Helen Ross – June 13 2021

Helen is  a children’s author and award-winning children’s poet who has been writing for over 30 years. She has been a primary school teacher and TAFE lecturer. Her qualifications include a Masters of Education (International), a Graduate Certificate of Applied Linguistics, a Diploma of Primary Teaching and a Diploma in Writing. Helen has also studied freelance journalism and she used her first Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) grant from the Queensland government and Logan Council to undertake professional development in the area of writing children’s picture books, completing Dr Virginia Lowe’s Create a kids’ book course (http://createakidsbook.com.au/). Her poetry writing career began when she had to perform a piece about a gorilla as part of a drama assignment, and she penned her first poem, Lulu, the Gorgeous Gorilla. Since then, Helen’s poems have been published in anthologies and collections such as ‘Hopscotch’, and online resources such as ‘A Poem a Day’, and ‘Delightfully Haiku’. Her other publications include Santa is in Our Chimney, which she also illustrated, and A Christmas Tail, co-written with Donna Smith and illustrated by Aaron Pocock. Helen currently conducts giggle poetry workshops in libraries and schools.

10 Yellow Bananas – lllustrated by Dee Texidor
Little Steps Publishing, 2010; ISBN 9781921042898
“This charming reverse counting rhyme of the teddy bears that are stolen by ten bananas goes hilariously down the number chain, through all the types of fruit. The bears belong to ‘nine sleepy pears’ who are followed by lemons, apples, watermelons and the rest – right down to one small berry. The ridiculous procession proceeds down the street, risking life and limb as they chase the bananas, until stopped by what could have been a dreadful calamity.” – Dr Virginia Lowe

Bubble Gum Trouble and Other Giggle Poems – Illustrated by Dee Texidor
Little Steps Publishing, 2009; ISBN 9781921042997
3-6 years
“There’s a lot to laugh about in Bubble Gum Trouble and Other Giggle Poems. Yucky stuff of everyday life, like smelly socks and mouldy drink mugs, and funny stuff, like cats tangled up in toilet paper and underpants! Then there are the ordinary things that Helen Ross makes comical, like making breakfast and rainy days inside. Bubble Gum Trouble is a great little book of fun poetry for kids of all ages, which has been brought to life with Dee Texidor’s bright, bubbly illustrations.” – Ron Proft