{"id":1338,"date":"2013-09-01T22:22:05","date_gmt":"2013-09-01T22:22:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.alisonreynolds.com.au\/?p=1338"},"modified":"2013-10-28T20:55:38","modified_gmt":"2013-10-28T20:55:38","slug":"tania-mccartneys-eco-warriors-virtual-tour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.alisonreynolds.com.au\/?p=1338","title":{"rendered":"Tania McCartney’s Eco Warriors Virtual Tour"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ecoToday I\u2019m thrilled to welcome Tania McCartney who not only does amazing work encouraging reading and everything book related within the community in many ways, including founding the respected Kids Book Review, but she\u2019s also extremely talented and a gorgeous friend. She doesn’t know this, but she is the only person alive who is allowed to call me Ali. In her latest book, Eco Warriors, the reader joins Banjo, Matilda and Ned on a magical adventure into the Australian native landscape via a series of historic, beautifully-rendered botanical paintings.<\/p>\n

Can these eco-warriors help save our native flora from extinction? If you want to find out, you\u2019ll have to buy the book!<\/p>\n

Tania, can you tell us where the idea for Eco Warriors<\/i> came from.<\/b><\/p>\n

I had been perusing the National Library\u2019s online Collection while researching for my first NLA book, Australian Story<\/i>, and I came across a heap of stunning imagery from some of our earliest botanical artists. It struck me that so few Australians would get to see these images, most particularly our children. I kind of thought that was sad.<\/p>\n

Being someone who loves multimedia picture books, I came up with a book idea that could incorporate these artworks. I wanted to insert a photographed child into these images, in a sort of a narrative adventure whereby the child enters the pages of a \u2018botanical book\u2019. When I told publisher Susan Hall about this, she loved the idea, but she suggested we look at ways we could incorporate an ecological message.<\/p>\n

As is the way with the development of any book idea, Eco Warriors<\/i> gradually morphed into a slightly different book, with three central characters who became the warriors on a mission to source the best ways to look after our native plants.<\/p>\n

The book looks physically amazing. What part did you play in the production of the book? <\/b><\/p>\n

A large part, which I was secretly thrilled about, as I adore book layout and design (and have done a lot of it with my previous books). I came up with the book concept, wrote the text, photographed the kids, cut them out and \u2018inserted\u2019 them into the botanical artworks.<\/p>\n

\"page<\/p>\n

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I also sourced other NLA imagery from their digital collection and added it to the pages, where necessary, sometimes using parts of other artwork like butterflies and birds. Some iStock imagery was also used on pages such as the kangaroo paw spread.<\/p>\n

I then laid out the pages in Adobe Illustrator, adding speech bubbles, text and other elements. When the book went to print-ready files, the lovely Amy Cullen from the NLA took care of finessing the pages and also creating the cover and addendum pages. These pages feature added extras like image information and the fun facts I had sourced.<\/p>\n

What was it like to be so involved in the production process? Not a lot of authors get to experience that!<\/b><\/p>\n

I feel so fortunate that the Library are willing to have my involvement. I love working with their team and it\u2019s so exciting seeing the work come together. It helps that I live nearby! But I love how the team also trusts me to incorporate my vision. Of course, this book was a sum of the talents of many people! but it\u2019s just a thrill to see your work come to fruition in a way that allows you to have a hand in it.<\/p>\n

You have a series of ecological tips in the book. How important is it for kids to learn more about the preservation of our native flora?<\/b><\/p>\n

It\u2019s vital. During Book Week, I did several presentations on Eco Warriors<\/i> and it was so exciting to hear the kids\u2019 responses to the book and its eco tips. They have such creative thought processes, and it was fascinating listening to their ideas and sustainability suggestions\u2014you can practically see the wheels turning in their heads when they answer questions or come up with ideas!<\/p>\n

I think it\u2019s all good and well having an understanding of green concepts and why we should protect our native flora and fauna and ecosystems from development and pollution, but kids also need practical ways to become involved. It\u2019s so easy to see global environmental tasks as \u2018too large\u2019 to tackle on the home front, so I love that Eco Warriors<\/i> explores the simple ways kids can make a difference.<\/p>\n

