Author Susan Bird writes books that are being used in primary schools

Prize winner in 2011 for her poem The Price of Freedom, she lives in Stubbington. Susan used to live in Guernsey when she was young, surrounded by the rockpools and sea life which helped inspire her new books, Great Uncle Galapagos, and Henry Hermit Crab Seeks New Home.

Both books are picture poems with Great Uncle Galapagos being a fun and educational book that tells the history of the giant Galapagos tortoise through talking to his friends. The second book is about the lifestyle of a hermit crab and how it needs to find a new shell when they get too big.

Susan, 73, began writing the books for her eight-year-old granddaughter, Alice after she became interested in sea creatures, and now has moved on to try to educate more children.

During lockdown Susan recorded herself reading the books and sent them to St John the Baptist primary school in Waltham Chase which used them for online learning.

‘They used them in the classes with teachers creating questions on it,’ said Sue. ‘They have used it as an online resource which I am very pleased about.

‘I am hopeful that some of the libraries will pick up the book and have it in their repertoire.’

St Anthony’s primary school in Fareham and Locks Heath primary and junior school are other places where Great Uncle Galapagos is being used in classrooms.

‘I thought I would write some books that are fun,’ said Susan, a former NHS administration officer. ‘I found children progress from nursery rhymes to more adult poetry so I wrote a poem, had artwork done and I was hoping school libraries may find it a useful resource because it would interest the children.’

Mother-of-four Susan said she bases these books towards unusual creatures in a bid to steer away from the traditional cat or dog and give children something new and exciting.

Both her new books are available on Amazon for £5.99 as well as the independent publisher, Olympia.