Farm tales: Taranaki rural schools visited by children's author Jennifer Somervell

Jennifer Somervell with Toko and Marco school students. Photo / Supplied

Tales of blowing up an old farm shed, catching an eel and childhood adventure has inspired rural students.

Author Jennifer Somervell and her husband Ken Fletcher visited seven schools across Taranaki earlier this year.

She has published five stories in her Tales from the Farm book series.

Jennifer and Ken have been visiting schools across the country for the past five years.

"It first started when Ken had a conference in Napier. I thought it would be great to go to Napier as well but I had to find a way to fund it.I contacted schools in the area about me coming to visit the pupils. They were all interested and I've been visiting schools ever since."

Jennifer and Ken hold classes for the pupils which include storytelling, drama performances and discussing the processes of writing and publishing a story book.

"The stories are based on my childhood growing up in southern Hawke's Bay. My first story The Day Dad Blew Up The Cowshed was originally a poem I wrote after recording my father talking about using gelignite to clear an old cowshed to make way for a new rotary shed in 1970," Jennifer says.

She says she originally published 500 copies of the story, which sold out in eight months.
"Eight years later, it is still selling. The success showed me there was a place in the market for these types of stories."

One of the schools Jennifer visited while in Taranaki was Toko School.

"I love Taranaki, it was great to see the mountain. I hadn't been there since 2016. The session at Toko had students from Marco and Huiakama schools as well. It was great we were able to finally visit the schools. The pupils were brilliant. They asked very interesting questions. Rural children connect with the stories and I love seeing them enjoy the stories. It's important to nurture their interest in writing at that age."

She says children are surprised by the nature of her stories.

"Some of the stories are outrageous and stranger than fiction. Things common in 1970 are not common today. It's completely strange to children. I always get the question 'Did that really happen'?"

She says the stories are a family effort.

"My husband creates a non-fiction section for the back of the book with background information. My sister, Margery Fern, illustrates the stories. She said she always wanted to be a children's book illustrator so it's worked quite well. We're a very good team."

Ken and Jennifer are part of the Writers In Schools programme by Read New Zealand and Creative New Zealand, which subsidises the cost of author visits for schools.

"It's great as it allows little rural schools to be visited by authors. The programme is very supportive and encourages reading and writing in New Zealand schools."

Jennifer's books are available from Paper Plus in Stratford and Hāwera and www.talesfromthefarm.co.nz

■ The Stratford Press has a copy of The day Dad Blew Up The Cowshed to give away. To be in to win, email alyssa.smith@nzme.co.nz with a name, contact phone number and address. Alternatively call 06 969 4022. Competition closes Wednesday, December 16.