From Teacher to Acclaimed Author: Roslynne Toerien's Literary Journey

Ever wondered how children can learn complex facts without feeling like they're in a classroom? Roslynne Toerien has mastered this delicate balance through her captivating children's books that blend imagination with education.

In this heartwarming conversation, award-winning Durban-based author Roslynne opens up about her remarkable journey from struggling reader to celebrated writer. As a mother of three and founder of the Learn Project NGO (which has distributed over 90,000 books to 29 South African schools), Roslynne's passion for literacy runs deep. Her children's books, featuring South African wildlife and rhyming text, stem from a desire to create stories where local children can see their world reflected on the page.

Follow Roslynne on social media @roslynnewrites and @learnproject and discover how her rhyming wildlife adventures might be just what your young reader needs to fall in love with both stories and science. You can also check our Ros's author page at Penguin Random House: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.co.za/author/roslynne-toerien . 

For all the information on the LEARN project go check out: https://thelearnproject.co.za/

The transcript of this episode, a list of all the books discussed here, and for any comments, visit:  https://teatalesandtomes.wordpress.com/2025/06/03/episode-7-from-teacher-to-acclaimed-author-roslynne-toeriens-literary-journey/

Find us on Instagram @teatalesandtomes and don't forget to join us next time for more bookish wonder.

Podcast music by Lundstroem (Episode 1 onwards) and Audionautix (TTAT Trailer). Podcast edited by Timothy Wiggill.

Chapters

• 0:00 Meet Author Roslynne Toerien
• 2:17 Roslynne's Background and Learn Project
• 7:11 From Teaching to Children's Books
• 11:24 Making Facts Fun in Fiction
• 19:47 The Feathered Five and Nocturnal Nine
• 26:16 Working With Illustrators
• 35:20 Roslynne's Writing Process
• 44:56 Wild Olympics Card Games
• 48:11 Books That Inspired Roslynne
• 55:30 What's Next for Roslynne Toerien

Transcript

Natasha: 0:05

Hello bookish friends. This is Natasha and you're listening to Tea Tales and Tomes, where we are living our favorite lives talking books and drinking hot beverages. So grab your cuppa and let's talk books. We are buzzing with excitement at Tea Tales and Tomes. It's our first author interview and you are all in for such a treat. With me is Roslynne Toerien . Yes, you heard me correctly. Award-winning Durban-based author, is here to talk books, writing and more over a hot cup of tea. All right, welcome to Tea Tales and Tomes, Roz. Thank you for having me. So, Roz, you've just launched two new books. You've got four books already previously published, so that makes six in total. I think we can safely say that you're a prolific author. So what does that feel like? Is that one of those wildest dreams come true kind of things?

Roslynne: 1:02

it's one of those pinch me. Is my long-term dream now becoming a reality, moment I? Love that and I love that for you, thank you. Even when you said prolific authors thank you. I feel honored that you would consider me that.

Natasha: 1:16

Oh, absolutely, but it's one of those pinch me moments.

Roslynne: 1:19

Wow, is that what? The choice of words that you've used.

Natasha: 1:24

I really want to dig deep into all of that today because it really is inspiring. It's inspiring for me as somebody, as a reader. In the global South, you know to have somebody who has created these amazing works for children. But before we get into that meaty book stuff, just tell us a bit about yourself. You know a little bit about , whatever you want to share with the listeners.

Roslynne: 1:50

Firstly, I'm a mom to three beautiful children my daughter is 16, my middle son is 13, and my youngest is 8.

Roslynne: 1:57

I absolutely love being a mom and that is my number one priority. Secondly, I run an NGO called the Learn Project, and LEARN stands for let's Educate a Rainbow Nation, and our goal is to transform schools through the power of books and literacy by establishing fully functional and sustainable libraries and classroom book corners. So that's a passion project of mine that's been running for 13 years and to date, we've distributed well over 90,000 children's books covered in plastic and cataloged according to the Dewey system, and partnered with 29 schools across South Africa. So that's something that I'm really proud of and something that's really close to home and really important to me. Something that's really close to home and really important to me. I was a teacher for many years and, yeah, I suppose that's where all these books have come out of my love for children, my love for teaching, my passion for South Africa and our beautiful country and for creating more books that are proudly South African and ready to share on a global scale to showcase our beautiful country, our wildlife and highlight the importance of conservation.

Natasha: 3:09

Wow, Roz, you wear so many hats and you know I've interacted with you about the Learn Project and I genuinely feel that it's something we can do an entire podcast episode about. Every time you tell me you know 29 schools, that's amazing. Every time you tell me you know 29 schools, that's amazing. You know, and I think later on in this show today, we definitely have to dig a little bit more deep into the Learn Project, just so everyone out there can learn more about it as well as know how to get involved. But before we go there and you mentioned a little, but you touched on it a bit now but can you tell me a bit more about what inspired you to go from, you know, being a teacher to now writing children's books? You know what was that spark? That? That, if there was one, in fact, you know that first spark that said this is what I'm going to do.

Roslynne: 3:57

I'm going to now put pen to paper and write down these amazing stories so I have a quote and it says all it takes is a spark which becomes a flame, which becomes a fire needed to bring about change. I like that. So, as you said, the word spark it just reminded me of that and I think if you have a strong vision and you know your why and your worth, then your goals are totally possible and can totally become a reality. But, of course, naturally, being a human, we all have that self-doubt that comes and creeps in and you think, oh gosh, I don't know if this is just a pipe dream, is it possible?

