Young readers will get more than an exciting story when they read Roo’s Fine Flapping Day—a new chapter book by Auralee Arkinsly. They will also learn about the Land Down Under as well as some fun Australian lingo. If that isn’t enough, readers will also learn a good moral lesson, much like the ones we find in Aesop’s Fables.

Here’s a mini-intro to pique your interest:  At the Flaky Acres Feather Farm, Roo-wallaby catches Roo-rooster plucking out the oily black seeds from a lemony sunflower. This would be fine except there’s been a long, hot drought, and the billabong is dry. Small Babba-Roo needs to feed.
I am happy to have the author share some of her thoughts and ideas with us to learn more about the story behind the story.

Please tell us what inspired you to write Roo’s Fine Flapping Day
I had written Darling Hedgehog Goes Down a Foxhole and wanted to write a second book in the series of unusual animals. I went to visit my friend Joanne, who has a wallaby named Didgery-roo. I had no idea what a wallaby was until I watched her feeding, holding, and doctoring her pet. She also has a collection of different farm fowl wandering about. Every time I visited her Flaky Acres Feather Farm, I stood in awe of the Creator’s ingenuity in designing the marsupials in the unique land of Australia. I also noticed the many fabulous shapes and colors of the different breeds of hens and roosters. All of this became the inspiration for “Roo.” Because I’m a city girl, experiencing new bits of nature and culture always causes the bells in my spirit to start dinging and clanging in wonder and appreciation of God’s world. What I didn’t plan on doing was making the rooster the focal character, but I have enough of the Kangaroo cousins’ stories represented so that children can learn about the habitats and the needs of marsupials.

What do you want children to learn from reading the book?
Two things. I want children to be introduced to Australia. They can read the glossary of Australian slang on the first page and look for bits of Aussie lingo as the story progresses. This will keep them focused on the tale and they will be able to use the appropriate words for the kangaroo’s physic, baby joeys, and lifestyle elements in nature while also being introduced to spiritual principles. Mainly, it’s the golden rule that it’s all right for someone to give way to an opponent in order to save peace—viewing it as an opportunity to trust God with a new adventure. I think adults will be reading this book with their kiddos, and this message of peace, with a view to adventure with the Lord, is as important for them as it is for children.

Thank you, Auralee! It’s always fun to hear from the author to learn about the background to the story.
Link to buy:  https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B09L9V92Z2
Link to website is:  www.CaptureMeBooks.com
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60041865-roo-s-fine-flapping-day
Here’s to loving the Land Down Under!
Crystal
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