The Stroogle Warms Winter

The third Stroogle adventure.

Unlike the two previous colourful adventures, this story begins with a cold, frozen world, covered with ice. Spring is due two months ago, but all around lies winter snow. The garden gnomes are turning blue and the mouse's cheese is frozen solid. Only the Stroogle is still warm as he flies along on his sled. Throughout this story the Stroogle searches for a way to warm his frozen friends and to transform winter into spring.

A visit to the Fairy Godmother's cave reveals that it will take someone very special to warm things up:
"When winter's chill is here to stay and snow and ice won't go away it's only with the warmest heart that you can make the springtime start.

This story explores what it means to have a warm heart and a caring spirit and how with a few simple gestures, a grey world can be transformed into a colourful paradise.

Throughout the story, Cameron has hidden things for the reader to find.

About the Author

Cameron was born in Hobart in 1977. He attended school in Adelaide before his family moved to Bundaberg, QLD. In primary school, Cameron wrote many short stories for the local newspaper (after his poor spelling was corrected by his mother). He still has a shoe box of gold certificates for his efforts. In high school Cameron discovered (with his first pair of glasses) that he had a passion for art. Cameron stresses the word passion rather than the word talent here, as hard work and reasonable vision go a long way!

After academic scholarships and seven straight years of Art College in Brisbane, Cameron took his new Dr title and went to live in London for a much needed gap year. Over-qualified as a 24 year old, he stumbled into a job at the Natural History Museum. It was here that he rekindled his love for children's literature and began writing stories inspired by the animals in the museum.

When Cameron returned to Australia, he completed a graduate diploma in education and released the first instalment in his The Stroogle series of picture books. Eight years later, the sixth book in the series was published and followed on from three additional how-to-draw books. In 2012 The Stroogle series won a silver medal in the PICA print awards and Cameron received an RADF grant to create the first book in his new Pie Rat series. The Pie Rat series have gone on to win a number of books awards internationally.