Roslynne: 4:36

But if I'm honestly answering that question, I think my love for books, and particularly children's books, I think I own more children's books than adult books and that definitely stems from my love for children, my teaching career, having my own children, the Learn Project.

Roslynne: 4:57

I think it's a complete combination of all those things that are important to me and just my hope for more South African books to be on the shelves, books that children can relate to, that they can associate with, that they can feel inspired by, that relates to their life, world and the reality of many of our South African children have not had the opportunity to go and visit a game reserve, to experience nature in the wild in reality.

Roslynne: 5:32

So I think that's where my wish for more children's books that are based in Africa, wildlife, creative weaving in the use of the power of imagination.

Roslynne: 5:48

But then, looking at the reality of when I go to schools, if I ask the children and we often have fun with us and I say there's no wrong answer, if you had to choose either team fiction or team non-fiction, which team are you on? And most children will put up their hand and say fiction because they love imaginary stories, especially the age group that I write for. And I just thought wouldn't it be amazing if we could break the mold and I could weave facts within a story without being too teachy-teachy, if I can say that, but weave it naturally into a story that, without realizing it and, incidentally, children are learning and they are feeling inspired and by the end of a story they've had a fun imaginary story their minds have been able to just saw and explore and at the same time, without even realizing it, they're learning collective nouns, they're learning facts about the animals let's pause there quickly, because this is also something that resonates really strongly with me as a scientist.

Natasha: 7:00

I really appreciate it when I can see that authors have put effort into the scientific accuracy of their tales, especially when, like you've just said, they are based on facts and as much as this is possible with fiction. So I'd love to hear more about this part of your writing process, roz.

Roslynne: 7:17

All of my books are based on true facts to do with wildlife and nature and always backed by people who know more than me in the field, because I'm very aware that I've taken on quite big topics and that there are people that have studied these topics for many years, and that's why I'm very, very intentional about my writing, having that strong vision, knowing my goal and then finding the right people in the right sphere that I can ask would you mind reading this book and telling me your thoughts, giving feedback and just giving me that stamp of approval? Have I got my facts straight? Because, at the end of the day, yes, imaginary stories, fiction stories you can go on your own tangent, but at the same time, with there being the little element of non-fiction creeping into the stories, I've had to be very, very intentional about making sure that those facts are correct, especially because they are rhyme-based stories. So Grant Folds is one of those people and I'm really grateful to him. He runs Project Rhino and he is someone that I have huge respect for in the conservation space, and so he is one of those people.

Roslynne: 8:42

Another person that I contacted in the beginning of writing the Feathered Five, having written about birds and having had to study those birds myself for up to a year before writing the story, because I didn't realize quite what I'd taken on. And oh, let's write a bird book and then realizing oh my gosh, it's.

Roslynne: 9:02

Different types of birds have different characteristics and qualities, and so that was where Grants let me connect with James Henry from Wild Earth TV channel, and he was able to give feedback on my first edition, my first proof of the Feathered Five. And I was able to get constructive and criticism of where I had maybe some gaps and yeah, it was. It was very comforting to know that these books are backed by experts in the field.

Natasha: 9:36

Absolutely yes no, I love that. You know, if you listen to the podcast, one of the thing I mentioned, one of the things I mention a lot, is incidental learning, and I've just seen it even with my boys, you know. Yes, they may pick out the occasional nonfiction, and nonfiction definitely has its place, but with books like yours, as well as a few others that I the names actually have just flew from my mind right now, but when you are weaving facts within a fictional story, they retain that information so beautifully. And another thing you know I wanted to talk to you about this a little later, but, you know, since you already touched on it, I think I'm going to just go there right now is I feel so strongly that when we are writing for children or when we're reading kids' literature, that the stories have to be genuinely enjoyable reads without being didactic, and you know they. You have to have tales that inspire children and educate them. But also kids they can smell when we are pushing an agenda on them so easily they are so perceptive.

Natasha: 10:43

so what I love is that your balance, this balance that you're able to maintain by ensuring that your story is filled with truth and, like you said, science and wisdom and all the goodness that we want to wash over our kids. We're exposing them to this by simply reading these beautiful stories, but at the same time, you know they're also getting all this amazing science in their brains. So, as a parent and a teacher, you've clearly said that this is quite important for you, but is it a difficult balance to maintain while writing?

Roslynne: 11:14

That is a hard question to answer. I wouldn't say it's a hard balance, because I feel like I'm operating from a gifting and I feel like words are something that I've been gifted with, because I know there's sometimes when most times when I write something and the words just flow, and it's not all the time that they flow.

Natasha: 11:36

These are non-disclaimer, yeah.

Roslynne: 11:38

Sometimes I will sit and sit and the words evade me, but most times the words evade me, but most times the words flow and I'm able to weave in these facts within a story with intention and with purpose and somehow it comes out and there's a balance in the end of the story.

Roslynne: 12:02

I think it helps to have a child who is an absolute nature lover and that's Max in our family and I think he has been my number one, number one go-to person when when writing these books In fact many of the books I write together with him coming up with imaginary stories at night, and we love the power of imagination and so I value his input because he is very well read and researched when it comes to to animals and nature and wildlife, and so he will very quickly correct me if he picks up something is off, um, or he'll question me and I love children's questions because they don't hold back and so if I will read him part of a story, he'll say, um, but mom, that doesn't.

