Jacaranda Magic
About Megan Forward
Megan is an author, illustrator, speaker and artist who runs STEAM (Science, Technology, English, Art and Maths) workshops for children. She is passionate about teaching sustainability to young children through her picture books, and helping them make real world connections across curriculum subjects. She is based in Manly, QLD.
Publications:
A Patch from Scratch (Penguin Random House 2016) Shortlisted for the Childrens’ Book Council Crichton Award 2017 and Speech Pathology Awards 2017 A Patch from Scratch is the story of a family who live in the suburbs, but would like to live a more sustainable lifestyle. They set about raising chickens, designing and building garden beds, and planting their own fruit and vegies. They recycle their garden and kitchen waste into compost and chook food, save seeds, research organic garden methods, and involve their local community. The story culminates in a neighbourhood feast from the harvest in their garden. The back pages include a simple diagram showing the sustainable cycle in their garden, recipes for children based on the feast page, and links to how to build your own patch from scratch.
All I Want for Christmas is Rain (New Frontier 2016) Shortlisted for the Childrens’ Book Council Younger Reader Award 2017. All I Want for Christmas is Rain with Cori Brooke (New Frontier Publishing) is the story of a young girl living on a cattle property in the country, who is yearning for rain to fall on her family’s property to relieve the drought. Finding out that Santa is coming to visit a township nearby, she sets out on a train journey. Will He be able to bring the help her family desperately needs?
Emily Green’s Garden (New Frontier later in 2018) with Penny Harrison tells the story of Emily Green’s yearning for creative play fulfilled when she discovers the magic of gardening.
Jacaranda Magic (Ford Street Publishing later in 2018) with Dannika Patterson is the story of five young friends bored on a hot summer’s day, with no toys or gadgets to entertain them, who discover the magic of imagination and outdoor nature play.
Education: In 1995 she completed a Bachelor of Visual Arts at Queensland College of Art, Griffith University, and is a registered teacher with a graduate diploma in Education specialising in Visual Art and English.
