"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

A gentle reminder folks that Christmas shipping deadlines are approaching fast. For those living in regional and rural areas of Australia or New Zealand please opt for Express Shipping from this point onwards. We have updated our express shipping option, passing on the 20-35% discounts we are currently getting for this service so make the most of it. This is a breakdown of the shipping deadlines when using standard shipping service . These timeframes are for parcels shipped f

It's happened again folks... We are down to our last 100 gift sets. It's not surprising really — Our Willow the Wonderer Book and Toy Gift Sets are literally the best "book & plush toy set" you will find in the market! We designed it that way. Here's what makes our Willow the Wonderer book and plush toy set stand out:   A Bespoke Character Plush Toy of Willow Our Willow the Wonderer plush toy is a bespoke design by Darren to bring our endearing little hero to life! Even the o

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

We recommend gifting your young grandchildren our Willow the Wonderer Gift Sets . Willow the Wonderer gift sets feature our beautiful picture books and a bespoke character plush toy of little Willow, a baby donkey in a retro onesie. All this arrives nicely packaged in a custom box and is also gift wrapped to save you the trouble. You can choose between Gift Sets featuring the complete collection of books in hardcover or paperback , as well as customisable gift sets where you

Don't just read out loud - Perform! One of the most wonderful things about picture books is that, more often than not, these books are read out loud by adults to their little ones, be it grandkids, kids or students. So, I wanted to share some insights on the creative choices I have made when writing these books that will touch upon a topic that we often forget to discuss: Poetry is meant to be performed. Hopefully it inspires our adult readers to perhaps become a bit more the

It's that time of the year again folks :) Please take note of the Christmas cut-off dates for Australia Post. This is the latest date by which your parcel needs to have been posted so it reaches your little ones on time.   We ship our parcel from metro NSW so the Christmas cut-off dates  when using Standard Parcel  shipping are as follows : To -   NSW, ACT, VIC, QLD & SA :   20 December TAS: 19 December WA: 18 December NT: 16 December     Serial procrastinators can buy themse

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