Roslynne: 12:54

That's not completely correct, because did you know that it that it's actually the male weaver that builds the nest, not the female weaver. And if the female weaver isn't happy with which nest has been built, she won't choose it and she'll fly off. And so he's added in these little dimensions and elements and having it from the eyes of a child and I think, is how I also get the balance, because it's I'm not writing these books to teach children and it's to create a holistic experience for them where they are able to enjoy a book and read for pleasure. They're able to use their imaginations and think out the box and and be creative. They are also able to gain new information and facts within a relaxed, fun story that happens to rhyme. And that's something that I quickly realized when I was writing is that I did have this natural style that just flowed and my books happened to be rhyming. So, especially in my first books, the Rumbling Rhino and Under the Baobab Tree, those stories came out of imagination time with my son at home and he would say, oh, mom, not a book of the shelf I want an imagination story so, and a lot of times we would sit and I'd start um with the beginning of a story and then I'd stop and there'd be a pause and max would have to carry on and then he would love

Roslynne: 14:19

it and then he would stop, and then I would carry on, and so the stories have kind of grown with Max out of our story time at night and out of his wild imagination too. So somehow there has been a balance. But I think that's also been thanks to the input of Max, who's actually my target audience and your greatest critic and my greatest critic.

Natasha: 14:45

I love that, roz. You know, I think children can be our greatest mirrors and it's amazing, you know what, how lives change when they come into our lives. So you know, before having my kids I was not very vast in the world of children's literature and right now I can live vicariously through them and revisit my childhood, because children's literature is amazing.

Roslynne: 15:12

Everything that you need, all the truth, all the wisdom, it's all right there between these pages, 100% and even within my stories, I always try to incorporate values, so there is a little value that's instilled through the story and I think that's so important and that came out of my experience and time in the classroom, because you hear all the stories when you're a teacher. Absolutely.

Natasha: 15:33

And all the tales when you're a teacher and yeah.

Roslynne: 15:37

so there were certain little morals and values that I hoped to instill in my own children and that I wished there were more books that could enhance those values, because children do learn best through stories and through tales.

Natasha: 15:55

Absolutely, and I think one of the things you do so well is the concept of show, don't tell. So you're not saying this is the moral I want you to take saying this is the moral I want you to take away this from the story. But children will take it away in their own way, you know, and sometimes they're taking way away from your story more than what you probably even intended.

Roslynne: 16:13

I have learned so much through my author visits and tours. I've had the privilege of touring our beautiful country and visiting schools and we always make time at the end for question and answer time and there is no prompting or preparation when it comes to that time and children are blatantly honest, absolutely and open, and I just love. At the end of that session I'll say to the learners what have you learned from the story and what they come up with? I actually wish that I could start a little blog or something on those takings from what the children have learned from the story, because sometimes they've taken so much more and in the end it feels like they've gifted me with something that I've learned.

Natasha: 17:04

So yeah, on that subject though, while we're there, can you remember one particularly either funny or profound thing from kids? So I've been to a lot of your launches for your other books and you know you have this trademark way of storytelling with your exuberance and excitement and you really draw somebody in. At the end, like you said, you invite the children and their parents to ask you questions, or you will sometimes pose a question can you remember anything funny or profound from a kid or an adult about at one of your launches?

Roslynne: 17:37

so I have to laugh because unscripted. My latest book launch was for the Feathered Five and the Nocturnal Nine, an exclusive box, and we had a remarkable turnout. I think there were just over 100 people at the book launch children and adults, families, schools with their kids and Max had asked if he could share in the reading of the Nocturnal Nine and we'll get on to later, I'm sure, about the audio parts of the books, the audio narrations. But Max happened to be part of the audio narration so I had said to him okay, when it comes to telling the story, you can share the mark with me, and he loves an audience.

Roslynne: 18:19

That child was born for the stage and so he started reading one page. I would read one page and then a little boy put up his hand and he said can I read a page? So I said, absolutely, come. So this little boy picks up the book, takes the mark no, there's no prepared reading before and he says stop the car, ranger dummy, it'm just an animal on its own, with great expression, while the whole audience just packed up laughing and he just stood there. And then Max says it's ranger doomy. So from now on when I read the book, I can't help but have a little giggle whenever I read that part.

Natasha: 18:58

Oh, that's lovely, but you know what? Let's go back there. So I had the opportunity thank you, roz to go to the preview of these two new books at Tandreni Villa, which is a beautiful luxury villa on Kayseren's North Coast. It was a mom and child getaway and it was brilliant because we firstly got to experience you reading the books to us in your trademark excitement and exuberance, but then I engaged with the words and the illustrations myself and I can tell and I'm not just saying this because you're here with me today, but I can tell that these are stories that are going to hit home with adults and kids alike, and that also is a very unique combination to write books that adults are also going to want to read with their kids and read aloud as well. So, without giving too much away, tell us a bit about these two new tales. What can readers look forward to with the Feathered Five and the Nocturnal Nine, roz?

Roslynne: 19:53

So the Nocturnal Nine starting with that one, just coming out of that funny story.

Roslynne: 19:58

The Nocturnal Nine is about story.

Roslynne: 20:06

The nocturnal nine is about these young children and they are at a game reserve and ranger doomy is sitting them down around a bonfire and he is telling them all about this exciting adventure that they're going to go on in the evening and they are going to go in search of the nocturnal nine.

Roslynne: 20:20

So this is a story that weaves beautiful information about nine nocturnal animals and I was very intentional about which nine I featured in the story, because obviously they're more than nine and it's a beautiful story that starts with them around this fire and ranger do me as a passionate game ranger and he's telling these children all about this exciting um, this exciting adventure that they're going to need hats and jackets and binoculars and that it's not only um young children that like midnight feasts, it's also these animals that are out for a midnight feast of a different kind.

