As illustrator and writer, it's often difficult for Cate and me to plan activities to do with children on the wards. One of the things that we do is to stitch a simple book and help prompt an illustrated story to fill it. This can be very satisfying for everybody involved. For 10-year-old Erin who was in the Day Case Unit with an injury to her writing and drawing hand, we got her to do the creative brainwork while we did the writing and illustrating of the book on her behalf.
First of all she came up with the character -- Jenny Solver -- who really likes to help solve mysteries. When her friend Sarah loses an important ring, Jenny springs into action with her torch, special glasses that can see through things, a metal detector and a notebook and pen. Off they go to Cramond Island with a picnic and Jenny's dad who soon falls asleep.
It's a charming story that involves an overnight stay on the island when the tide comes in and a family of rats who have seized the ring. Here are some of the pages from it.
