Five Fascinating Animals of Tasmania

This past month I have been steadily working away on the back matter for book four of the Adamson Adventures.

Yes, it’s been a long time in between book 3 and four, but I hope it’s worth the wait.

I don’t want to say too much about it just yet, except that I plan to release it in June next year. There’s still much to do before then.

For this one, besides drawing a map as usual, which helps the reader see where the story is set, I decided to include illustrations and information about each animal that is mentioned in the story. I’m no illustrator, but I do like to give drawing a try, so I have been brave to attempt these myself and share them with you now. I also shared them one at a time each day on my Instagram and Facebook pages, but in case you missed any of them, here they are all in one place.

Thylacine

No story set in Tasmania would be complete unless it included the Thylacine, (Tasmanian Tiger). Presumed extinct since 1936 when the last one died in captivity in a Hobart zoo, I like to imagine that this elusive carnivorous marsupial is still hidden out in the vast, thick wilderness somewhere. Will the Adamson kids find one in their next adventure? If you've read any of their previous adventures, you know anything is possible.

 The Tassie Tiger was hunted into extinction by farmers who saw it as a threat to their livestock. Now the Thylacine is being hunted for a different reason. Today people search in the hope that it does still exist out there somewhere. As it was the largest apex predator in Tasmania the Thylacine has left a huge gap in the balance of the forest ecosystem. Today the largest predator is the Tasmania Devil which cannot compare in size. Researchers are trying to use DNA samples to bring back the Thylacine and reintroduce it into the wilderness in the hope that it will restore the balance of life and reduce and control the populations of kangaroos and wallabies.

Thylacine image courtesy of Australian Geographic archives.

My sketch of the Thylacine, commonly known as the Tasmanian Tiger.

Tasmanian Devil

Below is a Tasmanian Devil, a nocturnal, carnivorous marsupial that prefers to scavenge for its food rather than hunt. They have very sharp claws and teeth and make incredibly loud raspy screams when they fight. Have you ever seen one in the wild or in a zoo? Last year when we visited Tasmania, we were lucky to catch a glimpse of two devils in the wild. I couldn’t take a photo, they disappeared into the bush very fast when they saw us.

However, it was an amazing experience to see them in the wild. I have only ever seen them in a zoo before. These little critters are listed as endangered with numbers depleting quickly due to a cancerous facial tumour which has been spreading fast throughout the population in the wild. Fortunately, there is a conservation breeding program happening on the Australian mainland in the mountains of northern NSW. called Devil Ark, where the increasing numbers of devils are enjoying the similarities in vegetation and climate to Tasmania without any threat from disease.

Tasmanian Devil in the wild.

My sketch of the Tasmanian Devil.

Spotted Quoll

The Spotted-Tail Quoll, also known as the Tiger Quoll, is a relative of the Tasmanian Devil and the Tasmanian Tiger. Like his relatives he is also a nocturnal carnivorous marsupial. He may look cute, but watch out for those very sharp teeth. Quolls can be found on mainland Australia, where they are listed as endangered. while so far in Tasmania they are listed as vulnerable. There is only a population of around 14,000 quolls left throughout Australia.

Their numbers have drastically reduced due to introduced predators such as foxes and feral cats, deforestation from logging, land clearing for housing development and natural bushfires.

Spotted Quoll - WWF Australia

My sketch of the Spotted Quoll

Pademelon

The cute little Tasmanian Pademelon is much like a kangaroo or wallaby but smaller. It has a shorter neck and a thicker, rounder body. Pademelons can be found in the rainforests all around Tasmania and throughout the mainland even as far north as Papua New Guinea.. We encountered several during our bushwalks and even outside our cabin door at Cradle Mountain.

They live in thick damp forests but will come out into clearings to feed in the evenings. However with regular land clearing we are continually reducing their chances of survival. Pademelons are usually solitary creatures, but will forage at night in groups. An interesting fact about these little fellows is that when startled, a pademelon will thump his foot, (much like the rabbit, Thumper from the Bambi movie) to alarm the rest of the group to hop back to the safety of the thick forest.

I took this photo of a pademelon just outside our cabin at Cradle Mountain,

My sketch of a Pademelon.

Wombat

The Common Wombat is in abundance throughout Australia, however the Southern and Northern Hairy Nose Wombat are much more declined in numbers. Wombats found in Tasmania are smaller than common wombats and their fur is much thicker and softer than the wiry fur of a common wombat.

Did you know that these herbivorous marsupials have a backwards pouch? This is to protect their joey from the dirt that spays up as they dig their burrow. Wombats are one of my favourite Australian animals, we even have one that has made its home under a container at the back of our house. If the opening to the burrow gets any bigger, I fear our container will fall in! Wombat burrows are usually closer to creek beds and water sources, but in years when rain is plentiful, they will move further away.

A fun fact that I recently learnt is that wombats glow in the dark when you shine a UV light on them. Scientists suspect the reason for this bio luminescence is so that wombats can see each other in the dark and know when it is safe to come closer to a fellow wombat instead of another animal that they would prefer to keep at a distance.

Southern Hairy-Nose Wombat

My sketch of a wombat

Stay tuned for more information next month on the birds that are also in book 4 of the Adamson Adventures.

I enjoy adding fact and information pages to the back of my stories. It helps curious young readers learn and hopefully encourages them to research further. Did you learn something new today?

What is your favourite Australian animal?

Dragons in Children's Stories

I have dragons on my mind a lot lately.

Dragons, Dinosaurs and Thylacines. Animals that are extinct or endangered.

It’s all because of the stories that I have been writing. Research can be a lot of fun.

Dragons are the main characters in my up coming picture book which will be released early next year, while dinosaurs and thylacines play a major part in book 4 of my middle grade Adamson Adventure. Yes, for those of you who are anxiously awaiting the final book in the series, it’s almost here. I have finished the first draft and my major edits. So stay tuned for more on that soon.

Last month I looked at the differences and similarities between dragons and dinosaurs. You can find the link to that post here.

