My love of animals began with books. ‍ ‍

Some of my earliest memories are of the excitement I felt when a monthly “I CAN READ” book would arrive in the mail, addressed just to me. I absolutely loved picture books. I still do.

The stories that shaped me most in those early years included the Adventures of Frog & Toad, Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat, Are You My Mother?, and of course The Lorax.

I was lucky. My mother read to me every night until I was around seven. Once I moved on from picture books, we read a chapter each night from her old favourites: Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little, Black Beauty, Bambi, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Secret Garden, and so many more.

Years later, while wandering around our property in Australia with two orphaned kangaroos I was raising, I found myself thinking back to those same stories.

Watching them bounce at my heels, weaving through the bush and over rocks, I saw their personalities, their relationships, and their almost human qualities.

It struck me that most people never get the chance to know kangaroos this way.

I began to wonder if I could do for kangaroos what those childhood books did for me.

To this day, I can’t see a deer without thinking of Bambi, or a horse without thinking of Black Beauty. A mouse brings to mind Stuart Little, and yes, even spiders make me think of magnificent Charlotte.

What began as a small passion project has grown into an award-winning book and the beginning of a series.

And yes, living among these amazing animals, I do feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

Thank you for taking the time to visit Red Rabbit Books.