventh Sheep
My house is in the country. It's lovely and quiet most of the time, but sometimes it can get very noisy. Especially when all the lambs are taken away from their mums. It's pretty scary having no mum suddenly, and there's no more milk, either. So they all make an awful racket! Sleep sheep are a lot quieter than real sheep. But I don't know what I'd do if I woke up and found a sleep sheep on the end of my bed.
Illustrations by Claire Richards.
The Eleventh Sheep is also published in South Korea and China.
Duck's Stuck!
Have you ever stuck your head somewhere you shouldn't and gotten stuck? I HAVE! That's what I was thinking about when I wrote this story. I tried to use as FEW words as possible, too. That was hard. It's sort of like a poem - a lot of the words sound the same, but they don't rhyme ... if you know what I mean. If I ever get stuck, I hope my friends are more like Rat than Goose. Even though Chook is my favourite.
Illustrations by Ali Teo and John O'Reilly
Duck's Stuck! is also published in Canada (French).
No Room For a Mouse
When my friend Christopher was 4 years old, his parents taught him his address in case he got lost. But Christopher was a very friendly boy, so everywhere he went, he walked up to complete strangers and told them his address! Not only that, but he always asked them to visit him, too. The real Christopher never invited a circus or an orchestra home, but I always wondered what would happen if he did ...
The illustrations are by Kate Greenaway Medallist Freya Blackwood.
No room for a mouse is also published in Germany,Holland and Japan. It was also a Notable Book in NZ and Australia in 2007.
Three Cheers for No-Ears!
No-Ears has very small ears, so all the other elephants make fun of him. His other jungle friends try to help by making new ears out of all sorts of things.
But when disaster strikes great-grandaddy bull elephant, No-Ears discovers little ears can be very useful sometimes.
When I was growing up, I used to think I had a big nose. (Sometimes I still do!) Sometimes my brothers would make fun of me and call me Big Nose! So I know how No-Ears feels!!
Illustrations by Deborah Hinde.
KISS! KISS! YUCK! YUCK!
When I was growing up my mum used to wear bright red lipstick. When she kissed me, she always left a big red smelly spot on my cheek. YUCK! But that wasn't the worst bit!! Because then she'd get out her hanky and suck the end until it was dripping with smelly SPIT, and then she'd WIPE HER KISS OFF!!! YUCK! So I don't blame Andy for running from Auntie Elsie AT ALL. Do you run away from anyone's hugs and kisses?
Illustrations by Alit Teo & John O'Reilly.
Kiss!Kiss!Yuck!Yuck! won the Best Picture Book & Children's Choice Awards at the 2007 NZ Post Children's Book Awards and the Flicker Tale award 2010 in North Dakota. It was also a LIANZA Notable Book in 2006. It is also published in the USA and South Korea.
The Grumblebee
Winter is coming and everybee is busily gathering pollen. But poor Glib always gets left behind. When he finally catches up, everybee laughs at him. So Glib flies off on his own ... and discovers a secret garden bursting with flowers. Will he be able to save the hive?
On sunny days, especially in spring, Marion and I love to sit on our verandah with a cold drink, listening to the creek chuckling and watching the fantails fluttering through the blossoms. But if you listen closely, you can hear another sound, too. The busy buzzing of bees . Do they ever sit around just enjoying the sunshine? And what if there was a bee who was a bit, well, grumbly. Not a bumblebee, but a grumblebee?
Illustrations by Ingrid Berzins.
The Bear in the room next door
One night I was woken by a strange snuffling, snorting sound. I thought it was a bear! So I carefully turned on the light and ... PHEW! It wasn't a bear after all. But that gave me an idea for my next story, about a boy called Josh who hears a bear in his parents' bedroom late one night, so decides to try and catch it. I don't know if I'd be as brave as Josh. I'd probably pull the blankets over my head and hope the bear didn't EAT me! What would you do if you heard a bear in the room next door?
Illustrations by Deborah Hinde.
The Hoppleplop
My first book! One morning I woke up with a Hoppleplop in my head. I jumped out of bed and started writing straight away. By lunchtime I had the story finished. "Easy peasy!" I thought. But it never happened THAT easy again. My house is a bit like the Hoppleplop house. Sadly, there are no Hoppleplops or even any pesky Ooblangitangs for miles. I used to have a cat called Momo, but she died last year. She was very old.
Illustrations by Deborah Hinde.