Roslynne: 21:03

And as they go on this adventure in the game vehicle, they stop and these children notice or hear animals in the wild at night and it shares beautiful facts about these animals from the game ranger's perspective and from his experience. And, yeah, it's a beautiful story and there's a lovely feature within this book where, if you're reading the story to your children at night and you use a torch and you turn the lights out. It's such an experience because the torch actually shines and you can almost spot the animals in the wild. Some of them are quite hidden on purpose when we were planning the book, and there are also hidden bats on every page so it just keeps the child's interest sparksy and their adventure, and they almost feel as if they are on this adventure themselves.

Roslynne: 22:04

So that's the nocturnal nine and then the feathered five. This book is fast becoming one of my favorites, and in the beginning I always used to say I don't have a favorite.

Roslynne: 22:18

They all are my favorite which is true, but they're asking you to choose a favorite child. It's like asking to choose a favorite child. I could never do that, but I think this book, the the hours that are poured into the feathered five, I lost track of, and there were many times where, if I didn't have grit, perseverance and determination, I may have just packed up the idea and shelved it because there were many obstacles. But I always say, with obstacles come opportunities, and I really felt strongly that this book was something that was needed on shelves across south africa or africa and yep.

Roslynne: 22:57

So out, um, out of my imagination came the feathered five, and it started from the idea of the frustration and the irritation of the sound of the hardy dars, because at my house hardy dars are in their numbers, especially in the early morning, and boy do they wake us up. So it starts with the rise and shine. Rise and shine, spoke the hardy doll ibis birds on repeat, with a call that was certainly not discreet. Nature's alarm clock up at the crack of dawn, while the rest of the birds reluctantly rose with a yawn. The secretary bird looked up, appearing startled am I late for work? She squealed, feeling disheartened, a fluffy crown on the top of her head, as if she woke up on the wrong side of the bed. And it goes on about all these animals. So it's not just humans that have had this irritation with the hardy does.

Roslynne: 23:52

They're also frustrated because they have been woken up so early time after time from the noise of the hardy does and anyway they suddenly realize that they stopped complaining because they're actually now running late for the welcome home migration celebration party of the yellow belt cats and they end up having to pass a message on, and always when I speak at schools I've just come back from some time in cape town and joburg and um just had so much fun with the children because I love asking open-ended questions and before the story is even told, I'll say to them I'm thinking of a bird, and it's very loud and it's got a call. That can sometimes be quite annoying and it's so interesting to see where their minds go?

Natasha: 24:36

Absolutely yes.

Roslynne: 24:37

So some will say it's a rooster and others will say it's a parrot and others will say it's a rooster, others will say it's a parrot and others will say it's a woodpecker and others will say it's an owl. And anyway, so we'll go and I'll give them an opportunity to share, and then they have to back their answer up with why they think it's that. And then I say if I'm thinking of a bird, that's going to be the best messenger bird. What bird do you think I could have used? And some of them have said carrier pigeons. Oh interesting. So it's quite sweet.

Roslynne: 25:04

They all come with their little ideas, but I chose the secretary bird because secretary birds, naturally, are going to be the best at relaying messages and that's where they are strong. And so I chose the secretary bird to be the bird that the birds all relay the message to. However, she has woken up, grumpy and mad, because she has been woken up so early that she starts forgetting all the messages. And so unfolds this tale. And the Marabu's stalk is like the Eeyore of the story. So he's always grumpy and mad and he's got this gula sack that dangles below his chin and he's quite a character. But he ends up helping the secretary bird with a plan and you'll have to read the book to find out if the birds arrived at the migration celebration.

Natasha: 25:50

Bookish friends.

Natasha: 25:52

You don't have to worry, I'm going to link to all of the various places that you can get the book as well as get in touch with Roz, so Goodreads and Takealots and Amazon, so that'll be in the show notes, so you don't have to take down any notes right now while you're listening, Roz.

Natasha: 26:06

So, as you were talking about these books and I love how animated you get and it just shows that these books are very much like your kids, because you were at that level when you were talking about your beautiful kids as well. So a theme with all of your books that I've found all six of them apart from your rhyming text with that amazing cadence is their captivating illustrations. So, as you were paging through, you can't help but be drawn in by these illustrations. In fact, just looking at the Vivid 5 right now, the drawings, the colors, the scientific accuracy that are on these pages actually make me want to pick up my binoculars and go birding immediately. So can you tell me a bit about working with your illustrator and you know, the development of artwork for children's lit?

Roslynne: 26:50

Yes, so the first four books, I worked with Julie Smith-Belton. She is a South African, she's also a mum, and and, yeah, we had so much fun working on these books. I think my intention behind my books was that I wanted to create a book that, at the same time, it was like an art piece that every page was like you're turning, you were paging through pieces of art at the same time as the words woven into the story with intention, and so I was very intentional about who I connected with for the illustrations of my books, and Julie happened to be a friend who was a very talented, is a very talented artist and illustrator, and so I wanted the story to have illustrations that were realistic. Number one that came out of experiences in the rural schools of the Learn Project, where children don't have opportunity to see an animal in the wild, and I realized through experience that their knowledge was very limited when it came to what each animal was called and what they looked like.

Roslynne: 28:02

It was a little boy and he was reading a book and on the cover was a giraffe, and I asked him wow, what animal is this? And he said I'm a zebra, and that's where it was probably like one of the little key moments where I thought we need to have illustrations that are realistic and that are accurate to the animals. So yeah, julie and Julie did the first four books and then Julie lives in Denmark now, so the next two books. I hit a little curve where Julie wasn't able to illustrate the next two and I instantly knew who the next person was going to be that I would collaborate with for the illustration.

