I visited a school recently and faced the question, ‘where do your ideas come from?’ The simple answer is everywhere!
My recent books are inspired by one or more of the 17 Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs). Aqua Boy relates to SDG 15 life below water, Eco Girl maps onto SDG 14, and Astro Girl takes its meaning from SDG 5, gender equality.
It’s a wonderful challenge turning technocratic concepts and language into relatable and enjoyable stories for young children, and highlighting the lives of people from around the world. This is one place where ideas come from. There are others, depending ont day, or the mood, or the prompt.
One of my upcoming books is inspired by SDG 13, Climate action.
The pace of climate change is quickening as more people are turning to renewable energy and a range of other measures that will reduce emissions and increase adaptation efforts. I like the fact people have the power to change their own destinies, even thought it must be a very hard task. The attitude will not be lost on children, who are the leaders of the future.
At times it feels like there will be no end to the stories that can come from current affairs, but it’s a tricky process involving research, iteration and experimentation.
I think understanding the world as much as you can helps your creativity because it gives you a reason to finish that book, or painting, or dance…
It answers the why, and gives you energy to find out the how.