Today I am thinking about dragons in children’s stories. Here are a few that come to my mind. They appear in no particular favourite order.

Norbert from Harry Potter.

Norbert is the first dragon we encounter in the series as he hatches under the care of Hagrid the gamekeeper, in the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Hagrid is very fond of the cute little dragon that he won in a card game. The dragon is a Norwegian Ridgeback and as it grows to full size, Hagrid must agree to let it go even though to do so breaks his heart. Norbert is soon to be revealed as a female, hence the name change to Norberta. After book 1 this dragon is never seen again.

Image of Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback taken from https://www.quotev.com/story/11666155/The-Sisters-Black-and-the-Philosophers-Stone/14

However, other dragons do appear in book 3, the Goblet of Fire. A Hungarian Horntail, the Chinese Fireball, the common Welsh Green and the Swedish Short-Snout. These dragons are part of the first test in the Triwizard Cup, and Harry must try to gather an egg from a dragon’s nest to find a clue to continue in the competition.

While Norbert is seen as a cute and cuddly hatchling, these other dragons are far more fierce and deadly creatures. I think I know which dragon I would prefer to have as a pet.

Falkor from the Never Ending Story.

Falkor is a very different dragon to the usual scaly skin reptilian dragon. He is a 43 foot, (roughly 13 metres) long, soft, furry luckdragon more like a Chinese dragon than those found in British mythology.

He has a kind heart, is optimistic and only wants to help and encourage people, like Atreyu, who is trying to save the world of Fantasia from ‘the Nothing.’ Falkor is a wise dragon full of advice. He would be a great companion on any quest.

Falkor and Atreyu in flight from the Never Ending Story.

Elliott from Pete’s Dragon.

Elliott is a green scaly dragon with little pink wings and a tuft of pink hair on the top of his head. He is an adorable dragon who always means well. Elliot is a guardian dragon that becomes Pete’s best friend when the dragon sees that Pete is in need. The trouble is, that Elliott is a bit of a clumsy dragon, and with his ability to disappear, Pete often finds himself in trouble for the dragon’s misadventures. I think Elliott could be a fun dragon to have around, despite his clumsiness, as it is his job to protect and help children without any family support. Wouldn’t it be nice to know that there is a dragon out there doing his best to keep us all safe from harm.

Elliott from Pete’s Dragon

Draco from Dragonheart.

This story perhaps is more for older kids, teens and adults but still worth a mention. In essence, I find Draco absolutely adorable as his voice is narrated by the wonderful actor, Sir Sean Connery. I just love hearing a dragon speak with a Scottish accent.

Draco is like the dragons of British medieval legends. While he could be portrayed as a fierce fire-breathing dragon that attacks villages and fights knights, he is given a kind heart and soul. Draco agrees to give half of his heart to the injured Prince who is next in line to the throne. This is in the hope that the prince will become a kind and benevolent ruler. Sadly, the prince becomes a harsh tyrannical ruler of his kingdom. If Draco could always speak like Sean Connery, I would have him as a pet any day.

Dragonheart clip. Bowen pretends to slay the dragon.

H.R. Pufnstuff from the TV show of the same name.

This one takes me right back to my childhood. Pufnstuff was a big yellow dragon with orange hair. His head was a bit too big for his body but this made him appear all the more friendly and lovable. It’s a magical story of flutes, witches and dragons. When a young boy named Jimmy finds a magical talking flute, he is promised an adventure of a lifetime. Taking a trip on a boat, unknowingly owned by the evil Witchypoo, Jimmy is lead to a magical island. Lucky for him, H R Pufnstuff comes to his recue. Would this story work for the kids of today? Probably not, but as a child of the Sixties, I found it very entertaining.

H R Pufnstuff from the 1969 children’s TV show of the same name/

Puff the Magic Dragon.

No list of dragons could be complete without the mention of this one, even though strictly speaking it is not a children’s story. Puff the Magic Dragon is a song written by the group, Peter, Paul and Mary in 1963, so again it is from my childhood. To this day I can still remember the words and tune to the chorus of this endearing song. It’s all about a little boy and his wonderful imagination. As he plays with his magical dragon they frolic and have wonderful and whimsical adventures. But sadly all little boys must eventually grow up and their imagination is lost. Puff’s scales all fall away as he fades from memory. It’s a tale of childhood wonderment and the wish that we all could keep that hint of playful childhood alive as we grow into adulthood.

Puff the Magic Dragon by Peter Paul and Mary.

Do you know all these dragons? Have you read their stories or seen their movies?

Which is your favourite dragon? Or can you think of one I haven’t mentioned?

Leave a comment below, I am curious to know.

Are Dragons Related to Dinosaurs?

This burning question was asked of me during the writing workshop I ran last month. See last month’s blog for further details on the workshop.

I hesitated before I answered this question as the more I thought about it, the more I considered the complexities of answering.

In a nutshell, the kids came to one conclusion - maybe.

Are Dragons related to Dinosaurs?

Dragon vs Dinosaur

Let’s consider the similarities and differences of dragons and dinosaurs before we come to our conclusion.

Dinosaurs - are real. Palaeontologists have discovered many fossils of dinosaurs proving their existence.

Dragons - are probably not real. No one has ever found any fossils or evidence. They are mythical creatures based in legendary stories passed down over generations. They are the subject of bedtime stories, picture books, novels and movies.

Dinosaurs can be found all around the world on every continent and in all types of environments and climates.

Dragons were said to soar the skies from mountain tops, caves and volcanoes, causing havoc wherever they appeared.

Dinosaurs existed millions of years ago, and were extinct long before humans walked the Earth.

Dragons were said to be hunted by medieval knights and set fear into the hearts and minds of terrified villagers. Some dragons could be trained by humans to be ridden like horses, imagine trying to train a dinosaur!

Both dinosaurs and dragons hatched from eggs.

Both dinosaurs and dragons looked like large reptiles with scaly skin and sharp teeth.

Not all dinosaurs had scaly reptilian skin. Fossils have shown that some dinosaurs were more avian or bird-like with feathers covering their body.

