Deborah Kelly, inspired by her love for marine life and background in marine biology, wrote Little Horses to nurture environmental understanding and comfort young readers dealing with eco-anxiety.

Why do you write children's books? What do you love about them?

I love books because they are windows into other worlds. You can travel anywhere within the pages of a book and step into the shoes of others. Books promote understanding, learning and personal growth. They help children—and adults—cultivate empathy towards others.

I have loved writing stories and poems since I was little. I wrote my first ‘series’ of books when I was seven, which I still have. I often take them to schools when I visit, to inspire children to work hard and never give up on their dreams and to show them that the work they are doing now is an important part of their journey. I feel privileged to be able to speak to children all over the world through my stories. I write books to help children make sense of the world around them and to feel less alone.

What inspired you to write Little Horses?

I have been passionate about marine conservation since I moved to QLD from New Zealand when I was sixteen. I learned to SCUBA dive on the Great Barrier Reef and went on to study marine biology at James Cook University in Townsville. About four years ago, I was doing some research online and came across the story of David’s seahorse hotels invention. I thought it would make a wonderful story for children. I also knew that a conservation success story would be very welcome in a time when eco anxiety is rife especially amongst young people. I was also drawn to the story because it was set in two places I spend a lot of time—Sydney and Port Stephens. I contacted David and asked his permission to write a story about his seahorse hotels invention. He was then and is still very much in support of any project that would help promote the conservation of seahorses. I feel so lucky that Jenni has brought Little Horses vividly to life through her beautiful, detailed illustrations.

Do you have any personal connections to conservation or seahorses? Did your studies in Marine Biology influence the story?

My passion from marine creatures stems from my love of SCUBA diving on the Great Barrier Reef and subsequent studies in marine biology. I love learning all about (and sharing with others) the quirky and unusual features and habits of marine creatures like seahorses. I very much enjoyed researching for the facts page! My Dad, a former archaeologist, has always been passionate about seahorses and especially interested in their significance to Māori (indigenous New Zealanders) culture which is why I have dedicated this book to him.

What do you hope your readers will take away from Little Horses?

In a world where young people are surrounded by screens and devices, I hope that little horses will reignite a fascination and help to foster understanding and appreciation of the natural world. I also hope that being a conservation success story, it offers hope to young people experiencing eco anxiety and also shows children how sometimes we have to think outside the square to solve problems.

How did the writing process of this book compare to your previous children’s books? Was it different to write a story inspired by true events?

There is a certain amount of research involved in writing any book. I thoroughly researched seahorses and the seahorse hotels project and then synthesised and simplified this information in a way that children could easily understand. I wanted it to appeal to very young children so wrote the narrative in a lyrical style. But I also wanted there to be more of a depth of information for older primary school aged children, so I included facts pages about seahorses and the seahorse hotels project.

You’ve written several other books that have had a huge impact on young readers. In particular, The Thing about Oliver won many awards and is now a part of the NSW curriculum. What inspired you to write this story?

I wrote The Thing about Oliver (Wombat Books, 2019) to help foster understanding of difference and diversity—specifically of children with autism and their families. I wrote it to give a voice to the siblings of children with additional needs. Woven into the story are many people I know and love—some of whom are individuals with autism and some of whom are their family members. Various awards as well as the recent addition to the NSW curriculum have meant that the book is reaching a wider audience, and hopefully landing in the hands of those who need it most.

How did writing The Thing about Oliver shape you as an author?

The Thing about Oliver was my first published middle grade novel, so at that time it was the longest book I had written. The positive feedback I have received about the book in the form of awards and shortlistings, and its recent addition to the curriculum has been wonderful and very encouraging to me as a writer. The letters and emails I receive from readers, parents and educators fill me with the deepest sense of satisfaction that I have created something to help others along their journey, even if it just to make them feel represented in books or to feel a little less alone.

You’ve also written the Ruby Wishfingers series which includes a very playful form of magic. What inspired you to write this series?

Ideas from books come from all kinds of places. I suppose it's fitting that the origins of this story are somewhat mysterious- I was leaving the supermarket with my young children when the name Ruby Wishfingers popped randomly into my head. Luckily, I had a pen in my car, so I pulled over to write it down on my arm, as I didn’t have a piece of paper with me at the time. On the way home and as I unpacked groceries, I wondered who Ruby was and the origins of her strange and wonderful name. That was the beginning of a standalone book which subsequently developed into a five-book series. There are some details in the book that are based on my own family, but funnily enough I didn’t notice these until my mother pointed them out. For example, strawberry jam sandwiches—Ruby’s favourite—were pretty much a staple for me as a child!

Do you have a favourite instalment of the series? What is it and why?

I think the third book in the series Ruby Wishfingers: Hide and Seek is probably my favourite because its fast paced and silly. What’s not to love about giant, tantrum throwing toddlers, turbo charged earthworms and toy tyrannosaurs come to life?

Do you have any other projects in the works?

I have a new picture book called The Doll Box (EK Books, 2024) due for release in July, and another one towards the end of 2024. I’m always working on new picture books and novel ideas, in between my university studies.