Journal notes

I grew up seeing how girls/women and boys/men were treated differently. I’ve been a silent feminist (person who cares about equal rights) all my life. When I read that we would be commemorating 125 years since women got the vote in this country in 2018, I knew I wanted to write a book about Kate Sheppard, the women who helped make it happen.
The story starts when Kate is young because I wanted young girls to see that fiery natures can lead to determined young women who can make a difference in the world. Kate is also a person who doesn’t give up – she keeps going until she gets a result, even when the odds seem stacked against her. I want young people to realise tenacity (determination) and resilience (picking yourself up and continuing) enable you to succeed.
I felt very privileged to write Kate Sheppard’s story. Big thanks to the people who made it happen: Lorraine Orman (mentor), Marco Ivancic (illustrator), Lynette Evans and Penny Scown (Scholastic), and the design team at Smartwork Creative. Also special thanks to the Rt Hon Helen Clark for her endorsement at the back of the book. Marco Ivancic also acknowledges the support of Creative New Zealand.