I’ve been an avid book reader (and listener) my entire life. In that respect, I’m a lot like Emma, the crab, in The Ballad of Billy McFee. I didn’t intentionally create Emma in my image – but ummm, that may have happened on a subconscious level!
I believe reading to their children is one of the most important things a parent can do. It is a shared activity of learning, bonding, and joy. I loved reading books to my children when they were young. We brought home a new bag of books from the library each week. I was probably as excited as my children (or more so?!) to find new books and authors to love. Now that I have grandchildren, I am reminded of the joy of reading children’s picture books.
My grandchildren love the tune of The Wellerman, as do many many people. I wrote The Ballad of Billy McFee to replace the original lyrics to The Wellerman with lyrics that are kid-friendly and whale-friendly.
The Ballad of Billy McFee is my debut children’s picture book. I hope parents and children enjoy reading it as much I enjoyed creating it.