Only a few dinosaurs (known as pterosaurs) could fly, but all dragons had massive wingspans and could fly. Pterosaurs are not actually dinosaurs, although they are related.

The largest pterosaur to be discovered in outback Queensland Australia, is said to be the closest looking dinosaur that resembles a dragon. It had a wingspan of over 9 metres or 30 feet and had a head as long as 1 metre or 3 feet. It also had very sharp teeth. While this is the largest pterosaur found in Australia, it is not the largest in the world.

Thapunngaka Shawi the largest pterosaur discovered in Queensland, is the closest dinosaur to resemble a dragon.

Dinosaurs did not breathe fire.

Dragons were known to be able to breathe fire, causing devastation to timber walled, grass thatched roofed homes. They could reduce a medieval village to ashes within minutes, scolding everything and everyone in their path. Dragons were able to breathe fire either because they were magical, or possibly by breathing out flammable gases that they could ignite with a spark.

Dinosaurs were not magical.

Dragons were often magical. How else could a reptile that huge manage to fly? Dragons would have to have a very big wingspan to carry their body weight or have an extremely unusually light body.

Dragon magic is said to be based on the four elements, earth, wind, fire and water. They could camouflage or change colour to suit their environment and even form clouds. (hint: my upcoming picture book has something to do with this.)

Dinosaurs had a varied appetite. Some were carnivorous, (meat eating) , some were herbivorous, (plant eating) and some were omnivores. (meaning they ate both plants and meat.)

Dragons on the other hand were meat lovers only.

Dinosaurs had very small brains, therefore they are not considered to have been very intelligent. It is generally considered that they were not even as intelligent as birds that exist today.

Dragons according to legends, were extremely intelligent, possibly even more so than humans.

Both dinosaurs and dragons are depicted to have tails. Most were very long and often spikey like the ankylosaurs or stegosaurus.

A stegosaurus had a long spiky tail and scaly skin.

Dragons had long spiky tails and scaly skin.

Have I helped you make up your mind yet? Perhaps you could draw a Venn diagram like the one below with all the possibilities of contrasts and overlaps to help you reach your final decision.

Comparing Dinosaurs and Dragons

As for me, what do I think? I do like to write fiction stories for children, so I’ll leave that answer to your imagination.

Leave a comment below to let me know if you believe dragons are related to dinosaurs..

Writing Adventure Stories With Kids.

Yesterday I had the great pleasure of presenting a writing workshop to a group of kids. It was for the very first kids book club organised by the amazing and supportive Book Cow-Kingston.

Running a writing workshop for kids at the Book Cow Kingston for their Kids Book Club.

There’s always so much fun to be had when talking about adventure stories, dinosaurs and volcanoes.

We decided that instead of asking kids to read a certain book or chapters before attending the event, all they had to do was to think about an adventure story they had read.

The question was then posed - What makes a great adventure story?

We spent the next hour or so, discussing the key elements that go into writing the story structure to develop their own fantastic adventure.

To do this yesterday, as we went through each item, I used examples and read extracts from my Adamson Adventure series. This lead to much discussion about dinosaurs and volcanoes. (more on that later).

Let’s examine seven key features we need to be able to write a thrilling adventure story for kids.

A Hero

All great stories need an equally great hero or protagonist. The hero needs to be likeable and relatable so that the reader will be invested in the story and want to see the hero succeed. A hero, also however, needs flaws or weaknesses. Things that they fear or worry about that they must attempt to overcome throughout the story.

My main character in the Adamson Adventures is Zac. Each story is told from his point of view. Zac is a bit of a know it all. He loves reading, science and learning about everything, but this can be a little annoying to his siblings. Zac’s knowledge about dinosaurs does come in handy to help keep them out of danger in Fossil Frenzy.

Supporting Characters

A hero often doesn’t go on his journey alone, (although he can) he usually needs supporting characters or sidekicks. These provide comic relief when the tension gets too much, or push the hero to keep moving forward when the obstacles get too difficult.

Zac’s sidekicks are his sister, Clare and his brother, Luke. They too, need to have good and bad traits. Clare started out quite shy and frightened in Secrets Hidden Below, book 1, she didn’t like to take risks or do anything that might get herself and her brothers in trouble. By Fossil Frenzy, book 3, her character has grown, become much more confident and self assured, in fact you might even say that she becomes the unwilling hero. Luke on the other hand, is the spontaneous sibling, who likes to rush into things without thinking. This could be seen as either good or bad. On one hand, he is never afraid to try new things, or not paralysed by self doubt, but it can lead him into inevitable danger where Zac and Clare must follow to protect him.

A Quest

All adventure stories have a quest or journey in one form or another. Whether that is in solving a mystery, searching for a treasure or resolving some sort of major problem. Within the quest, their must be an inciting incident that drives our characters forward to a point of no return. They have no other choice but to head deep into the chasm of difficulty and danger. It is always good to drive them into an unfamiliar or perilous environment.

In Fossil Frenzy, the kids are on a quest to find fossils to help save their Uncle’s drought-stricken farm. The inciting incident occurs when the massive storms converge and they are forced to take shelter in a cave, only to discover when they emerge that they are no longer in their own time.

Villains

This brings us to the baddies in our story or the antagonist. This can come in many forms. It could be another person, it could be a crippling fear that prevents the hero from achieving his goals, or it could be a threatening animals. In this case it is a dinosaur, a theropod to be exact that is not only chasing them, but preventing them from finding a way safely back home.

Risks

As the quest continues, we must up the tension with more and bigger risks. Their must be perils to face that become harder to avert or resolve.

We talked about different types of dinosaurs, which ones may be herbivores or carnivores and what dangers these may lead our characters into. I read an extract from Fossil Frenzy and we decided whether the Demon Duck of Doom was most likely a friend or foe.

Time Limit

A great adventure also needs a time limit. It also increases the suspense, pace, drama and pressure as our heroes race against the clock to succeed. In Fossil frenzy, not only are they in imminent danger from carnivorous dinosaurs, they are running out of food and Luke becomes critically ill making the trio desperate to return home to get him to hospital.

