Incredibly Busy Mind of Bowen Bartholomew Crisp, The

Most children would say that the ocean is blue, but when Bowen looks at it he sees white where the waves crash, deep black on the ocean floor, and green when there’s a storm. Bowen sees the world differently and struggles to fit in. When he turns his uniqueness into his greatest strength, however, he finds his place in the world. Young readers, carers, teachers and psychologists alike will be inspired by this story of embracing diversity while also encouraging children to think differently.

About the creators:

Paul Russell is a primary teacher, artist, playwright and children’s author. Having been in classrooms for over thirty years, it really isn’t surprising that most of his heroes are teachers. Paul is particularly passionate about children’s literacy and in building an appetite within children for the written word and sharing stories. Paul is the author of numerous titles and has won awards for his stories, with Grandma Forgets making the CBCA list of notable picture books in 2018. 

Nicky Johnston is an educator, speaker and author/illustrator of children’s books. She enjoys every aspect of creating books for kids, especially illustration. Nicky’s illustration style is often described as whimsical, emotive, soft and expressive. She is passionate about promoting emotional resilience in children and raising awareness of mental health issues. Nicky’s love of teaching sees her busy with school visits to share her journey of becoming an author and illustrator, and to show children the process of creating a book using excerpts of her work. She also presents at workshops and conferences. As well as teaching, Nicky works from home writing and illustrating in her art studio, and has so far contributed to sixteen books.