Wise As Stories

24/04/2024

Cover Reveal Day! Get an exclusive preview of our upcoming release - The Gift - and reserve your First Edition copies.

In the tradition of our Willow the Wonderer series, The Gift is an enchanting tale of high adventure, with seeds of wisdom and knowledge deftly woven throughout.

Written in verse with breathtaking illustrations, this fourth instalment will be hard to resist.

Book blurb to follow ...

Scheduled for release in July 2024.

Join the waitlist to reserve your copies of the First Edition.

(P.S. Happy belated World Book Day)

We are putting the finishing touches on our upcoming release - The Gift. In the tradition of our Willow the Wonderer series, The Gift is an enchanting tale of high adventure, with seeds of wisdom and knowledge deftly woven throughout. Written in verse with breathtaking illustrations, this fourth ins...

16/04/2024

We don’t know if this is a legit award …. But we’ll take it 😂

09/04/2024

Aww our little Willow at his international debut 🥹

We have an amazing catalog here Bologna Children's Book Fair. We are @ Hall 26, Booth B64.








Familius
Boys Town Press
Jolly Fish Press
Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA)
Wise As Stories

03/04/2024

Social media health check: We actively promote our books on social media. We do this in good faith as based on 100s of customer testimonials can see that our stories are resonating positively with kids, parents, teachers’ and educators.

Advertising opens us up to a wide ranging audience - and sometimes this means encountering folks who simply want to pick a fight (or be right…) whilst being unwilling to consider facts and context.

We know that the rest of social media feeds off such ‘engagement’ but it’s not something we want to be part of.

We reserve the right to block those people (and their comments) - and yes, act on it as and when need be.

Whilst this may impact our ‘engagement score’ we hope that it creates a more positive environment online - with space for more deep and meaningful discussions about life and living✌️

06/03/2024

We've received over 200 customer reviews now. Our resident nerd (who find pouring through reams of data therapeutic ... ) spent time reading through all these over the weekend to see what we can learn from them (and brag about ;-) She calls out five major themes:

1. Teachers and educators using Willow the Wonderer in their classrooms have an overwhelmingly positive response - they find that the stories not only engages their student's attention but also simply conveys the main message. Some younger years need a bit more explanation but the teachers do not mind this at all :)

2. Parents love the stories for sense of adventure, joy it brings to bedtime and the message it imparts to their children. The rhyming helps them remember and hopefully carry the message into their lives

3. Grandparents are by far our biggest fans - and have embraced the books for their grandkids of all ages (and their kids concur)

4. Readers appreciate the craft that has gone into producing the book - the stories, the writing (in verse with perfect rhymes) and of course, the beautifully detailed illustrations that captivates and holds the attention of their little ones

5. On the whole, our customers find the website and online shopping experience easy and are also happy with fast fulfilment and delivery. The few complaints we have received here has to do with things that are out of our control e.g. patchy internet connection which means the checkout process gets reset or occasional delayed/misplaced parcels by Aussie Post. We deal to these as expediently as we can.

A handful of readers expressed some concern about helping younger readers understand the message in the stories - Reeta shares her perspective on this in the article as well.

On the whole, just going by the feedback of our readers, Willow the Wonderer is very much looking like one of the best new children's books of our times.

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to share their feedback and stories - it's a pleasure to read and has given us the encourage to keep going ...

29/02/2024

Do you live around or the (NSW)? We have a huge personal favour to ask 🙏

Darren’s mum posted his entire childhood photos (to use in a project we were working on) from Adelaide a couple of weeks ago. She had the parcel tracked yet Australia Post managed to lose it … and since then has been giving them both the runaround.

Adding insult to injury, they offered to pay him $100 in compensation to go away …

At one stage the call centre consultant told him that the postie had delivered it to the wrong address - but then changed their tune when he inquired further and won’t tell him anything more…

There is a good chance that they have indeed delivered to the wrong address somewhere in the Eastern suburbs (especially around Coogee where we live) as he received a delivery notification for it.

So, if you happens to live in or around Coogee - can you please check your mailbox to see if you have the parcel - and if so please let us know ♥️

It’s hard to miss him - a shy looking boy with strawberry blond hair and a 70s vibe.

Please also share this message with your neighbours and network in the East 🙏🏽

Hoping we can come together and find Dazza’s baby photos 😢


email: [email protected]

27/02/2024

When you come across a story of an incredible mamma - you need to share it!

Moved and inspired by this incredible women who shows that it is possible to put an end to the cycle of violence.

Her pain and loss is unimaginable. Her humanity in the face of it all, even more so.

She could have easily asked for vengeance - and be forgiven for it too...

Yet she rose above it all in the darkest hour and campaigned for peace, love and kindness.

It's eveyday heros like these that keep our society functioning - And we need to hear more stories like this.

