Why I Wonder?

A curious teacher recently asked me, ‘Why did you write I Wonder?’ Here’s the long answer!

I Wonder is inspired by a visit to my local beach at daybreak. It’s a beautiful beach. The sun reaches across the rolling waves as it gently wakes the day. This long stretch of golden sand is my favourite place for a morning walk.

This day was different. I was dismayed to see rubbish lining the foreshore after a family event the night before. That’s right … a family event. It wasn’t malicious littering, it was careless … thoughtless, but it was littering. Resolute council workers were arriving to clean up the area, no doubt with the same sense of dismay.

So, I wondered why?

Why would people leave behind such a mess which could ultimately find its way into the ocean? We are all aware of The Great Pacific Garbage Patch and the dangers of marine pollution. I was so very sad that no matter how much knowledge we have, we still get it wrong, even unintentionally. That day I wrote the story of I Wonder and I’m thrilled for it to be the second book in Big Sky Publishing’s Caring for Our World series.

I Wonder is the story of a little wooden toy boat that loves days at the beach with its owner. It floats on the shoreline and plays in the rockpools. Until one day it is forgotten and left behind. Days and weeks pass as the boat sits in the sand dunes. Odd things pass it by, tumbling and floating into the ocean. The little wooden boat wonders and worries. Is it a forgotten thing … or could it be like the chip packet, the takeaway cup and the plastic bag? Could it be waste, or litter, or even rubbish? But one day a child spots the bedraggled boat and wonders if he might be able to fix the toy. Now the little wooden boat’s future is a whole lot brighter, perhaps it has found its forever home.

Ideal for the Classroom

I Wonder is a gentle story of the dangers of careless littering, marine pollution and the importance of protecting our environment. Supported by facts about marine pollution, plastics and comprehensive teacher notes, I Wonder is an ideal book for introducing and exploring the curriculum topics of environment, sustainability and conservation. It also encourages readers to think about their own actions, to care for their belongings and opens many opportunities to discuss ways to protect our animals, especially marine life.

It’s the small steps we can take as individuals that can make a big difference to caring for our world. What a difference we could make if we all reflect and commit to daily changes in what we consume – to consider packaging, its pathway to consumption and how it is disposed. Each individual thought and response could result in huge leaps to the protection of the environment … especially our beautiful beaches and the wondrous animals that call the ocean their home!