Transformation

By the end of the journey the hero must have changed in some way by the time he has achieved his goal. Zac is more grateful to have his siblings by his side and has come to realise the importance of family. Clare is more courageous, although at times still somewhat reluctantly, while Luke, is now starting to consider his actions before diving in headfirst.

Other than dinosaurs, I also used as an example a volcano. It could be seen as a setting or a villain, depending on how and where in the story it is used. I read an extract from Secrets Hidden Below where the volcano appears in the climax of the story. It is antagonistic and prevents our heroes from seemingly achieving their final goal. It is not until the resolution that we find out whether or not they have found the sought after pirate treasure. To demonstrate the use of the volcano as part of a setting, and the initial action, I read from my early reader ‘Alien Shenanigans’ where the volcano is a classroom experiment that goes inevitably and drastically wrong. To the delight of the book club, I did the experiment and erupted the volcano. It was a fantastic way to finish the session and one I am sure the kids will remember.

The volcano began to fizz and slowly ooze over the sides.

An erupting volcano is always a big hit with kids.

Do you like reading adventure stories?

What is one of your favourites that you read as a child?

All my books mentioned above are available here from my website.

Where Do You Find Inspiration For Your Writing?

I have had this question posed to me a few times lately. Most recently by an author friend who sent me a questionnaire to help her write her next non-fiction book. My response to this question was probably a little too brief as I answered it in one sentence. I thought about it a little more deeply and decided it was worthy of further explanation.

My initial response was simply - Inspiration comes from everywhere, nature and the environment, my grandkids, holiday destinations, conversations and interacting with children generally. Let’s unpack these a little more in depth.

But first, I think the real question must include - why? Why do you feel the need to write is an intrinsic part of the inspiration. Once you know your why, inspiration will find you. My why, is obviously for me, children. My passion to help children want to learn and read started way back when I was still a student. The joy of children’s books has never left me and wanting to share that enthusiasm with kids is overwhelming. As a teacher I always preferred to focus on literacy in all its forms even though I recognised the importance of all subjects and providing a rounded education. My belief is that to fully comprehend anything, the basic tools of learning stem from a love of reading. If I can foster that love of reading in children through my books then I hope to have done my part in building the next generation of creative thinkers and innovators. Just thinking about helping one child want to learn to read is my inspiration for writing.

Now let’s consider those other parts of my inspiration for writing.

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, is one of my favourite bush walking areas.

I could sit here for ages taking in the sights, smells, and sounds.

Nature and the Environment.

While I grew up in the southern suburbs of Sydney, somehow, living in the country seemed inevitable. I love being out in nature and able to take long walks through the bush on a daily basis. Feeling a part of nature is grounding. The clean air is refreshing and the sounds of the bush is exhilarating yet calming. A daily walk helps me clear my mind and think about plot holes, structure, character, mischief and new ideas. Observing the birds and wildlife creates ideas for many of my stories. When I want to describe an outdoor scene, I like to use all my senses, nature and the environment is an integral part of the writing process. Walking suburban streets isn’t quite the same, there are too many other noises to filter out. Although, they can be great for character studies. I like to write adventures and take my characters to unusual settings that the average reader does not usually get to experience.

It’s my love of nature that has inspired me to write book 4 in my Adamson Adventures. When hubby and I were newly weds, we embarked on a six month work position in Hobart, Tasmania. I fell in love with the beauty of its natural environment and always hoped to return someday when we had the time to explore many of the bushwalks it had to offer. Fast forward some thirty plus years later and we finally revisited the beauty of Tasmania last year. I planned many amazing walks and loved every one of them. The next book could finally be written.

My two picture books, ‘Emma the Eager emu,’ and ‘Frazzled Freya’ both came from watching wildlife. Initially observing the native birds and lizards that frequent my garden, then considering other creatures that I have seen during various trips around Australia.

Holiday Destinations.

By now, if you have read any of my previous books, you will know, that the setting is an integral part of the journey. Unique or different places often inspire my thoughts for story as I like to grab my readers attention by giving them an opportunity to travel in the comfort of their own personal favourite reading place. A good story can take the reader to wherever their imagination wants to go without leaving the comfort and security of their own home.

The inspiration for ‘Secrets Hidden Below,’ came from a family holiday in Bali. I couldn’t find a book that would take kids on an adventure around this beautiful and exotic location, so I decided to write it myself.

The inspiration for ‘A Lighthouse In Time,’ came from our annual camping holidays at the beach. We found an old ruined lighthouse and I always knew there had to be a ghost story written around it. I love lighthouses, their mystery and history is fascinating, and I knew kids would feel the same.

Tanah Lot Temple Bali, is one of the places I take my readers to on their adventure in ‘Secrets Hidden Below.’

The old ruined lighthouse at Cape St George was the inspiration for ‘A Lighthouse In Time.’

Grandkids and Children in General.

The inspiration for ‘Fossil Frenzy,’ is a combination of nature, holidays and children. From my eldest son who has had a passion for rocks and fossils since he was five years old, to my grandson’s fascination with dinosaurs, the inspiration for this story was inevitable. Once I incorporated a trip to outback Queensland to see the dinosaur museum with all the incredible fossils in their natural environment, my inspiration was so enthusiastic, I couldn’t wait to start writing.

The Age of Dinosaurs Museum at Winton, in Queensland was a must see and experience before I could write ‘Fossil Frenzy.’

I found a replica of the Demon Duck of Doom, at the Discovery Centre in the Daintree National Park, in Far North Queensland.

I have a couple of other manuscripts I am in the process of finishing that have been inspired by my grandson and the conversations we have had. I won’t say too much about these for now, except that I hope to share more sometime soon.