Thank you Australian Story for bringing this to us.

When the senseless death of teenager Cassius Turvey ignited fury across the nation, his mother Mechelle responded with a call for peace and unity.

18/02/2024

Do you have young children who are learning how to read? Take note of this article 👇 Music to our ears, as it confirms the approach we've adopted for our debut children's book series, Willow the Wonderer.

Since starting in children's publishing, one of the things that has confounded us is the general snobbery that most Children's Editors and established publishers have towards rhyming.

Indeed, most publishers no longer accept manuscripts written in verse/rhyme - referring to the stacks of manuscript they've had to review over the years that are "riddled with bad rhymes".

Whilst I can see how that can be torturous... most simply do not like the format.

As one Children's Editor from notable publisher put it to us, rhymes comes across as "twee".

(Plus it is harder to sell the foreign language rights ...)

The modern and literary sensibilities of grown adults aside ... rhymes are an invaluable mechanism for children to start becoming conscious of the sounds that make up words.

This is referred to as Phonemic awareness - which is now recognised as the first of the six pillars in the science of reading.

I've also found - based on feedback from mothers who have been using our books with their children from when they were as young as 6 months old - that rhyming also helps children to, very naturally, start to learn and remember new words, phrases and ideas.

Sharing stories with kids in rhyme therefore also contributes towards the other pillars of learning to read:
- Phonics
- Reading fluency
- Vocabulary Instruction
- Text comprehension instruction
- Oral languge

Whilst some kids will no doubt pick up reading easily enough, there are many others who will struggle. As the article points out ...

"First up, it's worth pointing out structured literacy has at its core the idea that reading isn't easy and requires two to three years of explicit teaching in the classroom. So start by cutting yourself and your kids a bit of slack and recognise learning this foundational skill will take some time."

So next time you are picking books for the little ones, give books written in rhyme a go.

And when you read these out aloud to your little ones, exaggerate the sounds and hit all the alliterations.

Have fun with this - and the learning/teaching will be taking place naturally (and many memories to cherish will be made in the process).

While there's no substitute for a qualified teacher, we've asked experts for their best tips for parents who want to help teach their kids to read at home.

14/02/2024

This story is too good not to share. Afterall it's not every day that a lifelong educator - and her entire school - gets behind your book!

I am sure it will remind you, like it did me, of 'that teacher’: The one who went the extra mile and made all the difference to your life.

Enter stage left : Debra Herrmann.

Debra, the recently retired principal of The Patch Primary School discovered Willow the Wonderer books in late 2022. She loved it and read it out to her graduating class – and then reached out to use with an idea – to stage Willow the Wonderer the following year for their school production.

After 48 years in education and 16 year as a Principal, this was also going to be Debra last year of service - she was 'officially retiring’.

Thus began a wonderful collaboration with The Patch Primary School in Dandenong VIC - where Philosophy is part of the weekly curriculum

The school production surpassed every expectation we had – and we were even able to pitch in the Willow the Wonderer books at a discount to helps with the school fundraiser.

But the best bit was that Debra’s email came through just at the right time – it was the inspiration that Darren and I needed to keep going with the work we are doing.

Full story - coming very soon ...

10/02/2024

Happy Lunar New Year folks 🐲

We'll make the most of the auspicious 'dragon vibes' this year - and release the Bilingual Chinese/English editions of Willow the Wonderer books in Australia.

It's only as adults we’ve come to appreciate the richness that literacy in one's mother tongue(s) brings to life.

Unfortunately the opportunites for multi-cultural kids to learn (and love) to read and write in their own language(s) is very limited in Australia - How many multi-lingual bookstores have you seen around the country?

This will be a first small step on our part to share our stories as in many world languages as we can.

Guess what the postie delivered a few days ago? We weren't quite sure ourselves when the tightly wrapped parcel arrived a few mornings ago, which added nicely to the excitement of unwrapping the mystery box. We weren't disappointed either; nestled within countless layers of cardboard and padding wer...

06/02/2024

Another school year has begun in earnest - For Reeta Dhar this is amongst her best childhood memories. Why? Read on ...

I grew up in the Fiji Islands - and yes, it was as idyllic as it sounds. Balmy climate, ripe mangoes straight off the trees, fresh fish, prawns and lobster ... I could go on. But if I had to choose, my best childhood memories revolve around the time when school holidays were ending and it was time t...

28/01/2024

Throwback to last year and the release of the Chinese edition of Willow the Wonderer !

18/01/2024

The future is calling ☎️

As we ended 2023, I could not help but feel that we were on some sort of precipice: At the cusp of big changes - and just as all was about to be revealed, Christmas came by and the world went on one big holiday .

2023 ended on a cliff hanger ...

