Teddies get a second outing in new book

KINDNESS changes the attitude of a troll in the latest children’s book by Ballarat’s Margaret Pym.

Pym wrote, illustrated and self-published her first book, Tedville The Secret World of Teddy Bears, in 2022 and has now followed up with the second in the series, Tedville The Secret World of Teddy Bears Part 2.

The story is about four teddies living in a small fishing village in Gippsland who one day set off for a picnic and come face to face with their arch enemy, a troll.

The inspiration for the first book came from a watercolour painting that Pym was completing at her art class as part of an assignment exploring the notion of architecture meeting fantasy, and on completion an idea began to evolve.

“The ideas just kept coming,” