When South Coast teacher Leisa McMahon decided to write a children’s picture book, she began looking for an illustrator to bring her ideas to life.

Leisa, a primary school educator and avid reader, has seen first-hand the positive impact a love of literacy can have on young lives.

So, in 2020, she took the plunge and put pen to paper, writing the first draft of My Favourite Things, a picture book based on cherished childhood memories that brought her moments of pure joy. Things like reading Enid Blyton’s The Magic Faraway Tree, summer holidays camping, or foraging on the beach for treasures.

Once Leisa had the bones of the story she began searching for a local artist to bring her words to life. When she discovered Figtree artist Claudia Shalala, who sells her art work through The Collective in Gerringong and Kiama, she knew she had hit the jackpot.

COVID made face-to-face interactions impossible but the pair managed to interpret each other’s ideas and, after four years of toil, create My Favourite Things, which was published earlier this year.

“I saw Claudia’s artwork on a Gerringong Community Facebook page and it was exactly what I was looking for,” Leisa says. “We only met once in person, due to COVID, but there was an immediate connection. Her paintings were outstanding, and she really understood my journey as a child. She was able to interpret my memories and her work complemented my story beautifully.”

As part of the creative process, the pair would chat and Claudia would draw a quick sketch based on their conversation and send it to Leisa for her tick of approval. Claudia eventually created 10 original acrylic artworks to visually bring Leisa’s words to life.

“Every artwork was done very casually through conversations, with Leisa telling me about the things she loved about her childhood, like picking seashells up off the beach,” explains Claudia. “I was given free rein which really works for me, micromanaging does not work with artists.” 

Both Leisa and Claudia have been following their passion from a young age. Claudia, who has a Bachelor of Commerce degree and works in a lab, has been painting since she was eight. She began selling her work, Emely handmade giftware, at markets 15 years ago and her art “really took off”. 

“I always tell my kids if you're lucky enough to have a passion and make some money from it you’re winning,” says Claudia. “It brings me so much joy and is a form of therapy.”

Leisa, who is also a counsellor, has dreamed of writing her own picture book “for as long as I can remember”. The creative writing process was a “healing journey”.

“I have been reading to kids all my life, I love children’s literature and I believe we all have a story to tell,” she says. “We discover as adults that all these precious things we did as children brought us so much joy. The book is a way of showing young readers that love is out there to find. we've just got to open our eyes to find it.” 

Leisa’s students became her audience through the drafting process and she admits she had a few critics. 

“I would take samples into classrooms to read to my students, and the feedback was always brutally honest,” she laughs. “One little boy in kindergarten asked me if I had any books about monster trucks, but I was writing from experience and I have no experience of monster trucks! I want to inspire and help children to make connections and

discover what touches their hearts. If I’ve touched one heart then I’ve done what I set out to do.”

My Favourite Things is available to order on Leisa’s instagram page leisamaree2.