BY: MELISSA WALSH
When Pippa Dowling was 10 years old, the school class was asked to write a children’s story as an assignment. Little did she know this would set the wheels in motion for the youngster’s first book.
Three years later, the Rosebud Secondary College student can proudly say her book ‘Just Like Molly’ has been published.
The debut picture book from 13-year-old Pippa explores courage and friendship in the face of change. At just ten years of age Pippa Dowling penned a tale of loneliness, friendship, hope and courage, with a wisdom beyond her years.
“It tells the story of a friend called Molly, who loves playing games and sleeps under the bed. She is an imaginary friend and one day she disappears,” said Pippa, who has a wonderful, creative imagination and loves using it to create fantastic role-playing games with her family. “I firmly believe that everybody deserves to be treated with kindness. ‘Just Like Molly,’ is a book that reassures kids that there is a friend out there who is perfect for them. It is a gentle story of friendship and having the courage to make new friends. I would like the reader to know that there is a friend out there for everybody and that we must have hope even in the hardest times.”
While Pippa cannot pinpoint any particular inspiration for the book, she says that doing lots of reading combined with watching cartoons gave her some ideas. However, it was her mum who inspired her to publish.
“When I brought my story home from school, mum really liked it. At first we were just going to get it turned into a self made book through an online website, but once we found Empowering Resources, my mum and I were both excited to have it published for real,” said Pippa, who has enjoyed reading and writing her entire life. “Even when I was little, reading was my favourite thing to do.”
The book’s illustrator, Sunshine, is a fantastical, whimsical artist, living amongst the cobbled streets of Melbourne. As a self-taught artist, her work has been displayed in several national galleries and sold internationally.
To purchase ‘Just Like Molly’, go to www.empoweringresources.com.au