Natasha: 28:44

Oh, that's exciting. Tell me about that.

Roslynne: 28:46

It's very exciting because I took a chance on an upcoming talent and this may take our listeners by complete surprise, but, um, the illustrator of the nocturnal nine and the feathered five was 18 when she illustrated these books. What, and you would never say when you look at these books. Um, firstly, they they match the style and the accuracy of Julie's beautiful books, and Julie actually happened to be one of her art teachers growing up, so there was consistency there and she was able to connect with Julie and ask questions. Rachel Nauman is the illustrator of the Feathered Five and the Nocturnal Nine and she matriculated at the end of 2023 from our lady of fatima in durban. She was the top ieb matric art student in the country and she was able to bring my words to life, and she is illustrating my next two books that I'm working on.

Roslynne: 29:51

So her illustrations are beautiful, they're accurate, they are realistic. She also adds in that, like quirky feel I was just gonna say there's a bit of quirk. Yeah, there's a bit of quirk and they are fun. And she, yeah, she nails the details and she captured each page so beautifully with her illustrations. The only part that I stepped in with some ideas that I felt strongly about were the covers of the books.

Natasha: 30:21

I loved hearing about that. So you know, when I said children are so remarkably perceptive, you know they're perceptive to what a good story is. Sometimes we will read something, or I will read something and I'll be like, oh, this looks really good, and then my kids read it and they're completely uninterested. Similarly, or if I may read something and I completely dislike it and they're like, wow, this is amazing and it could be the words, but sometimes it really is the illustrations. And so what I did?

Natasha: 30:47

I actually took a bunch of books off the shelves because I was chatting to Holly Charlton, who is an artist who I know beautiful Durban artist as well and I was like, you know, look at these books, I don't understand.

Natasha: 31:00

There's something appealing here and there's something really that's lacking, something here, and I don't know what it is because I don't have that eye and it was so interesting and I can see it with this and also because I was able to. You know, when you had your launch, rachel spoke about how she puts things together and how she painstakingly draws everything by hand and then uploads it to then put in the color. You know, you can tell when work has gone into something yes, the details, and so what it was so interesting. When Holly looked at these books she said well, duh, the difference here is that this was just generated on a computer. You know, this wasn't actually an artist going in there and drawing using watercolors or whatever it is, you know, and I thought that was so fascinating. But my kids knew that in somehow, you know intuitively knew.

Natasha: 31:51

And I think that's why children are drawn to your book. Another thing I just wanted to touch on because it's playing in the back of my mind, and that's the fact that you mentioned why it's so important one that there are that level of detail in books, that children in all parts of the world see themselves centered in stories because access is a problem. And Jim Traylisis and he wrote the book called the read aloud handbook and he often says that you know, as a human, you will never have every experience in life. You will never be able to, even if you grow up with privilege and you are able to go to nature reserves or go see a volcano or travel, you'll never be able to have every experience, but you can have all of those experiences through stories, absolutely. And then research recently showed sorry, I'm going on because it's such a it's such a passion point for me recently showed that the only difference between children that um have these experiences you know, that are able to take a trip or go and travel the world or whatever and those that can't, is whether or not children have books at home, so actually being able to be exposed to wildlife or other parts of the world or other cultures. It actually doesn't matter whether you're there in person, whether you've gone to that nature reserve. If you get it through books and get it through the right type of books, it's the same.

Natasha: 33:20

So one of the things that I've actually written down here that I want to touch on is your stories and the fact that they center animals and you did mention, you know, your need for putting this down because of the conservation message, as well as other things you know, and Max's own interest in the environment and in the natural world. So my kids as well. You know they gravitate towards stories that depict animals, whether it's Frog and Toad, or the Investigators, or the Busy Town Tales by Richard Skari, or your own stories, you know. And all of these stories explore such deep themes of friendship and resilience, celebrating one's uniqueness, and all through animal characters. You know, I think authors like yourself are really onto something here when it comes to using animals. Why do you think animals make such good storytellers for children?

Roslynne: 34:13

I think animals have beautiful characteristics and qualities and in writing these books I went on my own journey of literally studying animal qualities and characteristics and their little mannerisms. And yeah, it was quite an entertaining process and I just think children can relate so much more to stories. I think it's maybe less intimidating if it's an animal.

Natasha: 34:47

I think you're right, I think that definitely ties in there.

Roslynne: 34:50

Yes, yeah and it also just the creative element of having an animal centered in a story. They are able to take the imaginations with that, with that animal yes, yes and, yeah, see the world through the lens of of the animals in the story.

Natasha: 35:12

yeah, the other, the other beings that we share this planet with. They're definitely a warmth and a coziness associated with reading your books, because of the animals as well. So, roz, we're getting to this part which I'm sure everybody wants to know more about, and you have touched on it already. Readers love knowing more about the writing process, so could you tell us a bit about your process? Do you start with a general theme or a message? Is it a specific animal? You did mention how Max you know your youngest, actually, you know weaves his own narratives through your tales. Is it something else entirely? Tell us a bit about that.

Roslynne: 35:51

I think it's a complete mixture, culmination of many things I always say to children. When I go and speak at schools and we do creative writing sessions, I'll say I'm an author. I've actually won some awards. I must have been the best speller at school and I must have been the top reader in the reading groups in the classes I was in. And so they were like yes, yes, yes, yes, you must have been yes, yes. And then I share with them the reality of my schooling experience was was not completely that. I was most definitely not the top speller.