2024 has a nice ring to it, does it not? To my ear at least, it sounds like the distant future we grew up hearing so many fantasies about has finally arrived, and landed right at our doorstop. But does it feel futuristic? To those who have lived through several decades at least, it surely feels futu...

21/12/2023

Another trip round the sun is coming to an end :) What is left to say except to thank you all for coming along the ride! Hope it has been a good one, and you get some time in the next few weeks to rest and recharge to do it all again!

We too are taking a short break. After an early Christmas with the family, we are heading off camping.

Our online store will stay open during our short break. All orders placed over this period will be shipping from Jan 2nd onwards - when we return!

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Happy Holidays!

Another year has flown by so we must be having fun! It truly is a wonderful time of the year, as things wind down and the space opens to stop, take stock and reflect on the year that has been. Our pride and joy this year has been seeing the 'wise as' community go from strength to strength, right acr...

11/12/2023

Guess what the postie delivered a few days ago? We weren't quite sure ourselves when the tightly wrapped parcel arrived a few mornings ago, which added nicely to the excitement of unwrapping the mystery box. We weren't disappointed either; nestled within countless layers of cardboard and padding were the advance copies of the bilingual - Simplified Chinese and English - edition of Willow the Wonderer picture books!

Guess what the postie delivered a few days ago? We weren't quite sure ourselves when the tightly wrapped parcel arrived a few mornings ago, which added nicely to the excitement of unwrapping the mystery box. We weren't disappointed either; nestled within countless layers of cardboard and padding wer...

09/12/2023

Willow the Wonderer has been adapted for stage for the very first time 🥰! Congratulations to all the students and staff from The Patch Primary School who put together the hugely spectacular production - what an amazing effort 👏

Our thanks goes out in particular to recently retired school principal Debra Herrmann who discovered the books, loved them and brought the story to her pupils ♥️.

This was also Debra’s farewell after a lifetime of service to education - and in saying goodbye gave her students a final parting gift of wisdom. Where would we be without ♥️

Thank you Debra and Patch Primary School for embracing Willow the Wonderer & bringing the story to life. Hope it inspires you all to have many, many adventures of your own whilst taking the time to explore the world within✨

03/12/2023

Darren Pryce Jpg shares his inspirations for Space Odyssey - the influences, accidents (and obsessions) that inpired the unique artwork that you see in the latest Willow the Wonderer picture books. A riveting read!

"There is no such thing as the unknown, only things temporarily hidden." Captain James T. Kirk Creativity is a messy business Enter Francis Bacon, not the sizzling breakfast kind but the icon in the artistic pantheon. He didn’t cover up the blemishes on his canvas; instead, he transformed the erra...

30/11/2023

Great to see Space Odyssey on a Spanish odyssey in Mexico 💃🏽

Here’s a translation:

“Here at FILGuadalajara we continue at a flat pace: meetings, encounters and, above all, books. We want to share here some of what we are talking about a lot with our partners.

Aquí en la FILGuadalajara seguimos a plano ritmo: reuniones, encuentros y, sobre todo, libros. Queremos compartir aquí algunos de los que estamos hablando mucho con nuestros partners.







Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA)
Wise As Stories
Flux Books
Christina Donnell, Author

29/11/2023

We love Counsellor Sian’s new book review - which includes Space Odyssey ♥️

27/11/2023

Have you seen the new Willow the Wonderer picture books review by Counsellor Sian?

"I wish I had these for my children when they were small, and I really recommend them as a Counsellor working with children who often have a lot of troubles - These sorts of things can be really helpful."

https://www.wiseasstories.com/post/new-willow-the-wonderer-picture-books-review-by-counsellor-sian

Most of you are no doubt familiar with Counsellor Sian. Her original book review of Willow the Wonderer series is the stuff of legends, having reached over half a million folks across Australia! Sian is a registered therapeutic counsellor and has a private practice in QLD. She brings over a decade o...

23/11/2023

We have a few more exciting updates to our directory - where you can buy our Willow the Wonderer picture books, soft toy and giftset in-person :)

Welcome to Jeanne d'Moore from Moora WA - and what a gorgeous giftstore it is! Featuring a beautiful collection of French and Australian designs, the store even has a wonderful French cafe/bistro - it's alread on my to-visit list for WA!

One of our orginal stockists The Chestnut Tree has also recently restocked on all three Willow the Wonderer books. Melbournians head down here to get great coffee and pickup a few Willow books for the little ones. The bookstore also plants trees for every books sold - so there is another reason to buy from here

Thanks to Maria from Jeanne d'Moore and Reem from the Chestnut Tree Bookshop for your support. It is really fantastic to meet wonderful women creating beautiful retail experiences that brings life to our towns and communities.