The inspiration for my first early reader books, ‘Gingerbread Aliens’ and ‘Alien Shenanigans’ both came from my children. One day we were baking in the kitchen and we had a bit of a mishap, after cleaning up the mess and laughing together, I knew there was a story in the experience. A little bit of creative thinking and Gingerbread Aliens was born. “Alien Shenanigans,’ was inspired by a the experience the kids had at school with one of their favourite teachers. He was inspirational with his science experiments. Expand on the classic volcano experiment and away went my imagination again.

The volcano experiment in ‘Alien Shenanigans,’ was not only wonderful inspiration but a joy to do with kids during school visits.

While all the birds around my property were the initial inspiration behind ‘Emma the Eager Emu,’ there’s nothing like seeing an emu in the wild. This one was in Monkey Mia, Western Australia.

Living through the the bush fires of the 2019/2020 Summer season, inspired me to write a short story for one of the anthologies.

Inspiration to write can come from so many wonderful places. Writing prompts can be helpful too. The last few years I have written short stories for anthologies that are inspired by a prompt or initial idea/theme. I tend to start with that, then consider all of the above mentioned ways to find inspiration, it’s amazing where it will lead you.

Now that you have learned a little more about where I find my inspiration for writing, it’s your turn to tell me. Where do you find your inspiration for your writing? Let me know in the comments below, I’d love to learn more.

A Celebration of Dino-mite Proportions.

On Saturday 8th April 2023, the National Dinosaur Museum here in Canberra held a mammoth 30th Birthday Party!

I was honoured to be included as their children’s book author, reading hourly to enthusiastic groups of dino-tastic families.

National Dinosaur Museum 30th Birthday - Book readings and signings.

The gates opened at 10:00 am to a long queue of excited people that stretched out of the car park and beyond. Despite the amazing efforts of staff, the entrance line-up never seemed to shrink. When I finished my readings and departed mid-afternoon, people were still queueing to get in. Visitors came from all over Canberra, Sydney and the surrounding country areas. In fact the museum recorded an incredible 7,500 visitors who came to share in the celebrations on the day.

Massive crowds waiting to enter the National Dinosaur Museum 30th Birthday celebrations.

The queue to get in to the National Dinosaur Museum lasted all day.

There were so many things to do on offer including, museum tours of the gallery, face painting, an Easter egg hunt that was so popular they had to add more. Animal encounters, arts and crafts. One of the most popular events of them all was the dinosaur painting competition of the most recent dinosaur member of the museum family, ‘Cooper’ as he is commonly known, or Australotitan Cooperensis. Cooper can be found to the left of the entrance gates in his very own garden, an area still in construction and design.

Sandra Bennett (me) sitting under ‘Cooper’, Australotitan Cooperensis. He is so big he couldn’t fit in the photo.

Sandra Bennett (me) in the garden among the Australovenators.

Families could find me inside in the interactive area where I signed books, read from Fossil Frenzy and even sang a few songs to help entertain the little ones. A favourite photo opportunity also awaited families in this area with the giant dinosaur eggs where kids enjoyed hatching as their parents happily snapped away. This was a wonderful area for a little quiet time with the kids after the craziness of all the hectic activities outside. Families were able to relax and chat with me, then sit and cuddle with the kids on the lounges while they rested and listened to a story time session.

Reading from Fossil frenzy, the Adamson Adventures 3 at the National Dinosaur Museum. The dinosaur eggs behind me where kids loved playing and having their photo taken.

It is always wonderful to chat with enthusiastic readers and lovers of dinosaurs. I am always curious to here which dinosaur is a child’s favourite. Sometimes they even come up with a dinosaur name I am unfamiliar with. Then I turn it around when I mention my favourite, the Demon Duck of Doom. I love the surprised expression of kids faces when I describe the avian dinosaurs features.

Always grateful to meet families when reading from Fossil Frenzy the Adamson Adventures 3, at the National Dinosaur Museum.

The best feedback came when the Museum staff said my readings were so popular, that they asked me to add on an extra session before I finished. Naturally I love signing books too, and hearing that after my reading sessions kids were so intrigued they wanted to buy the book to read and find out what could possibly happen to Zac, Clare and Luke, my three sibling characters in Fossil Frenzy.

I am so grateful to have the support of such a dynamic team of staff at this wonderful museum. Thank you so much to everyone who made this a memorable day including all the wonderful families who chose to spend their Easter Saturday among the dinosaurs.

5 Great Reasons to Read Aloud With Your Tweens.

We all know the benefits of reading aloud to our babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers, but what about our tweens? Once our kids begin to read independently we often forget to continue reading with them.

As World Read Aloud Day was this week, I thought I would delve a little deeper into the joys of reading aloud, especially with our older children.

But first, what exactly do we mean by tween?

The definition of a tween.

Tweens are the age group that is our 8 - 12 year old readers. They have not only become independent readers, but are wanting to become more independent of their parents. They are in middle-school where hormones start to kick in just before puberty, which also means they want to explore the world and socialising away from family constraints before facing the challenges that come with adolescence. .They are in that awkward stage where they no longer perceive themselves as children, but are not yet teenagers either.

If our tweens are trying to establish their independence from their parents, then why should we still read aloud to them? Do they even want us to?
In summary, here’s 6 great reasons we should still be reading aloud with them. However I am only going to discuss 5 of these reasons, as hopefully you have already ‘created a life-long love of reading’ while they were younger.

Reading Aloud to Kids.

Builds Empathy

Tweens are ready to read more substantial books with more character development, plot twists and adventure. It is through reading theses stories that our tweens are able to explore the world around them, their feelings and emotions. By developing empathy for a character they are able to ‘try-on’ ideas and concepts and it all happens within the safe confines of home or the classroom. Sharing these stories aloud encourages discussion and promotion of developing an understanding for empathy.

Reading builds empathy.

Reading strengthens empathy muscles.

Improves Language and Listening Skills.

When reading aloud with your tween, you can introduce books with vocabulary that is a level higher than your tween can read on their own. It’s an opportunity to improve understanding of new words and concepts and increases comprehension skills. Gradually they will feel more confident to read more complex stories independently.

