A lifetime zeal for insects, volunteer work at Natureland Wildlife Trust, and putting pen to paper, inspired 17-year-old Ashley Welsh to write her first children’s novel, Tasman Zoo: The Bug House.
The Nayland College Year 13 student said she began weaving together her tale in 2021 with the help of her classmate Emily Heeg, who designed its illustrations. Ashley now hoped the book would attract swarms of young bookworms.
“When I was a little girl, I always dreamed of owning a zoo when I was older, so I thought that writing a book about a girl who lives at a zoo kind of was close enough to that,” she says.
“I really liked insects when I was younger as well so I can relate to this book quite a lot.”
Ashley, whose favourite insect is the praying mantis for its “dangerous” and “cute” nature, says Kiwi kids aged between six and 11 could also relate to the novel’s characters as they flit through the pages.
“I hope that the children can relate to the characters that are in the book a bit more because it’s New Zealand-based instead of being based in Britain or America, which a lot of books are,” she says.
“[The plot is that] Tasman Zoo is going to have a bug house opening day, but then the bug shipments are cancelled, and that’s probably going to ruin the zookeeper’s reputation.
“So, Maia the main character goes out and looks for bugs in the backyard to fill the spots.”
She says it could be pre-purchased on Trade Me before it takes flight on the RealNZBooks and Fishpond websites on 19 July.
Ashley says the money she earns from the book purchases will go towards Tasman Zoo sequels.
“[The book] will hopefully be the first in a series, I have started writing the next one,” she adds.
Visit the Tasman Zoo Facebook page for more information.
