TeachingTimes: Can you tell us about the new book that you are currently working on?
Ellie Jackson: The new book is called 'Max's Prickly Problem'. It's all about hedgehogs and the problem with litter and the loss of habitat, linked in with some of the issues that hedgehogs are facing – such as the fact that, in Cornwall, many of them aren't hibernating anymore because the climate has changed so much, which is a really scary thing. I was flabbergasted when I visited the Hedgehog Hospital and they told me all about it.
At the end of your books, you usually include a list of things that children can do and tell their parents about in order to become more environmentally conscious. I imagine you'll be doing the same for this new release?
Absolutely. It's really important; the most common feedback I receive on the books is about how much children love those bits, the facts they list and the ideas for the future they provide. I think when you're teaching or discussing these issues with children it's really important to not only leave on a happy ending but also spark their imagination. What can they do? How can they be involved? What's going on? A really important part of the book is not to leave on doom and gloom!
Have you received feedback from teachers, then, about the effectiveness of your books as resources for teaching environmental awareness?