Even a tween can still have problems sitting still to read, especially when their are so many distractions coming at them from every direction. Reading aloud with them over a meal or snack can be a great way to encourage listening and before you know it, they are so engrossed in the story they have sat still and quietly longer than expected. This also helps improve concentration for other studies and work habits.

Reading aloud build vocabulary.

Facilitates Important and/or Difficult Conversations.

As a teacher or parent we often come across subjects that we wish to discuss that may feel difficult or awkward. Our tween, is also reaching that point where they too, are asking those difficult questions. Reading a book together can help bridge the gap and ease into a difficult conversation without feeling uncomfortable as you discuss the characters and situations in the story. Some of these topics may be around, death, divorce, alcohol, drugs, sex, social media/internet use etc. Both non-fiction and fiction books can be great tools for broaching these subjects. If you are looking for a specific topic a librarian will be able to help you. On Facebook, I belong to a group called Your Kids Next Read where parents often ask for suggestions.

In this link How to use books to spark important conversations you will find helpful questions to use when reading aloud with your tween.

Thank you to Young Book Love for providing this useful blog post.

Activates and Empowers Imagination.

Stories can take us to other places around the world, in the past, present and future. They can also take us to new or other worlds of science fiction, dystopian and inter-planetary. In reading these books, we explore, develop and stretch our imagination. It encourages us to flex our brain muscles to foster our own creativity. Through imagination and creativity grows innovation. As our tweens expand their imagination they become more curious and think outside of the box. From the imagination of a tween comes the discoveries and inventions of our future.

Is Fun.

It goes without saying that reading together aloud is fun for all the family. It is a time to come together and share, bond, comfort and enjoy each others company. Through reading aloud we can laugh and experience the world around us together. Use silly voices, vary the tone to increase suspense and include plenty of expression to make the experience fun and entertaining. We can introduce new genres that your tween may not have otherwise tried and we become wonderful role-models to continue to demonstrate and foster the love of reading that we began when our tweens were little.

My own middle-grade series The Adamson Adventures are a great place to start reading aloud to your young tween. They are packed full with fun, adventure, entertainment, historical information and opportunities for learning and developing a love of reading through exciting imagination. A few months ago, I had the pleasure of meeting a tween that was excited to meet the author of this series. He said he had bought Fossil Frenzy and loved it so much that he then went back and read the other two. They gave him the confidence boost he needed to begin reading longer books that he previously found too daunting and challenging. His parent started by reading the books aloud with him until his confidence grew. If he could do it, so can you.

Have I covered all the aspects of reading aloud with your tween?

Can you think of anything I may have missed?

Please leave a comment below.

The thrilling middle-grade series The Adamson Adventures by Sandra Bennett.

Book Fairs and Market Stalls, Are they worthwhile?

The short answer : Absolutely.

The long answer : That depends on your goals and what you hope to achieve.

Let’s look at the Pros and Cons.

Pros.

1. You sell books.

2. More people are able to read your books.

3. You gain exposure as an author.

4. More photos to post on your socials.

5. You get to catch up in person with other author friends.

6. You make new author friends.

7. You make connections within the industry.

8. You can learn from how other authors promote themselves.

9. It’s great to meet and chat with book lovers about your books.

10. Lots of books for you to purchase too.

Sharing a stall with a friend helps reduce costs and gives you fabulous company to share the experience with. I shared my stall with the amazing Jacqueline De Rose-Ahern .

The Book Fair meant a great opportunity to have dinner and catch-up with wonderful author friends.

Cons.

1. The cost of your stall can vary for the type of event, from next to nothing to quite expensive.

2. You have to weigh up in your mind whether the cost is worth it.

3. You may not sell enough books to cover your costs.

4. If the event is not in your home town, you have added costs of travel and accommodation.

5. It’s hard to know how many books to take. Not enough and you may sell out before the end of the event. Too many and you may bring most of them back home.

6. Books are heavy to transport.

This weekend I attended the inaugural Book Fair Australia in Sydney at Sydney Olympic Park. I don’t live in Sydney, so this meant travel and two nights accommodation. Did I find it worthwhile? Yes. While I sold enough books to cover the price of my stall, I certainly didn’t cover the cost of accommodation. Did that matter? No. It was a great weekend away and a wonderful experience. I enjoyed a great girls weekend away catching up with friends I hadn’t seen in years because of Covid. Spending time with your tribe is so important to your mental health. I enjoyed talking to people as they wandered passed our stall and selling books was an added bonus. Meeting other authors and publishers was a fantastic networking opportunity and seeing the quality of printed books first hand is always helpful for future reference.

I had the opportunity to read a segment of Fossil Frenzy to kids in the children’s corner. It was a small group, but that meant I was able to engage with them personally. Connecting with kids is what being a children’s author is all about.

On Sunday afternoon I even joined the panel discussion on Engaging Curious Minds in Kidlit. I was both surprised and delighted when I read I had been selected to join the panel. I admit I was also somewhat nervous about the idea. But that didn’t last long once the discussion began, I relaxed into it and actually can say I enjoyed it. It was another marvellous opportunity to engage with my reading audience and their gatekeepers, their parents and carers.

Will I return next year? I haven’t decided yet. I would like to, but I need to consider my options. Perhaps market stalls closer to home where I don’t have travel and accommodation costs are better. However, as James Bond once said, ‘never say never.’

Our Panel Presenter was most excited to learn that I had written a middle grade adventure set in Indonesia that incorporated some Bahasa Indonesia for kids to learn.

Our Panel Presenter asked some thought-provoking questions on Engaging Curious Minds in Kidlit.

Have you ever appeared at a Book Fair or done market stalls?

Did you find it worthwhile?

Would you do it again?

Please let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear your opinion.

What Makes A Successful School Visit?

I have been doing author school visits off an on for almost ten years now. Each time I do one, I learn something new that helps improve how smoothly they run.

