Scooter Goes to Town

Scooter is a little dog who lives with the McPhee family. One day, when Scooter's family leave for the day, he takes a trip into town. You won't believe what happens next! What do your pets do when you are not at home? Do they wait patiently for your return? After reading about Scooter's adventure, you might begin to wonder what happens when you're not there!
About the Author: I grew up in the Dandenong Ranges in Victoria, Australia, surrounded by bush on a large property. The area was home to all sorts of Australian animals and birds. Typical visitors included wombats and echidnas and kangaroos on occasion came down from the mountain when bushfires threatened their homes. Apart from all the native animals, there were lots of birds including Rainbow Lorikeets, Bell birds, Galahs and Cockatoos. Other amazing birds included Kookaburras and Tawny Frogmouths. I loved horses as a child and had at various times a grey pony called Pippi Longstocking, named after one of my favourite book characters, and another horse called Satin. I went to pony club, and competed at horse shows as well! My family always had lots of pets, including a donkey called Danny, a black cat called Frosty, two Siamese cats named Chun and Shino, and a pet hen named Chook Chook. As a child, l loved reading and art. I spent hours painting and drawing, making items with clay, doing collages and working with fabric. Some of my favourite books include The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, and Nancy Drew Mysteries. My favourite movies as a child were To Kill a Mockingbird and The Wizard of OZ. I remember my dad reading The Magic Pudding to me, Dr Seuss books and Hans Christian Anderson fairy tales. I attended Monash University in Melbourne and studied history and politics. At Swinburne College, I studied art and design, and also painting and illustration at Box Hill College. My employment history has been interesting and varied, but most of my work has included a writing or art element. I have worked as a graphic artist, a copywriter, a promotions officer and a media assistant. I have always been interested in writing and illustrating children's books, and also still work part-time in the early childhood sector, as an Integration Aide with kids with additional needs. My favourite thing to do is reading all the wonderful picture books to the kinder kids, then coming up with stories of my own to illustrate. I live with my Portuguese-born partner Rui, our daughter Isabel and our dog Taffy. Taffy amazes me on a daily basis with her love and kindness. She is also the inspiration for the character of Scooter McPhee who is the main character in my first children's book I've just published on Amazon. I hope you liked reading my bio, and enjoy looking at my art and books!