Oscar-nominated, Naramata writer pens book for kids
Naramata-based writer Terri Tatchell is hoping people will warm up to pangolins as she releases her new children’s book today, “Adventures of a Pangopup,” on what’s National Wildlife Day.
This is the second entry in Tatchell’s “Endangered and Misunderstood” series of illustrated children’s books, a passion project for Tatchell, an Academy Award-nominated screenwriter.
“All these animals nobody has ever heard of and they’re on the brink of extinction,” said Tatchell, adding she is always for the underdog.
“They’re really cool and really interesting.” A pangopup is a baby pangolin, the world’s most-trafficked mammal, a creature very few people have ever heard of.
Pangolins are the only mammals covered entirely in scales. Their meat is considered a delicacy and their scales are used in traditional medicine.
Originally, the book’s title was supposed to be “Adventures of a Pangolin;” however, after the pangolin received blame as a possible source for COVID-19, Tatchell changed the title to “Adventures of a Pangopup.”
“On one hand, the timing is great to spread some positivity their way, but on the other hand, who wants to snuggle up for a bedtime story about the creature allegedly responsible for cancelled playdates and getting locked inside?,” said Tatchell.
Tatchell grew up in Vancouver: however, for the last three years she and her husband, filmmaker Neill Blomkamp, had been straddling Naramata and Vancouver, trying to decide where to live.
When the COVID-19 pandemic began in March, they decided to stay tucked away in cozy Naramata.
“The longer we stayed here, the more we realized this was definitely home now,” said Tatchell.
While she is best known for her science fiction work — Tatchell nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and won the Bradbury Award from the
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America for her work on “District 9” — she has always wanted to write children’s literature.
Tatchell said science fiction and children’s literature have many similarities.
“They’re both a great vehicle for talking about other things masked in the story,” she said.
Tatchell tells the stories with humour and heart to raise awareness about the animals to kids, as well as giving parents and grandparents a vehicle to have conversations about uncomfortable things that happen in the world.
Each book in the series comes with a funfact sheet, and a website offers free resources and lesson plans for parents and teachers.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Tatchell visited preschools in Toronto and Vancouver and was set to do story times across Canada at Indigo.
She was surprised to find her favourite part of the creating the “Endangered and Misunderstood” series was reading her stories to children at story times and hearing their questions and feedback.
All money earned from sales of the “Endangered and Misunderstood” series will go to charities working toward protecting endangered animals.
Since releasing the first book in the series, “Aye-Aye Gets Lucky,” Endangered and Misunderstood has donated $1,500 to the Duke Lemur Centre for Aye-Aye Conservation, adopting their Aye-Aye, Agatha.
“Adventures of a Pangopup” is now available online, at Indigo Books and at Once Upon A Bookstore on Tutt Street in Kelowna.
The third book in the series, “Okapi Loves his Zebra Pants,” is set for release on Feb. 14, 2021.
“District 9,” released in 2009, was nominated for four Academy Awards including best picture and best adapted screenplay. (“Precious” took home the statuette that year.) Tatchell and Blomkamp also received a Golden Globe Award nomination.
Her other screenplays include “Chappie,” and “Adicolor Yellow.”