Welcome to #TheQuickSixInterview with Bella Traynor!
We’re delighted to have new author, Bella Traynor, to the blog, alongside her friend and illustrator, Irin Hurren, here to share the inspiration behind their delightful picture book, Nature’s Magic Potion. With its gorgeous Australiana touches, this imaginative rhyming tale takes two children out adventuring into the bush to mix up a sensational, exotic and magical blend of our finest and unique natural resources. Stepping away from devices and into the loving arms of our natural surroundings, together with the inspiration of this beautiful book, is the perfect recipe for concocting creative, innovative and artistic play for young, inventive minds.
Thank you and congratulations on a marvellous creation, Bella and Irin! 🙂
About the Author
Bella Traynor is a kindergarten teacher and children’s book author. She grew up in Melbourne’s south-east, currently living only five minutes from her childhood home. Personally and as a teacher, she understands the impact that nature can have on mental and physical health, so she enjoys spending time cold dipping in the ocean and looking for trails to hike and adventures to do on the weekends. Bella has always had a creative side and has wanted to be an author since a very young age. She is grateful that with lots of hard work and dedication, she was able to pursue and achieve her dreams with the help of her friend and illustrator, Irin Hurren.
Find Bella Traynor at her website: www.Holisticplaytime.com and on Instagram.
Nature’s Magic Potion is available for purchase through Holistic Playtime.
WHO wrote, illustrated and published this book?
Nature’s Magic Potion was written by myself, Bella Traynor, a passionate kindergarten teacher who saw a need for more nature play books for early education teachers and young families. My wonderful friend and early childhood educator, Irin Hurren, is the illustrator. She was just as excited as I was to start this journey into children’s literature, knowing the profound impact it can have on learning and development.
Nature’s Magic Potion was self-published thanks to an online course I took through ‘Little Ivory Haus.’
WHAT is it about?
I focused deeply on the Australian landscape and native plants, considering how many books I use in my educational program that do not represent what the children had access to in our beautiful country.
Nature’s Magic Potion follows two young children as they gather natural resources such as wattle and gumnuts, to mix, pour and sprinkle into their potion. They find peace and tranquillity in their ability to ‘be’ in nature together.
What is your favourite part of this book?
My favourite part of Nature’s Magic Potion would have to be the page where the two children are covering their eyes, making a wish using their magic potion. This page is significant because it supports the notion that we can find magic in play, nature and friendship. It brings a tear to my eye every time I see a child repeat the same steps of closing their eyes and making a wish… my book is bringing back magic and imagination to many children who haven’t had the opportunity to explore it yet, or who haven’t understood how to make their own magic.
What media did you use to illustrate it?
Irin: I illustrated this book using Procreate on an iPad. I love how Procreate allows me to blend traditional textures with digital flexibility, giving the illustrations a warm and organic feel while still allowing easy adjustments.
WHEN is its release / launch date?
Nature’s Magic Potion was released in late 2024. It is currently available online on my website www.holisticplaytime.com, as well as at local Melbourne markets when I can make it there! I am currently in the process of getting it into some local stores, as well.
WHERE did the inspiration for this book come from?
Nature’s Magic Potion stems from childhood memories, much like many others, with hours spent outside in the backyard picking flowers, digging up dirt and ripping up leaves to create potions and cast spells on your family and friends. Our little minds had so much more time for imaginary play in outdoor environments with little use of screens and technology.
WHY is this book meaningful to you?
This book is meaningful to me because as an educator of over 10 years, I have seen the impact of screen time on children. I have seen how children are unable or unwilling to engage in nature play because they are used to being stuck inside with set activities and little to no ‘free’ play where they can imagine and explore. It is so important to me that we reflect on how we can raise our children to be resilient, happy and curious, just by letting them explore nature and imaginative play.
Why would its message resonate with readers?
My book will definitely resonate with parents who had a similar childhood to mine, which readers have shared with me already. I have had parents comment on how they used to love potion making and that my book took them right back to those childhood memories, which they can now share with their own children.
I know young children enjoy the bright colours, rhyme and ideas for potion play in their backyards or early childhood services. I’ve seen their eyes light up as I read the book at our weekly ‘bush kinder’ adventures at the reserve down the road from the kindergarten, with the message of ‘explore and play’ being clear as they head off on a search for potion-making resources underneath the trees and bushes.
HOW long did it take to write?
Funnily enough, it didn’t take me a long time to write. I had the idea for the story and I could see it in my mind, so I waited until I felt inspired, and the words just typed themselves; I truly cannot explain it any other way. It probably took me two days to write the draft, and then of course there was some editing along the way.
How long did it take to illustrate?
Irin: The full illustration process took quite a while because I wanted each page to feel immersive and full of life. Each page took around 2-3 days, including sketching, refining details, and painting. Since brainstorming and storyboarding are such an important part of the process, we focused on completing the entire storyboard first, making sure the flow and composition felt right before moving on to painting. In total, illustrating the book took from 1 to 2 months.
How do you feel about the text / illustrations? Do they convey the feeling or mood you envisioned?
The text and illustrations convey the story just as I imagined, and this is purely due to Irin and I having such a wonderful relationship. Irin was more than happy to sit with me and listen to the ideas I had, as well as watch as I scribbled the pictures in my head onto some scrap paper. We sat together for a whole day to get some key words and scribbles down, which she then took away and worked on by herself. It was crazy to see how they all turned out so beautifully! The illustrations are bright, detailed and spark curiosity and excitement; just what I was looking to convey alongside the rhyming storyline.
OTHER information or experiences you’d like to share?
Please share your some of your favourite promotional ideas for this book.
Irin: I am so happy that my artwork can help children develop a connection with nature and inspire our community to appreciate nature play. Early childhood is such a crucial time for exploration, and I truly believe that experiencing nature firsthand enhances creativity, problem-solving, and lasting memories. Growing up, I spent so much time in nature, and those experiences shaped how I see the world today. Through this book, I hope to spark wonder and curiosity in children, encouraging them to explore and see magic in the natural world around them.
It was a fantastic experience working with Bella, who is a truly wonderful storyteller. She has a remarkable ability to weave children’s needs into her stories, creating narratives that beautifully reflect their development. Her storytelling not only captures their imaginations but also nurtures their growth, making each story meaningful and impactful. It was an absolute joy to bring her vision to life through illustration.
Bella: I am so grateful for my experiences as a first-time author, sharing my passions and ideas with Australian families and children. I have already seen firsthand how my book can positively impact children in my kindergarten program, as well as many families who have purchased it and shown me photos of their children enjoying nature play alongside them.Â
More children’s literature needs to bring families together and inspire them to explore and make memories in simple, holistic ways. Nature play is free, just find a local park or reserve and begin exploring it; this is what I want to share with anyone and everyone who will listen. People, not just our children, need to engage more in outdoor environments, not only for greater connections and experiences, but for their mental and physical health. It’s time that we go back and find simplicity in our lives, such as reading a potion play book with young children and then creating that same experience with them in the backyard. Nature’s Magic Potion has already created impact on people’s lives and inspired me to work on a second nature play book with Irin. We can’t wait to share more about it throughout 2025.
Thank you, Bella and Irin, for your insights into the benefits of nature! What a beautiful resource! 🙂
#thequicksixinterview #naturesmagicpotion #imagination #nature #picturebook #justkidslit
