Hello & Welcome!

Hello! My name is Fiona Smyth.

A storyteller on a mission to inspire young readers through my children's stories.

What's new on my Instagram

fionasmyth.writes

Book Share: 𝑨 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕 Author/I

Book Share: 𝑨 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕
Author/Illustrator @marcmartinillo
Publisher: @puffinbooksaus @penguinkidsaustralia (2012)

My daughter borrowed this book from her school library and thought it was fitting to share for 🌍 World Environment Day! 🌿🌳🌺 today.

The book begins, ‘There once was a forest . . .’ With each turn of the page Marc has cleverly illustrated what happens when humans overuse and do not sustain.

A Forest is a captivating book for readers to reflect on the importance of nature and how we can take action to preserve it. Whether it's planting a tree, supporting conservation organisations, or simply spreading awareness, every small step counts.

It inspires children (and adults!) to protect and cherish these precious ecosystems for future generations. 🌳💙

#worldenvironmentday #protectourforests #naturematters #greenplanet #sustainablefuture #climateaction #picturebook #childrensbooks #bookrecommendations #bookworms #picturebookstagram #imakestagram #kidsbooks #readingisfundemental #kidslit #raisingreaders

🌞 Happy National Smile Day! 😄✨ Today is

🌞 Happy National Smile Day! 😄✨

Today is all about spreading joy and positivity through the power of smiles! Let's celebrate the simple yet incredible act of smiling, which has the power to brighten someone's day and create a ripple effect of happiness.

First Emotions: I Feel Happy by @dkbooks @dkbooksaustralia is a wonderful series that encourages young ones to explore their emotions and discover what makes them happy and smiley. The series of First Emotion books are ideal board books to help young children understand and articulate their emotions. 📚💕

Let's make the world a happier place, one smile at a time! 😄💫

#NationalSmileDay #spreadjoy #smile #smilebrightly #childrensbooks #happiness

My brain needs to take a minute from Mum me, Work

My brain needs to take a minute from Mum me, Work me, and Writer me. It catches up eventually!

10 minutes of free writing before I dive into my current stories helps me regain creative focus.

What are your go-to methods, rituals that help you reconnect and focus? 🌟 💭

Book Share: 𝑩𝒍𝒖𝒆𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝑭𝒂𝒓𝒎
Author/Illustrator @stephenmichaelking
Publisher: @scholastic_au (2023)

I’ve always been inspired by Stephen’s drawings. The gentle wobble of line and presence of a happy smirk. This story provides so much room for exploration and inquiry. It’s also a great text for early readers. @scholastic_au have provided teacher notes to help further discussion.

I particularly loved the heartwarming moment when Henna touches a warm egg to her cheek. It's these little connections that make this book so special and perfect for teaching empathy and nature’s joy to children. 💛🥚

Swipe ➡️ to see some of the delightful scenes from the book! Every page is a joy to explore. 🌞🐥🦆

That Friday Hustle 😮‍💨 🫠 Like many of u

That Friday Hustle 😮‍💨 🫠 Like many of us writing and drawing happens in the cracks of time we make. Before and after kids, work, appointments. Wherever, whenever! ✍️

Wishing everyone a restful weekend!

#tgif #lifelately #dailyroutine #fridayfunday #fridayhustle #mumlife #amwriting #childrensbooks #picturebooks #keepwriting

🌟Happy World Tap Dance Day! 🌟 I recently st

🌟Happy World Tap Dance Day! 🌟

I recently started tap dancing with my good friend. Our teacher told us that dancing has many mental benefits. Some being:

1. Helps reduce stress.
2. Increases levels of serotonin.
3. Boosts memory.
4. Helps ease depression and anxiety.
5. Improves self-esteem.

I encourage you to find a local dance class. Be Brave! Give it a try!

