Keryn Louise Rickard (editor), Brian Judkins (author) and Tracey Lee Cassin (illustrator). Photo / Supplied
Keryn Louise Rickard (editor), Brian Judkins (author) and Tracey Lee Cassin (illustrator). Photo / Supplied
Rotorua's own versions of Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse have been brought to life with the publication of Brian W. Judkins' Gabby Goose Collection of Stories.
Brian, 86, lives at Lake Rotoma, where he is a valued member of the community, and is affectionately known as Father Brian.
He spent his early life on a farm in Gapes Valley. Brian has loved books all his life. His father was an avid reader and Brian, the oldest of nine children, was encouraged to read at an early age.
Dad Walter Judkins attended every farm clearing sale within 10 miles to keep abreast of farming knowledge. Invariably, he would return with a box of books and ended up with the largest and most diverse library in the district.
Young Brian was a bookworm. His first three years at school were enjoyable, with two teachers who encouraged him to learn.
There were no boys of his own age among his family's friends and Brian was deemed too rough to play with the girls. His solution at parties was to gather the young children together to tell them stories, many adapted from the myths and fables he had read, but some purely just from his imagination.
The pleasure these young children gained from those stories and his own memories of myths, fables and fairy stories were the catalyst for Gabby Goose some 50 years later.
Brian wrote the first Gabby Goose tale about 15 years ago, but it wasn't until Rotoma community members Keryn Rickard and Tracey Cassin and Brian's other friends showed enthusiasm for the project that he thought of putting a real book together.
"They called me a silly old codger and said I needed to get the stories illustrated."
Keryn became the book's editor, while Tracey created the illustrations.
The Gabby Goose Collection of Stories includes the combined books The First Adventure and Adventures at Lake Rotoma.
Brian says he wrote the book for children as young as 3 to enjoy listening to, but he thinks people of all ages will be able to find something special in the adventures of Gabby Goose and Maggie Magpie.
"If you can't enjoy this book there's something wrong with you."
Brian intends the book to be read aloud by grandparents to their grandchildren.
"That's what my grandparents and great-grandparents did for me," Brian said.
"I was so, so lucky as a kid to have that experience."
Brian set his collection of short stories in the waterways of New Zealand, with about half of the tales being especially set around Lake Rotoma.
"It's a beautiful lake and I love it here and know it very well."
Brian spent about 20 years making sure Lake Rotoma was weed free, but he says his characters don't have to deal with any pesky plants.
Brian pictured in the Rotorua Daily Post for a story in 2004. Photo / Andrew Warner
"They meet other animals and talk to them, like in Aesop's Fables.
"I think Gabby Goose is the Kiwi equivalent of Donald Duck and Maggie Magpie is Gabby's Mickey Mouse. I started with Gabby Goose, but then I realised she needed someone to talk to."
Brian hopes as many people as possible can read his little collection of animal adventures.
"We've kept the price as low as possible. Each book is basically selling for how much it cost me to print it."
•Books can be bought for $25 each from Keryn on 027 290 4658.