Support these and all other stores on our Buy Local directory when you can ❤

Read the full Buy Local update here: https://www.wiseasstories.com/post/buy-local-update-more-choices-to-shop-for-our-picture-books-and-willow-soft-toy-locally

Browse our Buy Local directory here: https://www.wiseasstories.com/find-a-bookshop-giftshop

22/11/2023

Four weeks left to wrap up Christmas shopping :)

21/11/2023

Did you know that you can save 25% for referring a friend - and they can save 25% too. Sign up and refer a world of wonder, wisdom and joy to your friends today!

Help your friends discover the wonderful world of Willow - and enjoy special perks. Our beautiful picture books and adorable character plush toys make the perfect gift for the little ones! Your friends get 25% across our range - and you get the same for every successful referral. Helps us spread sto...

21/11/2023

Only four weeks left to get all the Christmas shopping done! Make the most of our specials and add Willow the Wonderer's Premium Gift Set to your little ones' Christmas stocking today - they are in a class of their own and the perfect gifts for kids :)

Christmas parcel lodgement deadline This is our usual public service announcement about the fast approaching shipping deadlines for Christmas, courtesy of the Australia Post. To ensure your parcels read their intended destinations in Australia by Christmas please ensure you have shopped and the parc...

16/11/2023

Looking for the perfect gift for kids this Christmas? How about a gift of wisdom - as recommended by our readers :)

Willow the Wonderer are not just books - they're a gateway to imagination, education and wisdom.

Find out more (including how to save 20% on your next order).

"I purchased these as a Christmas gift for my grandchildren. But they look amazing and I can't wait for the grandies to have them." - Jennifer Brace -

15/11/2023

Willow the Wonderer has made some new friends - and they want to take his stories to every part of the world!

https://www.wiseasstories.com/post/us-rights-agency-dropcap-to-represent-willow-the-wonderer-picture-books-foreign-rights

A chance encounter at the Frankfurt Book Fair in October 2022 led us to discover DropCap Rights Agency and meet their Rights Director, Monica Meehan. Twelve months down the line, and a few emails and zoom later, we are delighted to be accepting DropCap's offer to be our foreign rights representive.....

08/11/2023

We don't live in a vacuum - nor do we create in one.
Every thought, idea, inspiration that we relay is borne from countless other thoughts, ideas and inspirations we've encountered. Space Odyssey is no exception.

The wisdom in Space Odyssey is inpired by the experiences of Apollo era astronauts and the beautiful works by Carl Sagan during the Voyager missions. The book is our endeavour to capture the awe and profound insights that the cosmos ignited in these pioneers..

The premise of the narrative however, comes from our personal experience.
Feelings of aloneness, difference and separation is something we, like many around us, have felt from time to time. These feelings became the catalyst for Willow's odyssey, his search and eventual enlightenment.

Reeta shares the inspirations and personal experiences that inspired Space Odyssey in this blog, and why the central message of the book is a hopeful one.

https://www.wiseasstories.com/post/space-odyssey-plants-a-seed-of-hope-for-the-future

Space Odyssey has officially launched - and with that our Willow the Wonderer picture book series is now three books strong. As I pen this blog, many books are already on their way to little wonderers all around Australia. A brand new addition to their Willow the Wonderer collection and hopefully, r...

04/11/2023

Willow the Wonderer books were already the perfect educational books for kids - They now come with an Early Education Learning Hub with plenty of learning guides and teaching resources to inspire and dig deeper.

Get more insight on the books and the hub in this blog and see why and regularly give Willow the Wonderer series a five star rating!

https://www.wiseasstories.com/post/discover-educational-books-for-kids-with-a-wide-array-of-learning-guides-and-teaching-resources

Willow the Wonderer now comes with its own 'Early Childhood Learning Hub' The wonderful world of Willow the Wonderer just became even brighter today with the launch of our "Early Childhood Learning Hub". The Early Childhood Learning Hub contains a wide array of learning guides and teaching resources...

29/10/2023

Looking for the best early years learning books? Look no further - our centre brings together rich teaching resources, blogs and guides to accompany our Willow the Wonderer picture books - the perfect early years learning books. A great resource for all , and . Check it out today and let us know what you think!

Willow the Wonderer picture books are designed to make early childhood learning effortless - making them the perfect early years learning books for both teachers and early childhood educators and their young students. Find learning resources, teaching guides and inspirations to accompany our picture...

28/10/2023

Love visiting your local bookshops for a spot of Chistmas shopping? Well we have some good news for you - You can get all three titles of Willow the Wonderer books from these awesome bookshops:

- Harry Hartog Bookseller - Store
- Woollahra Bookshop NSW
- The Really Good Book Shop
- The Yass Book Store
- Booksatstones QLD

Read about these and all other recent additions to our Buy Local directory here :

Why we support I am sure many of you will agree with me when I say that one of the greatest pleasures of driving around in Australia, is being able to stop, browse and shop at the many locally owned stores that sell beautiful, unique and locally produced items. We find such stores all over...