Are you working on anything else for the National Library?<\/b><\/p>\n

I am\u2014I currently have two books in production with them. One is a picture book on the biography of the Australian child, entitled Australian Kids Through the Years<\/i>. It was the most incredible book to research. It showcases two Aussie kids of varying ethnicity and background, from 1788 when our country\u2019s only children were Aboriginal children, through settlement, the Gold Rush, Federation, war time and then through the decades of the 20th<\/sup> Century to now.<\/p>\n

Each spread features children typical of that time\u2014what they wore and ate, where they lived, what toys they played with, what books they read. But the most exciting thing about the book is that it\u2019s being illustrated by the divine Andrew Joyner, who has brought such vibrancy to the book\u2019s pages. It really looks incredible.<\/p>\n

The second book I\u2019m also very excited about\u2014it\u2019s a classic picture book narrative for the very young, on the life of Captain Cook, illustrated by talented author\/illustrator and dear friend, Christina Booth. The story is a full narrative on Cook\u2019s life and Christina has done an amazing job of the illustrations, setting the story on a school stage\u2014as a school play. It\u2019s looking brilliant.<\/p>\n

Lastly, what do you hope Eco Warriors<\/i> teaches kids?<\/b><\/p>\n

My aim with this book\u2014beyond its sustainability messaging\u2014is to show kids how beautiful our native plants are. How they\u2019re part of an entire ecosystem that supports animals, humans, climate, geography. I love that kids already get that latter concept\u2014but we need them to really appreciate<\/i> these plants\u2014to see their beauty.<\/p>\n

When people appreciate, they care. And if every kid cared, the longevity of our native flora would stand a very good chance indeed. To have kids become more hands-on with our country\u2019s plants, to want to nurture them and plant them\u2014that would be ideal. Then the future of our native flora would be quite literally\u2014and not just figuratively\u2014in their hands.<\/p>\n

Thank you so much for visiting us, Tania!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Eco Warriors to the Rescue!<\/b> <\/b>
\n(National Library Publishing, Aug 2013, $17.99, firm cover, 9780642277800)<\/p>\n

BOOK LAUNCH DETAILS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Join Tania McCartney and her three real-life eco warriors\u2014Banjo (Riley), Ned (Andrew) and Matilda (Claire)\u2014as they launch Eco Warriors to the Rescue!<\/i> at Canberra\u2019s National Arboretum Gift Shop, Saturday 5 October 2013, at 11am.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/taniamccartney.co<\/a><\/span>m<\/a><\/p>\n

www.kids-bookreview.com<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

BLOG TOUR<\/p>\n

Sunday 1 September <\/b><\/p>\n

Tania McCartney\u2019s Blog<\/b><\/p>\n

taniamccartney.blogspot.com<\/span><\/a><\/b>\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b><\/p>\n

Boomerang Books Blog<\/b><\/p>\n

blog.boomerangbooks.com.au<\/b><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Pass It On<\/b><\/p>\n

jackiehoskingpio.wordpress.com\/school-magazine <\/b><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Angela Sunde<\/b><\/p>\n

Under the Apple Tree<\/b><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Monday 2 September<\/b><\/p>\n

Kids Book Review<\/b><\/p>\n

kids-bookreview.com<\/b><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Sheryl Gwyther\u2019s Blog <\/b><\/p>\n

sherylgwyther.wordpress.com<\/b><\/span><\/a><\/span>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

The Book Chook<\/b><\/p>\n

www.thebookchook.com <\/b><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Books for Little Hands<\/b><\/p>\n

booksforlittlehands.blogspot.com.au <\/b><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Children\u2019s Books Daily<\/b><\/p>\n

www.childrensbooksdaily.com <\/b><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Alison Reynolds<\/b><\/p>\n

www.alisonreynolds.com.au\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/a><\/span>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Tuesday 3 September <\/b><\/p>\n

My Little Bookcase<\/b><\/p>\n

www.mylittlebookcase.com.au<\/span><\/a><\/b><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

DeeScribe<\/b><\/p>\n

deescribewriting.wordpress.com<\/b><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/b>BuzzWords<\/b><\/p>\n

buzzwordsmagazine.com<\/b><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Elaine Ouston Blog<\/b><\/p>\n

elaineoustonauthor.com <\/b><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Soup Blog <\/b><\/p>\n

soupblog.wordpress.com <\/b><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

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