#InterviewByBook with Rhonda Brown

Title: ​​Hello Rainbow
Author:​ Rhonda Brown
Illustrator:​ Trevor Salter
Publisher: ​Oombee Woombee Books
Genre: ​Children’s Picture Book
Age Group:​ 3 – 8 years

Please tell us a bit of what your book is about.

Hello Rainbow is a funny, rhyming story that teaches young children about colours and colour mixing.

What kinds of themes / issues are raised in this story?

English (language and rhyme), art (colours and colour mixing), numeracy (seven colours in a rainbow) and humour.

How are these important to you in raising awareness to your readers?

With Australia’s literacy and numeracy levels falling, early intervention is vital. Presenting literacy and numeracy in a bright and fun way engages little people.

Who or what inspired you to write this story?

Empty-nesting and the possibility of one day having grand-children who I could read my book to. The words were written in the front seat of my husband’s ute on an empty-nested road trip to Cooktown and my dream of having grand-children has since become a reality.

What is your favourite part of the book?

Trevor Salter’s illustrations are very special. I just love the facial expressions of the bears when their red and yellow paint tins spill and mix together to form orange. I also love the facial expressions of the koalas when their blue and red paint tins spill to form purple.

How would you describe the publishing process? Were they supportive? How long did it take?

It was scary stuff self-publishing for the first time but Book Cover Café guided me through the process. Penny Springthorpe was professional and proved to me the value of a great editor. The process was mostly smooth and surprisingly quick with everything being completed within a few months.

What was the collaboration like between author and illustrator? Juicy gossip, please!

What a joyful experience. Fantastic and fun! Trevor Salter is an incredible talent.

What has the feedback / audience response been like so far?

Just beautiful. One mum no longer reads the book to her 4 year old daughter because the daughter wants to recite it to her mother! Mum says that they can’t leave the house without the book!
I know of a dad who reads it to his son every night as part of their bedtime ritual. When the son doesn’t want to go to bed, he tells his dad ‘no more rainbow’.
I have had early childhood educators ask me if I have ever been a teacher. Now that’s a compliment.

What teaching and learning ideas would you suggest to complement this book?

Printable Teacher’s Notes can be found on my website:
http://oombeewoombeebooks.com.au.

Do you have a book trailer for your book? 

There is a trailer on my Oombee Woombee Books Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/oombeewoombeebooks/

Any details on your book launch you’d like to tell us about?

The book launch will be held at the newly opened Dudley Denny Library in Mackay on Wednesday 29 March at 10am. There will be the cutting of a rainbow cake and the wonderfully talented local puppeteer Ros Campbell from Wild Puppets will conduct a book reading.

Please let us know where we can find more on you and your book.

Website: www.oombeewoombeebooks.com.au
Facebook: www.facebook.com/OombeeWoombeeBooks
Email: oombeewoombeebooks@outlook.com

Rhonda Brown grew up in Mackay, Queensland. She wrote her first book at the age of twelve for a school English assignment, which is still in her possession forty-two years later. Rhonda’ first self-published book is Hello Rainbow, and her second book, Pussilldoo, is currently with the illustrator. Rhonda lives with her husband and their dog, Boof, plus eleven cows, seven calves, one bull and three chooks.

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