NZ Heralds 2007 top pick!

Publishing picks for the Kiwi kid, By Camilla During

"Gratifyingly, New Zealand publishers continue to serve our children well. If you're looking to fill a few Christmas stockings, here are my picks of some of the best children's reads of the year. For the littlies there is Cork on the Ocean, written by Mark Sommerset and sparingly illustrated by Rowan. Like many successful books ostensibly aged at the younger generation, it works on more than one level. Parents will have great fun reading this adventure to their youngsters."

Cork on the Ocean now in paperback!

"I'm thrilled to have Random House New Zealand release Cork on the Ocean in paperback into the Australasian market" said Cork in a recent interview. "I feel like a surfer who has just landed his first pro-sponsor deal! Now I can focus on my next big adventure."

More fun times at Storylines Festival

Back at the Auckland Storylines family day for a second time. This year we teamed up with Tanya Batt's Imagined Worlds for another eventful day of story telling, drawing and a giant corkboard to pin the days artworks on!

Cork goes potty in Raglan!

By Sarah Steed (Artist and Workshop Coordinator)

Cork on the Ocean sailed into Raglan last month, setting the local children's smiles and giggles afloat. Gathered in the community pottery, all playful hands went to work creating the fabulous characters of the book. Clay was squeezed, rolled, pinched, textured into these wonderful, imaginative creatures, and in no time the children had created a roomful of artistic wonderment, with beautiful butterflies, magical flying fish and leaping dolphins springing up before our very eyes. We at Raglan community pottery would like to say a big thank you to Cork on the Ocean - we all had heaps of fun and the children absolutely loved it!

For information about future workshops visit: www.raglanartscentre.co.nz or phone: (07) 825 0023

A Corker Christmas for Tessa

From Jala - Waiheke, NZ,

"It all started at the Ostend Market on Waiheke Island. My daughter, Tessa (9 years) trotted off to find Chrissy Pressies for her family armed with $30 to buy for Mum, Dad, brother Luke, sister Shannon and everyone else! Cruising the market she came across the book "Cork on the Ocean" and after serious consideration decided to buy the book as a gift to the whole family. She carefully brought it home and wrapped it 50 times in newspaper before placing it in a HUGE box for all the family to spend two weeks anticipating its contents! Xmas day finally arrived and we all opened the big box with great excitement. Once 'discovered', Tessa proceeded to read this very special book to her entire family. This story means so much to us because Tessa took a huge leap that day and jumped over her fear of reading. She read with passion and expression, and brought tears to the eyes of all her family. What a wonderful gift we had! Thank you."

Cork comes to life on Waiheke Island

Pencils scratched, scissors snipped and paint flew. Friday 26th January saw the Once Upon an Island Story Centre turn blue and gold as kids from on and off Waiheke Island went cork crazy. The Occasion? A Cork on the Ocean workshop and performance!

Special thanks to Tanya, Jude, Kelly and all the other helpers for such a fun day. To discover more about Tanya Batt's fabulous Once Upon an Island Story centre visit www.imagined-worlds.net