The idea for Anemone is Not the Enemy began with the title. I felt like there was a story there. Still, it wasn't until one day, on a flight up to Brisbane, I looked out the window down at the coastline and had the idea of the tide rising and falling in a rock pool as a unique plot driver which unlocked the whole story for me.

This book is like a play/theatre set, told almost purely in dialogue with only the characters and tide height changing from scene to scene. I built interest, pace and visual breaks by including two white and neon 'sting pages' and a dark 'despair page'. The final spread shows the rock pool zoomed out – revealing to the reader the answer to Anemone's earlier questions about the ocean beyond.

I hope that readers of this book will discover that if you can empathise with this little sea-creature, you can empathise with people you encounter that may struggle socially. I also hope this book will lead to greater curiosity about coastal rock pools. It's a fascinating world of its own, and I've included some facts on the last page for curious young minds.

Download the activity sheet using the link below.