Jeanette Goode
ARTIST - WRITER - ILLUSTRATOR
Meet Jeanette Goode
Kia ora, thank you for visiting my website.
I am an artist, author, illustrator and publisher of two children’s books.
I live on the West Coast of the South Island of Aotearoa New Zealand. I was working in the New Zealand film industry when I came here in 2002 to work on a feature film. The filming was delayed and I found myself on the Coast with nothing to do except explore the beaches, the rivers and all the walking tracks. I fell in love with a remarkable, pristine, natural environment.
I decided to give up the fast paced city life and made the move to the Coast. A friend gave me the use of her batch which was built in the rocks right on the edge of the ocean. I shared this home with kororā, little blue penguins, seals and a pair of oyster catchers who nested on a rock outside my front door. It was here in the Crow Bay batch that the story of A Little Blue began. With a lot of help from my community I published A Little Blue in 2020, fifteen years after I wrote the story. Good things take time!
The second book Penguins Don’t Send Postcards was a story that came to me from my friend Dr Julie Leighton who manages the West Coast Wildlife Rescue from her home. I was lucky to spend a summer observing Jack the tawaki. I took lots of photos so when it came time to illustrate the story I had plenty of excellent references.
I am retired, making books is my pleasure.
A Little Blue
My first Childrens book Project
About the Books
A Little Blue is the first book in the series created by Jeanette about threatened species of Aotearoa or New Zealand. It is endorsed by the West Coast Penguin Trust with a donation from every sale of the book going towards conservation and protection of the kororā little blue penguins.
“When I first wrote the draft of A Little Blue I was living on the Coast Road in a little blue batch which was set in the rocks. The waves would sometimes go right under the batch. There were little blue penguins nesting in the flax all around. I now live at the mouth of the Nile river in Charleston that has stuck it is a starkly beautiful place was big dramatic skies surging tides and the constant river. It is home to little blue penguins who have a nesting colony behind the house when I came to live here I felt I was walking into my own story.”
Penguins Don’t Send Postcards is the second book in the series created by Jeanette about threatened species of Aotearoa or New Zealand.
The tawaki, Fiordland Crested Penguins are one of the rarest penguins in the world. They are secretive birds who nest along the South West Coast and islands to the South, including Rakioura Stewart Island. 80% of their life is spent at sea. When an injured tawaki arrived at the Westport Wild Life Rescue for rehabilitation it was a rare opportunity to observe this bird first hand.
Penguins Don’t Send Postcards is the story of Jack the Tawaki who was found in the far north of the North Island, and with help from friends, was sent on his way back to his home in the deep South.
🖤 Many Thanks 🖤
Nic Mclay
My gratitude and thanks to Nic McLay for many hours of volunteer work. Her professional response to my mostly ill informed questions about book design was invaluable. She is a superb book designer and can be contacted on 021993053
The team at Asia Pacific Offset Ltd were a pleasure to work with. They provided first class support for a novice in the book trade. They produced a very fine book.
Development West Coast
I would like to thank the Development West Coast for support small business development through the Co-Starters Business Development Course. It gave me the knowledge and confidence to go ahead and self publish A Little Blue.
EPIC & Nomad Audio
I would like to thank EPIC Kawatiri Westport and Nomad Audio and Video for making the production of a promotional video possible. The result surpasses all expectation. Thanks to Daimon of Nomad for finding the story with in the story I didn’t know was there.
The Media Team
Thanks to Bill De Frieze and Peter Archibald who, at very short notice, managed to create an excellent video for the Boosted Campaign.
You are my heroes.
Polly Rabbits
Thanks to Polly Rabbits of Paw Print Designs for her support and professional service as book designer for Penguin’s Don’t Send Postcards.
Boosted Campign Supporters
Ngā mihi maioha to family, friends and people unknown to me for the generous donations made to the BOOSTED Campaign and to the team at BOOSTED, who work to provide a funding platform for the Arts In Aotearoa.
Without your support the publication of Penguins Don’t Send Postcards, would not happen.
