Local Author: Maggie Pike

Over the years Maggie has created and developed many imaginative stories through her experiences as an educator and freelance storyteller and puppeteer.

“My love of literature started when I was a small child with my own collection of treasured books, and weekly visits to the local library with my father and little sister. I started writing stories from an early age, spending many hours lost in the fantasy worlds I created.”

Working with children over many years continues to be a realisation of Maggie’s childhood dreams.

“Every day of my teaching life has been a joy and an absolute honour, sharing in the creativity of young children. When I am teaching story writing as a classroom teacher, I workshop with my students to create their stories, revolving around the themes we are exploring, while often sharing appropriate literature as a motivation for writing. The children illustrate their work with various art media we have explored together. To provide a sense of purpose for their learning, children perform their stories to their peers.”

When Maggie visits preschools, primary schools and public libraries as a freelance storyteller, each workshop is designed for a particular age group. During these sessions Maggie tells her stories using her own illustrations, as visual cues that enhance the scenes. The children re-enact the stories shared, using puppets and props to bring the stories to life. Maggie has a collection of over 70 puppets that have delighted children for many years. She tells tales from traditional literature, from books written by talented writers and illustrators, and now her own book ‘Troublesome Bruce Bear.’ Maggie remarks, “All children bring a wealth of imagination to a performance story. Every happening is definitely unique.”

Maggie has been instrumental in the design and presentation of workshops in drawing and painting, writing and performance skills at regional Literacy Festivals, working alongside her long time author/illustrator heroes. This gives students across our region the opportunity to extend their talents working with like-minded children.

It was only when Maggie met Nick Moscovitz online through their Instagram art accounts, connecting with a mutual interest in art and writing, that the idea of creating her own picture story book became a reality when Nick offered to do the design work for ‘Troublesome Bruce Bear’.

Nick is an extremely talented graphic designer and artist in his own right based in New York. Maggie explains, “Social media is an effective avenue to connect with artists and writers from across the world. The positive feedback from family followers for my illustrations and accompanying stories that I regularly post, indicates that my work has universal themes with a broad appeal. Being involved in every stage of producing a book has been a fascinating challenge.”

‘Troublesome Bruce Bear’ can be enjoyed by toddlers to senior school children, as well as any adult who loves being transported back to their childhood. Younger readers will enjoy the rhyming text being read to them as they visualise the story through Maggie’s captivating artwork. Older children can extend their word knowledge, while enjoying the nuances and humour of the language and the illustrations.

Maggie says, “It seems a natural step for me to combine the imaginative and often humorous tales, anecdotes and images I have gathered over the years to create my own books like the ones that helped fire my imagination.” Maggie has quite a number of other stories that Nick is keen to design the book layouts for, so her book publishing adventure continues! Her next book, ‘Where are Papa’s Slippers?’ is a humorous Aussie tale which revolves around a Grandpa who will not part with his tatty old slippers, and a Grandma who is determined the slippers must go!

Maggie says: “Sharing my book with children in fun performance workshops is the best ever experience: their enthusiasm, and the changing expressions on their faces as each new drama unfolds are precious moments. The way children bring the puppet characters to life with their delightful voice interpretations and mannerisms, is often very amusing.

The insightful questions that the children ask me keep me intrigued and forever inspired.” Maggie has letters, photos and videos from children in countries around the world, telling her why they love the adventures of Bruce Bear.

Children can borrow ‘Troublesome Bruce Bear’ from each of the Mornington Peninsula Libraries. To purchase Maggie’s book email aussieartist4@gmail.com or go to Instagram:@mags_creates or visit a local bookstore. Available online at www.cfcc.org.au the website for Cystic Fibrosis Community Care Australia, which support families living with Cystic Fibrosis. Maggie donates 25% of each book’s sale price to CFCC. Maggie has created teaching/learning worksheets for ‘Troublesome Bruce Bear’ as follow up for teachers: email aussieartist4@gmail.com

Maggie tells stories and performs workshops voluntarily at local primary and preschools on the Mornington Peninsula, when she is not tutoring students, contract teaching, or writing and illustrating her new stories.