Exploring the depths

Feedback from her young fans caused Pukerua Bay author Gillian Candler to bump back a few books and write about what lies beneath New Zealand’s deep blue sea.

‘‘It wasn’t necessarily on our list of books we were planning to write,’’ she said of her third book, Under the Ocean.

When she was reading her last book, At the Beach, to children at schools they kept taking the conversation further and wanting to talk about what was under the water.

‘‘They would launch into stories about sharks and stingrays and octopuses and we realised that we had to write a book about the ocean.’’

She worked with Karori-based illustrator Ned Barraud on the project.

Inspiration for the book was not hard with a view of the ocean from her writing desk.

‘‘At one stage when I was writing this I looked up and saw dolphins.’’

The publisher-turned-author writes books that help children to explore the world around them.

‘‘What is really important is that children in New Zealand know about their environment.

‘‘Many adults tell me they have learnt a lot from reading these books to their children.’’

Under the Ocean features yellow- beaked penguins and other New Zealand sea creatures. It costs $19.99 paperback or $29.99 hardcover.

Candler’s next book will be called In the Bush and she hopes to have it out next year.

Her previous books are In the Garden and At the Beach.