"What should my resolution for 2026 be?", I mulled as I cooked dinner last week. *Relentless Positivity* were the words that flashed in my mind. Not being an optimist by nature, I was somewhat excited by the prospect of experimenting with a different mental mode for the ensuring 12 months but then, I read the news ... It's not going to be easy, I realised. The world events inspired me to get clinical about positive thinking; what it means in practice and how to deal with a mi

If you had to pick one word to describe 2025, what would you say? I'd hasten a guess that no one opted for steady, calm or indeed normal ... Perhaps it was fitting then, that for the final Willow the Wonderer book I left the external world behind and delved instead into the worlds that lie within —  our inner worlds after all are places we can condition and control. Even as the writer, it can sometimes take a while to articulate the essence of the work you have produced. The

Here it is folks -- the book cover for the fifth and final Willow the Wonderer book. We had put our shortlist to a vote. It was wonderful to receive so many responses from our community of readers. In the end, it was a near unanimous vote for little Willow hugging the Earth. Cover Reveal for the fifth and final Willow the Wonderer picture book!   One of our readers' put it best when she said, "Willow hugging the Earth is a lovely image for children to grow up with."   We had

In general, picture books are recommended for 3-8 year olds. However, we do not recommend using age as the main criteria for choosing which books to buy, as the reading skills and interest of children can vary widely. In our experience, parents, grandparents, teachers and nurses have used Willow the Wonderer picture books with children from well before they were born (ie reading to them in the womb) to premature babies still in pre-natal care, to children from the age of 6

Life is ebbs and flows - but how to navigate it all? A video popped up on my tiktok feed recently - featuring a middle aged school teacher sitting at his desk correcting assignments, with the following caption: "My students are asking me, how come I have an email address with my actual name?" His response (sanitised version), "Because I was around for the birth of the email ..." Who else remembers being alive in the late 90s - at the dawn of the internet? A fad for kids and n

Willow the Wonderer picture book series is now available in paperback There is no doubt that when it comes to children's storybooks, hardcovers reign supreme. Our hardcover books are no exception. They are beautifully crafted and built to be treasured for years to come. They make for very special gifts and we find that this is the primary reason folks buy our books.   There are times though, when we just want to grab a book or two, stuff it in a rucksack and be off. Some litt

Let me state it right at the start - The trope we refuse to repeat in children's storybooks is: Boy meets girl - they fall in love - and they live happily ever after…   Replace the genders as you please ... but you get the gist. This trope is not only common but also persistent and pervasive - in books and across every popular art form like movies, music/songs, etc. Prefer to watch a video of this blog? Click or scroll to end. What's behind its enduring appeal? Let's be hones

Reeta and Darren - Sketching out the first Willow the Wonderer storybook Autumn is the perfect season for reflection Summer has come and gone and autumn is taking hold of our not-so-small island paradise of Australia. The chapter on 2024 is not only underway but has almost reached the half way mark. Yes, it is scarely two months away! The cooler change forces us indoors, creating the space for instrospection and reflection - and that is where my mind has mostly been these pas

We've received over 450 reviews from genuine customers for our Willow the Wonderer children's books series and each time we read them, it fills our heart. We share some beautiful stories that customers have shared with us below. Reading these keeps us going. Willow the Wonderer storybooks have struck a chord with kids and grown-ups alike Since the release of the first book in the series, Willow the Wonderer has consistently garnered perfect five-star rating from readers and