School visits have been fairly scarce over the last couple of years due to Covid-19 restrictions, but just last month, I had the pleasure of finally being back in a school for a half day visit. This had been much anticipated as it had been postponed several times. The original year 3 cohort that I had been invited to speak with are now in year 5. Sadly I didn’t get to have a session with them, however I was delighted to have a visit with several of them during their recess break. It was lovely to chat with theses kids not only about one of my books but all three in the Adamson series and why they enjoyed them so much. One of the young girls was quite articulate and explained that she believed they were so good because the plots were full of twists and turns and they had great character development. I thought that was great insight and high praise from an 11 year old reader.

So what have I learned that helps make school visits successful?

Plenty of Planning and Preparation.

As a former teacher I have always made sure I take the time to plan the lesson. But not all children’s authors have a teaching background. That makes it all the more important to carefully plan your day. Kids naturally can’t sit still for too long, which makes it even more important to be as engaging as you possibly can. If you do your prep, the more likely the session will run smoothly for you, the kids and the teachers.

Send a poster announcing your upcoming visit so that the kids will get excited. Send in a pre-order form with your website listed so that kids and their parents can view your books beforehand and make an informed decision.

If you are planning on a slide-show presentation, forward it via email or google docs to the teacher so that they have it on file on their computer. Also, make sure you have a thumb drive back-up just in case. I have also been known to have a printed copy just in case the techy stuff goes wrong on the day.

Author School visit St Claire of Assisi

Author visit St Claire of Assisi

Organisation and liaison with the school and teacher.

Keep an open correspondence with both the organising teacher and if possible the school administration officer. Ask the teacher what they might be hoping to gain out of the visit? Is there something they would like you to discuss that fits into the current curriculum guidelines that they are working on?

This recent visit was with a Year 2 cohort who are studying Indonesian, so the teacher was reading Secrets Hidden Below with them. I was able to give them more in-depth information on Bali along with photos I took during my last visit to Indonesia in 2019. I naturally incorporated some Bahasa Indonesia language learning as well.

At a visit to a school last year where I was asked to do sessions which each year level, K through 6, I was asked to incorporate writing activities that fitted in with core curriculum literacy skills. I was able to incorporate all my books instead of focussing on just one.

My biggest takeaway from this most recent experience was the importance of the admin officer, particularly if you plan to send a book order form in before the visit. It was this wonderful lady that suggested I add my bank transfer details to my order form so that parents could transfer electronically their payment directly to my account rather than the school and myself on the day needing to handle cash. This worked brilliantly as I then had an idea of the number of books I would need to take along with me on the day. Added to this, this amazing woman went above and beyond expectations and sent me a spreadsheet with children’s names. whether they paid via bank transfer or cash and which books they ordered. This meant I could pre-sign copies of my books and easily have them ready to hand out on the day.

Variation in activities during the session.

As mentioned earlier, variation is key to a successful school visit. Never plan to just talk for an hour or just read your book and leave it at that. Kids and teachers expect more, especially when they are paying you for your time. You are there to entertain, enlighten and engage. While activity sheets are always useful, I find kids get so much more out of a session if you get them moving. Games are fantastic for ice-breakers, those moments when kids begin to get restless or fidget in the middle and are a fabulous way to wrap up at thee end.

For this recent visit with the Indonesian classes I found a couple of Indonesian games to teach and play with them. Then added a Heads and Tails game near the end. It’s like true and false but sit with hands on heads if they think the answer is true, or stand up and put their hands on their tales if they think the answer is false. Kids have a lot of fun with this one, and you and the teacher can see who has been truly listening.

When I have done visits with Fossil Frenzy, I have also added a couple of dinosaur songs for the kids to learn and sing-a-long. Doesn’t matter if you can’t hold a tune, I certainly can’t, just be brave a go with the flow.

Author Visit Chapman PS, engage kids through movement and games

Author visit Chapman PS engage through movement and games

Make sure you allow time for Q & A somewhere towards the end, kids will ask the most incredible questions. Sometimes about your books, sometimes about you, be prepared for anything but remember you don’t have to answer everything, especially when someone asks the inevitable ‘How old are you?’

Lastly, remember to relax and have fun. Kids are always fascinated to have an author come and visit their school, they will be so excited to meet you.

Have you ever done author school visits?

Was there something you learned from your experience that I haven’t mentioned but others would find helpful?

Is there anything you still want to know that you didn’t find here?

Ask me any questions or leave a comment below. I would be happy to answer.

Researching Facts for Fiction.

I love writing middle grade fiction for readers aged 7 -12 years. There is so much potential to grip them with an adventurous story, but writing for this age group means a wide range in reading ability, not to mention their desire to read. That’s why in my Adamson Adventures series along with a great story full of tension and humour, I always like to include lots of factual information. Some readers enjoy fiction for all the fantasy and world building it entails, but others enjoy learning through reading factual texts. By combining the two, I hope to help bridge the gap between these different types of readers and encourage a love of reading in them all.

If you have read any of the three books in the Adamson Adventures series so far, you will know how extensive my research is. I take my readers on a journey from Bali, to the south coast of NSW and far out west in arid Queensland. Once I have a concept for a story, along with an idea of a location, I want to be able to write about the setting using all five senses, I need to experience that particular place myself. Photos, books and google searches can only help to a certain degree. There is nothing like immersing yourself in the scents, sights, sounds, tastes and feelings of the surroundings.

Pademelon are cute little marsupials that belong to the wallaby and kangaroo family. They are found all over Tasmania.

Far South region of Tasmania heading towards Cockle Creek and South West National Park Wilderness area.

That’s why in order to write book four, (title to be confirmed), I recently embarked on a trip to Tasmania. I always knew this story would be set in Tasmania, so to begin my research for the ideal setting I started googling possible best locations around the island. I also knew it had to be in the wilderness and accessible via campsites and walking tracks. Once I decided on the location, my next step was to go down there and experience it for myself. I spotted platypus, pademelons, a Tassie devil and a lyre bird all in the wild. Although the last two were too quick and elusive to catch on film. I inhaled Huon pine, gentle mist and rainforest ferns. I listened to thundering waterfalls and rolling rivers while leaf litter squelched underfoot. I tasted fresh powdery snow as it swirled in the air and landed on my nose, and welcomed log fires and warming hot chocolate. I hugged trees, patted bright green mosses and marvelled at four different types of leaf patterns in ferns that mingled in the same location. I was amazed by the splendour and magnificence of tall trees and the simple majestic wonder of the wilderness. I came home inspired and refreshed to start writing again.