Roslynne: 36:30

Spelling, spelling was not my strength and I was just lucky that I had a mom who was a teacher and had lots of patience. But spelling did not come naturally to me. Reading I was never in the top group and to start with reading didn't come easily to me and I was always kind of struggling in the lower reading groups and my mom just had this way through time and I think time is our greatest asset, the value of time, and she would spend time with me making reading fun, because when the words don't come naturally to you and you really struggle to read the words on the page, it can be very frustrating. So I've come from that experience as a child where it didn't come naturally to me. I loved stories, I had a wild imagination, I was a creative, I was a dancer, I loved everything drama.

Roslynne: 37:30

But when it came to reading a book myself, I was really molded and I had to go on a refining process of finding creative ways to make reading come alive. And it was just through these activities with my mom and I rapidly moved up in the reading groups from being in the in the lower group and the teachers actually remember sent my mom a letter and said Rada's made remarkable progress in her reading and she's now in one of the top groups. And she says you read a lot with her, with her at home, and can you share some of your ideas. And yeah, we had lots of fun reading together at home. My mom would do speed drills so she would put a little timer on and then we would have to see how many words I could read in a minute without making a mistake. But all little things that captured my attention and helped with the fluency of my books.

Roslynne: 38:26

So I have gone on a little bit of a tangent there, but I share this because I feel like I'm relatable when I go to schools for children when we talk about the writing process, because I do believe that your number one thing that you need in your toolbox of creative writing is your imagination. So tips, top tips, would be a wild imagination and not overthinking. So often when we overthink, we limit ourselves and we limit the possibilities of our stories. Just start. There's never a perfect time. If you had to ask me, when do I write? I don't have a specific set time. I write as and when an idea strikes. Often I always say, when I visit my schools, I take out my little gold notebook and this notebook is honestly the size smaller than a hand and it's my little gold notebook that I take wherever I am with me because if I have an idea, I know that that idea will evade me if I don't write it down, Absolutely yes.

Roslynne: 39:29

So I'll write down ideas, I use the notes on my phone, I use my laptop and those ideas for the stories have naturally unfolded. And then I quickly realized after Under the Baobab Tree, the Rumbling Rhino and then the Forgotten Four that I had something going with the number element in the story. So I'm sitting with titles and then when I write at the moment I actually write more than one story at a time. So I'm writing two stories at the same time at the moment, because I'm very intentional about which animals are featured in the stories, so I don't overuse any particular type, so children can have more exposure to the animals. And I also know where I'm going, because I know what my next titles are going to be. So that's just the way I work. Number one imagination. Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can in the moments that you have those moments and just write and share your creative flair with the world. I think there are stories in all of us. And spend time with children. If you're writing children's books.

Natasha: 40:44

Spend time with children because they are our greatest mirrors, absolutely um, you know, I think and I I know that a lot of moms, dads or primary caregivers listen to the podcast and I think what you said earlier about your own learning to read journey is so important, because sometimes parents really stress about that. You know, they're stressing about the phonics or they're stressing about oh my gosh, my child isn't where that child is. And to hear an author say that. You know, it wasn't necessarily I wasn't the best at X, y and Z, but what I needed was a person to believe in me. For you, it was your mom. You know you needed to be exposed to great stories, but in the right way. You know, I think it's important for parents and primary caregivers to hear that for me as well, because as a parent, you're always stressing me as well, because as a parent, you're always stressing oh no, you know, and you know what.

Roslynne: 41:40

I've just um recently visited my primary school and shout out to Manor Gardens Primary in Durban. They really create a language rich environment at that school from grade r. Books are part of the life world of the school. The library is the imagination station, it's the hub, and I just have the fondest memories from my childhood at manor gardens. I also repeated grade six.

Roslynne: 42:09

I was young when I entered grade one, I was only five, so I spent every year passing but trying to catch up, oh yes, and so that was a bold, brave decision to make in repeating a year.

Roslynne: 42:22

But I had an incredible teacher who just made that transition so smooth and I have the best lifetime long-term friends that have stemmed out of that repeated year that I had.

Roslynne: 42:36

And I think no one's perfect and we're all going to face struggles at some point in our lives and for me, those struggles I experienced in school became my superpowers that I was able to hone in on, and they became strengths in my writing, because I knew that my audience just wasn't just going to be learners that were your top readers and that's why I was very intentional about the rhythm and the rhyme in the story, because if a book naturally has that flow to it, children, even if they find a word difficult to read, if it's got a rhyme they are often able to to guess it and then they have that sense of achievement even though it was a big word and then often I do weave in quite big words into my stories, but I feel like we often don't give children enough credit for how intelligent they are and that's why I do push boundaries within my children's books.

Roslynne: 43:35

And when people ask me what is the age range for your books, well, to be honest, you can downscale these books right from the age of three right up until adults, because when I do these stories in the classroom or in schools, often I have teachers saying that they've learned something new. So there's really something for everyone within the story and I love building on vocabulary and weaving and not just meaning reading for pleasure, but reading for, with meaning and understanding.

Natasha: 44:08

I agree with you again. You know you hit the nail on the head when you say that sometimes adults will not give children the credit that they do. But they are little geniuses and sponges and it's just amazing. We went on holiday a few weeks ago and my kids took along, to share with the rest of the friends that were there, your wild Olympics game. So readers, listeners, if you don't know, roz also has created sort of similar to Snap, but they're called Wild Olympics and Wild Feathers, so they're little card games that you can also purchase wherever you purchase her books.