“Luna Loves Dance” by @josephcoelhoauthor (author), @fiona_lumbers (illustrator) is an encouraging children’s book that celebrates Luna’s deep love for dance, inspiring young readers to embrace their passions and express themselves through movement.
@andersenpress
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#WorldTapDanceDay #TapDanceLove #TapDanceCommunity #RhythmAndGrace #DanceLife #TapDanceForever #picturebooks #ChildrensBooks #KidsBooks #StoryTime #Bookstagram #Bookworm #ReadingCorner #ReadToMe #ReadWithKids #BookLover #Bookish #BookObsessed #BookCommunity #InstaBooks #ChildrensLiterature #Illustration #BookArt #PictureBookIllustration #ReadEveryday

Much like Spike… running doesn’t come naturall

Much like Spike… running doesn’t come naturally to me.

The Speedy Sloth by @_beckyoung_ @heath.mckenzie @scholastic_au means so much to me. As an adult this book encapsulates the feeling of setting yourself a challenge, conquering your fears and doubts.

With determination and perseverance this not so speedy sloth made it through a half marathon in the rain to get the best hugs from her family. Would do it again in a heart beat.

#thespeedysloth #trytryagain #dontgiveup #keepgoing #youvegotthis #halfmarathon #cantoo

1hr to go! For the ALIA National Simultaneous Stor

1hr to go! For the ALIA National Simultaneous Storytime 2023. #NSS2023 #thespeedysloth

Join author @_beckyoung_ and illustator @heath.mckenzie reading The Speedy Sloth live streamed online from the Sydney Zoo. @scholastic_au @alianational

#2millionkidsreading #scholasticaustralia #readingisfundamental #picturebooks #childrensbooks

I happened upon this feathered friend at just the

I happened upon this feathered friend at just the right time. So I did as he/she did! Shook off any doubt and kept doing what I love. ✍️

This gorgeous footage was taken by @jeff_bouton
I’ve been so inspired with his photos, and using them as writing prompts for my picture books. So far it’s a collection of stories what I think the animals might be thinking, saying or feeling.

What do you think this little bathing bird would be thinking/feeling?

#keepyourheadup #dreambig #dowhatyoulove #justwrite #justdraw #amwriting #naturephotography #lovenature

I’m all about the handmade art and Mother’s Da

I’m all about the handmade art and Mother’s Day stall gifts. Especially when they choose and buy their own gifts for mum. 💕

Instead of single cards we have The Big Mother’s Day Book. Every year the kids decorate and write a message in the book. 🌟

Happy Mother’s Day! 💐
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#motherhood #mothersday #mothersdaygift #handmadegifts #bigbook #mothersdaystall #lovethemtopieces #grateful

Congratulations @konstantina_aboriginalart in the

Congratulations @konstantina_aboriginalart in the success of your opening exhibition at @cooeeart

The room was filled with so much love and support. It’s incredible to see the amazing talent and passion Konstantina puts into her art, and it is an honour to witness her showcase it to the world.

Welcome to Country I Uncle Ray Davison
Opening Address I Professor Jakelin Troy
Performance | @robbiemillermusic

My Mother’s Day book haul. What are your favour

My Mother’s Day book haul.

What are your favourite Mother’s Day books you or the kids love?

💗 ‘For You’
Written and illustrated by @annapignatarobooks
Published by @scholastic_au

💗 ‘My Mama’
Written and illustrated by Annemarie van Haeringen
Published by @geckopress

💗 ‘Amazing Mum’
Written and illustrated by @aliscribble
Published by @farshorebooks

💗 ‘My EXTRAordinary Mum’
Written by @daniveebooks_wordsandnerds
Illustrated by @alexandra.colombo
Published by @larrikinhouse

💗 ‘Mumapalooza’
Written by @sarina_dickson
Illustrated by @antsang_art
Published by @littlemoabooks @hachettekidsanz

💗 ‘Battle Mum’
Written by @zotheysay
Illustrated by @adelekthomas
Published by @penguinkidsaustralia @puffinbooksaus

💗 ‘How NOT to Annoy Mum’
Written by @dhughesy and @hollyife
Illustrated by @heath.mckenzie
Published by @scholastic_au

Sharing our favourite Grandma stories ahead of Mot

Sharing our favourite Grandma stories ahead of Mother’s Day because they deserve to be celebrated too. My girls love reading with their Gran and Yiayia so we buy them special books they can read together.

