ONE TALENTED wordsmith is on a mission to stop children from looking down at their screens and get them gazing up at the sky instead.
Andy Cauchie is an author and illustrator from Whitley Wood, which borders the borough, and he has recently released his first-ever children’s book – it’s all about nature.
Watch The Birds in Grandad’s Garden is a 28-page, rhyming book for young children, teaching them about our feathered friends.
“After spending some quality family time with various grandchildren, feeding and watching the birds, I noticed they were interested in learning more,” Andy says.
“So I decided to write and illustrate a book that would catch the children’s interest and at the same time educate them about the common birds that are visiting our gardens.
“Children seem to get stuck in front of the TV and on their phones these days, but it’s very important to educate them about nature,” he added.
As a young child, Mr Cauchie said he would spend hours learning about and memorising birds. And as he got older, he began to venture out to look for different species.
“I now encourage birds into the garden by putting out various foods and feeders, not only for my enjoyment of watching them, but also to help them survive, especially in the cold months,” he says.
After letting the finished book sit on his computer for the past two years, Mr Cauchie recently decided to reach out to some publishers with a push from family and friends.
“It was a pie-in-the-sky idea for so long. I had no real intention of getting it published initially, but I eventually decided that if I don’t go for it, I’ll never know,” he says.
Shortly after releasing his book last month, Mr Cauchie announced that his novel had sold out on Amazon on the same day.
“It was a good feeling, a really good feeling to know that people are buying it,” he said.
And since publishing his book, Mr Cauchie is now reaching out to local libraries and local schools to discuss stocking it.
He even has plans for follow ups, too, to educate children on the species of birds they can find in other settings like at the beach and at the park.
To find out more visit www.watchthebirdswithgrandad.co.uk