Natasha: 44:45

So there were a bunch of kids there and my littlest, who's five years old, takes it out and they start playing. And the kids leave their screens, they leave the TV. They don't even want to go on the jumping castle or whatever, they just want to play this. But what I loved about it was you leave that game and, whether you're an adult or a kid, you have learned so much, so much, like you said, about the speeds of the animals, because a lot of the in Wild Olympics it's actually centered around the slowest animals or the fastest animals. It's amazing, it's fun, but again, it's that incidental learning. You know, and I was saying something to my youngest about how fast a cheetah goes and I was like, yeah, well, you know they're almost as fast as a car on the highway. And he gave me the exact number and I was like, okay, okay, I get it so can we expect more, more games with your book.

Roslynne: 45:38

Absolutely, the wild olympics was this crazy idea I had whilst writing the speedy six olympics. And at the back of each book I have some did you know facts and I had listed the top speeds, from top to bottom, of the wild animals featured in the story. But as I'm writing in my creative process, I do a lot of research, as mentioned before, but I keep those facts down and I don't always incorporate all of them within the story, so I use the ones that I feel work within the story, where you don't, where you don't lose the message yes, and then at the back I'll have extra did you know facts and I'll weave them in. So then I had this idea.

Roslynne: 46:22

As a teacher, I always wished that I had more educational games that were fun and relevant to the curriculum that we were teaching. Yes, but that would be engaging for children after they had finished an activity or worksheet, as well as for long car trips or time away. So I came up with a game Wild Olympics and on the box it says three and one. So I've been corrected. When I've gone to schools and children say to me you've got the number wrong. So I said, oh my gosh, I, what have I done wrong? No, no, it's definitely not three and one, because we play this game at our school and it's snap memory. Match and animal trivia is what I've advertised it as, and they said no, there's so many more games you can play, so there's 52 yes cards within a pack and there are multiple ways that you can play top speed, bottom speed, animal trivia and then even go fish, apparently.

Natasha: 47:20

No, but we've done it too. And I was going to say we've actually invented some games, because sometimes maybe I don't want to play a game that's going to be too long. I'd be like, okay, we're going to do this, but that's the magic right. The way you've created it is so open-ended. You're learning all of this stuff. It's just fun. It takes kids away from screens. I think it's really amazing. So well done to you, rose. Thank you, okay. So before we end, I have to know a few personal questions. You know you did mention your mom reading to you, so can you remember which is that book that drew you into reading, like that spark? This is the one that made me a reader.

Roslynne: 47:58

So I'm just trying to think. The book that comes to mind for me is most definitely the Faraway Tree, the Magic Faraway.

Natasha: 48:09

Tree.

Roslynne: 48:11

And that is a book that my mom used to read every now and then to us and I have the fondest memories, and I couldn't wait for bedtime the next night to find out which land we were going to go and visit. The author of that book is a creative genius you know, eden Blackman is this wildly imaginative.

Natasha: 48:28

So, interesting fact, that was mine as well, so you know. You mentioned access to books and I never had tons of books growing up, but again, the importance of school. So my primary school had this little library and this is the book that I found on there and I think without it I don't think I would be the reader that I am today. It just drew me and I love that we have that in. Oh, wow, all right, so another fun one. So you've obviously written a lot of characters and they feel very real. They feel real to me and I'm sure that they feel even more real to you. So which one of the characters if you ever had to babysit your kids, which one would it be?

Roslynne: 49:11

probably the owl from the speedy six olympics. Okay, because the owl comes forward with some valuable, valuable lessons, very wise, yes, and the owl notices everything, and that's what you need so let's do a little rapid fire round.

Natasha: 49:31

Okay, let's go coffee or tea, coffee paperback, hardback, e-reader or audiobook hardback, typing on the computer or paper and ink. Paper and ink bush or bug bush. What's currently on your nightstand? What are you reading? Hot tea, and apricots.

Roslynne: 49:46

That sounds amazing by kim valentine all right.

Natasha: 49:50

What's it about?

Roslynne: 49:51

she is a south african author that I met at the Kingsmead Book Fair and it's a memoir of loss and hope. So she shares her story of how she lost her ability to speak when she turned 14. And it wasn't quite the birthday gift she was expecting, sure, and how she had to learn sign language and she had to relearn how to speak. And so she went on a really tough journey with her whole family. Obviously they all experienced the loss of the mom, the wife, the mother, the friend that they knew, and she shares this remarkable story where it just shows you what you can do and overcome when you have the gift of grit and determination. And she shares this most powerful story about, you know, having to learn, humbling herself, having to learn sign language, having to relearn how to communicate with people. She was a qualified, or is a qualified psychologist and obviously she then couldn't, couldn't work for a while and she never thought that she would get her voice back. And she's now an incredible motivational speaker and she's shared her journey in this book.

Natasha: 51:03

What an amazing and huge change to go through at such a late part in life.

Roslynne: 51:08

You know, to relearn and learn again.

Natasha: 51:10

That's amazing.

Roslynne: 51:11

Another author that I just love and am so inspired by her name is Anna Klutz, and she is an author from overseas and she has this Instagram page where in the beginning it was out of COVID times. Every Friday I couldn't wait. She would share a live reading out of her journal and I'd gone through some life-changing things in my life and was going through a really difficult situation and her story it was so similar to mine and my friend sent me this page and she said Roz, you have to follow this lady. She is so inspiring. I think that you're going to be so inspired by her. And so every Friday she would share readings, live readings out of her journal, and her stories were so captivating and I always thought, wow, this has to become a book. Anyway, fast forward, she wrote a book called my Own Magic and it's just amazing.

Roslynne: 52:13

And I listened to that in the space, I think of one day. I could not stop listening and I'm waiting for you to bring out another one, oh, lovely.