For those non-Australian readers who have no idea where Tasmania is, it’s a relatively small island at the bottom of mainland Australia, that is included as one of our states. Tasmania is the southern most tip of our country and the place from where scientists embark on research trips to the Antarctic. New Zealand and Argentina are the only two countries closer to the Antarctic.

Map of Australia showing the states including Tasmania.

Map of Tasmania, showing Devonport in the top middle, Hobart down south and Cockle Creek near the southern tip.

Hubby and I spent six months living in Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, back in 1986, soon after we were married. On weekends we managed to travel around to see a few places, but as you can imagine, when you are busy working in a place, you don’t have the time to explore as much as you might like.

After all these years, I was very excited to return this July, now that all our states have reopened after two years of lockdowns. We decided not to fly and rent a car on arrival because I knew I wanted to explore roads and areas off the beaten track. Therefore, the best option for us, was to drive to Melbourne and take the ship across overnight. That way, we could take our old four wheel drive car and have no restrictions as to where we went. I was pleasantly surprised that we had calm seas on both the departure and return trips. Bass Strait is known for wild weather, so I counted us very lucky, perhaps it was even a good omen.

On disembarking at Devonport, (6;30 am ), we drove straight down the middle of the island to reach Hobart by mid-afternoon. I had booked accommodation there for five days to give us plenty of time to explore the far south region. Out first full day trip was a drive through the Huon Valley, to the beachside township of Southport along with the campgrounds and wilderness walks around Cockle Creek. Imagine my delighted surprise as I read information maps to find Bennett’s Point, Adamsons Peak and Adamsons Falls! Regrettably I didn’t walk in to see these as I am not an experienced bushwalker of that calibre. The tracks are overgrown, and extremely difficult to navigate, plus they would take far too many hours to traverse than I could manage. I had to be realistic. However, I did get a good feel for the area a couple of days later when we returned to do the walks around the thermal pool at Hastings Caves, as well as the Airwalk and the Swinging Bridges walk that take you over the fast flowing Huon River. The views of the forest wilderness were spectacular.

Detailed map of the Southern Wilderness area of Tasmania with Adamson’s Peak and Adamson’s Falls circled. Bennett’s Point is highlighted in orange.

Looking across Recherche Bay to Bennett’s Pont.

Swinging Bridges walk across the Huon River, Hastings Caves and Thermal Pool.

To my delight, after a couple of hours walking, we returned to the carpark to discover a Tasmanian Devil and a Lyrebird in the wild. Sadly they were both too quick to disappear into the thick foliage to capture on film. I did manage to buy a couple of cute cuddly toy Tasmanian Devils and Tigers for the grandkids. There are many stories about the now extinct Tasmanian Tiger, and I did purchase a number of books about them. Could they still be elusively hiding out there in the wilderness somewhere?

We were lucky to see a Tasmanian Devil in the wild, if only for a fleeting moment.

Tasmanian Tigers are believed to be extinct. The last one died in captivity at a zoo in Hobart in 1936.

Surprisingly, I also watched a platypus playing in the river outside her den one afternoon. I had booked a cosy little Bed and Breakfast for the night, and on booking the owner has assured us that if we were there by 3:30 pm, we would be able to see the platypus at play. I didn’t believe the platypus would be there, but as we were served afternoon tea by the river bank, sure enough, the platypus arrived right on cue.

Our hosts also believed it would be a good night for seeing the Aurora Australis and suggested a great spot for viewing. Unfortunately as we waited, we watched the rain come across the valley and set in, spoiling any hopes of us catching a glimpse of this amazing phenomenon. I was so close to ticking this one off my bucket list, perhaps I’ll have to head to the northern hemisphere and see the Aurora Borealis instead.

Platypus in the river at Geeveston.

Aurora Australia courtesy of Wallpaper Flare

After my exploration down south was complete, we continued to discover more of the beauty of the Tasmanian wilderness through walks in Mt Fields Nation Park and Cradle Mountain. My initial plan on the day we headed to Mt Fields, was to just do the walks to the waterfalls, but hubby had other ideas. We drove up to the end of the road at the top of the mountain where we embarked on the most fabulous walk around Lake Dobson. The change in vegetation and diversity in plant life at the top compared to the rainforest and waterfalls further below was incredible. I took so many photos for my research and was inspired with lots of ideas.

Horseshoe Falls, Mt Fields National Park.

We hadn’t planned on a visit to Cradle Mountain as we had been there all those years ago, but I was so glad we did. This time we managed the 6.5 Km ( 4 miles) around Dove Lake. It was 2 !/2 hours of enchanted rainforest, squeezing around overhanging rocks, stepping over thick vines, massive tree roots and stone stairs that climbed up a hill and back down the other side. The park ranger informed me it wasn’t called Heartbreak Hill for nothing! All the while the rain drizzled off and on, causing the track to become quite slippery in places, but it was so worth it for the striking views of the lake and the rugged mountains that occasionally peaked out from behind fog or misty clouds. On checking the weather forecast for the next few days, we learned that snow was predicted. I was so glad we decided to stay, we were rewarded with a winter wonderland of fresh powdered snow that blanketed the resort and the mountains as far as the eye could see. Naturally, I had to head out for another walk in the fresh snow before too many footsteps turned the tracks to ice and mush.

Snowfall at Cradle Mountain.

I feel like my writing has slowed somewhat over the last two years, covid and lockdowns have not been conducive to my imagination. But this research trip was the prescription I needed. I have returned home inspired, motivated and keen to put pen to paper. Hopefully the next great Adamson Adventure will flow from my hands and be ready for publication sometime next year.

Do you do research to help you write your fiction books?

How do you do your research for your fiction books?