My childhood memories are filled with magical moments — outdoor adventures to faraway imaginary places. Stories of shipwrecks, kings and queens, brave knights with swords, and wild horses. You came home only when the sky began to darken, your skin sun-kissed, tired and hungry — but your wildest dreams had been played out, your dragons slayed.

The story of The Paper Kite Kids was inspired by those days. I wanted to go back in time and relive those magical adventures — when life was simple, yet so deliciously decorative. It was a time of freedom and wild abandon. My children were lucky enough to have a similar upbringing — a legacy I hope will be passed down to my grandchildren someday.

There was always the need to take your teddy-best friend everywhere you went, so he could share in your crazy travels, flying adventures, and stormy crossings — and live to tell the tale and do it all again the very next day. The two teddies in the story, Doggie and Guys, survived the many adventures of my son’s childhood with him. I hope they’ll do the same for the next generation of intrepid travellers — the Paper Kite Kids.

This story holds all of my heart. It was such an honour and a privilege to have taken Alexa, who brought my memories back to life with her magical imagery and these incredible kids with me on this journey down memory lane — and back in time — to a place where children are free to be all they can imagine and more.

‍