Natasha: 52:21

You see, I am 100% convinced that books and people come into your life exactly when you need it, exactly. I find it so often. You know it's just like this magic. It's God, or the universe, or whatever you want to call it. It's really amazing, right.

Roslynne: 52:35

It's just like this magic. It's God or the universe, or whatever you want to call it. It's really amazing, right it is so. Perhaps something that you didn't know about me is that I also write poetry, and that came out of my own journaling experience, when I was going through some really difficult times and I quickly realized that this gift of words was really a gift to me which was so healing during my tough time. And in reading the words that I had written, I started forming a collection of poetry, and there's something exciting coming out of that in the future in the right time.

Roslynne: 53:13

But I think having Anna's story of her sharing her journaling and seeing how healing that was for me, it really was encouraging to see. Wow, you know there is an audience for this and absolutely, and there's such power in words when they're used wisely and kindly and with intention. And words are so healing for people and for children. They're encouraging for children. They don't feel so alone when they're in a difficult situation. And also, you know, going back to that question you asked about stories through animals. Or when children are hearing a story without someone a teacher telling them something, just listening to how the animals were so nasty to each other in the speedy six olympics when their animal wasn't coming first. Or you know the blame game and the complaining. They actually get to hear what it sounds like. So, without saying it's not nice to complain, they're listening to this and they're like wait a second.

Natasha: 54:15

Do I want to?

Roslynne: 54:15

sound like that. So, yeah, there's such power in words, and those are just two authors that have really inspired me through their own honest accounts of their life stories.

Natasha: 54:27

So Kim Valentine and Anna Klutz being vulnerable and just sharing. Yeah, that's great. Thank you so much for sharing what's on Roz's nightstand. Last one Dream author to co-write with, if you have one.

Roslynne: 54:41

Yo, that's a big question, I know, right. Okay, south African author, dr Gina Mflope. She's a huge inspiration and I was very privileged to have her narrate the Speedy Six Olympics. So I have collaborated with her before. But it would be wonderful to write with her if there was a big pipe dream out there. And then internationally I would have to say Julia Donaldson.

Natasha: 55:08

Oh yes.

Roslynne: 55:09

I would love to spend a tea with her.

Natasha: 55:13

I can see that and I think we have a lot in common I hugely admire and respect her.

Roslynne: 55:20

I absolutely love all of her books, and the go away bird is one of my favorites. So I think that there are more african tales to come out lovely.

Natasha: 55:30

No, I, I can totally. I see the similarities. You know you're very unique in your storytelling but in terms of you know that ability to show without telling, the ability to write so that the books sound great as a read aloud. That's also Julia Donaldson, and I just heard that she's going to be coming out with another book in her Gruffalo series.

Roslynne: 55:53

Oh, wow, I know right. Those books were huge favorites in my classroom as a teacher. You're able to use them for dramatization. There are so many fun ways that you can use her stories and I just love, love, love her books.

Natasha: 56:07

So, roz, you know you touched a little bit on where to next. Do you want to just tell us what's up on the horizon for ros taurine in?

Roslynne: 56:15

the next couple of months. Oh yes, um, I must be honest and say that I don't often even know what's happening next to my week so even I was trying to get the podcast on a set date.

Roslynne: 56:28

Um, but definitely more stories. Um, I feel like I'm just starting. Oh, I love this and I've never been more sure of my why and my purpose, and I can't wait to share more stories of the world. I'm currently working on my next two titles and I have submitted one of those two already to Penguin, so we're just in the refining process of that about to go to illustration, and then thereafter another two stories, all within the collection that I'm building with African stories and then a special book for women, and I will share more on that when I'm able to in time.

Natasha: 57:18

But, um, that's something I'm really excited about and at the moment I'm just in the space of pause I really do, and I think we all uh, all of our listeners have a lot to look forward to in the upcoming months and years. And thank you actually for joining me here in your busy schedule at t-tails and tones. You know, interviewing a bona fide author has been on my bucket list, so thank you for helping me to take that off um ros.

Natasha: 57:48

You know it's been such a pleasure chatting to you and hearing a little bit about you as a person, you as a writer, and about these amazing books, and I know that our listeners are going to be if they haven't already going to the shops to get them, like you said. You know, audio narration is available, which is such a huge tool for parents and it's actually a bonus feature in the story.

Roslynne: 58:11

So these latest two books, we've woven in some music and the actual animal sounds. The bird calls, the nocturnal animal calls wow, and so you really do feel like you're part of the story and that it's coming to life. So I love it.

Natasha: 58:25

I can tell you that, even though reading aloud is such a huge part of the details and tomes home, I love being able to put an audio book on and have my kids engage with stories when I can do something else. You know, because otherwise, if I'm there and I'm feeling stressed out about getting, that's exactly what happens it's about getting through the story as opposed to engaging with the kids.

Natasha: 58:49

So thank you for that thank you for that idea bookish friends, whether you're a parent, a teacher or just a lover of a good story well told, your imaginations are going to soar as you leap into the wonderful world of birds in the feathered five and ready your torches for a night drive with the nocturnal nine. Rosa's books don't just entertain but also gently guide young readers towards kindness, understanding and wonder. So I'm going to link to Roz's author website as well as the Learn Project, but we will do a separate episode on that when Roz has the time. I'm going to link all of this in the show notes and I'm also going to have a list of all the books that we've mentioned in this episode. So don't forget to follow Roz on Instagram and, if you've read the books, to leave a review, because that is exactly how you can support our local South African authors. Don't forget to join us next time for more bookish wonder and Roz. Thank you for being here, thank you. Thank you for having me.