🍎 ‘Encyclopedia of Grannies’
Written and Illustrated by Eric Veillé.
Published by @geckopress

🍎 ‘The Sydney Harbour Fairy’
Written by @debdoeswords
Illustrated by @catetheartist
Published by @affirmpress

🍎 ‘Grandmas are Lovely’
Written by @meredithcostain
Illustrated by @nicolettehegyes
Published by @scholastic_au

🍎 ‘What’s a Yiayia?’
Written by @stellastamatakis_
Illustrated by Oscar Fa

What other Grandma books have you read and loved?

#SaturdayMotivation #justwrite #fionasmythwrites

#SaturdayMotivation #justwrite #fionasmythwrites #trusttheprocess #keepgoing #amwriting

Thank you @the_positiveway8 for these beautiful images.

When people ask, so you two know each other? Ahhh

When people ask, so you two know each other? Ahhh no, we just met actually.

So grateful to have met you @jadey.draws The world needs our Cute Cardi Club.

More pictures from the @zannilouise writers retrea

More pictures from the @zannilouise writers retreat. 💫

Thank you to @zannilouise for hosting a heartfelt

Thank you to @zannilouise for hosting a heartfelt and encouraging writer’s retreat. To Margaret for keeping us well-fed with delicious, healthy meals.

Thank you to our amazing presenters who gave up their weekend to talk about their journey and answer our questions about the biz. @tohbyriddle @matt.cosgrove @eva.amores @piphaz @clarehallifax @walkerbooksaus

And to the 14 fellow writers and illustrators I met during this time, your genuine feedback and support was so uplifting.

My takeaway. Lean into my voice, trust it. Change the cliché to emotive. Step outside my comfort zone, you never know who will cross your path.

Courage, dear heart. - @piphaz

Thank you Zanni. My plant is now nourished and ready to spout new leaves. #JustWrite

Anyone else have this look of doom before hitting

Anyone else have this look of doom before hitting send on a new story?

My email sat in drafts for days and I kept coming back to it willing myself to hit send. My husband the patient man that he is was working next to me and saw my hesitation and pipes up and says, “I think it’s time Fi, and if they don’t like it you’ve got more stories to write.”

#justkeepwriting #amwriting #childrensbooks #childrensstories #picturebooks #kidslit #fionasmythwrites

Loved hearing about The Fix-it Princess’s journe

Loved hearing about The Fix-it Princess’s journey, how @janeen.brian worked on the story for 20 years and it kept niggling at her so she persisted.

@zannilouise in her podcast asks, “What do you think was that missing ingredient?”
Janeen Brian responds, “Knowing the character well enough so that I could put her in more and more problems to get the depth of character that was needed and also lift her in her ways of thinking…” along with the help of her editor @suewhiting4 @walkerbooksaus @cheriedignam

What stayed with me was when Janeen said “Stories can sit with you for years and sometimes it feels like you need a hit over the head with a mallet to try and get that idea that’s maybe there or maybe not, but if you want something bad enough you just have to go trial and error.”

Thank you for the inspiration on a Saturday morning! Hoping that Princess Shona can help fix the ending of my new story. 🔨 💫

Orthodox Easter is one of my favourite times of th

Orthodox Easter is one of my favourite times of the year because it is a time for reflection, hope and happiness.

Communities come together and fill the room reverently praying, listening and waiting for Jesus’ resurrection.

It is a month of traditions and stories that are passed down through the generations.

The tossing of the bay leaves are an explosion of triumph and victory over death.

Children bring their lambatha (candle) to midnight service and the night sky becomes brighter than day. The light fills our hearts with blessings.

We sing “Χριστός Ανέστη!” - “Christ is Risen!”

We then break our fast by cracking red eggs and celebrate with a paschal feast.

Happy Easter!
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#orthodoxeaster #greekorthodox #greekeaster #eastercandle #redeggs #paschal #culture #tradition #stories #celebrate #hope

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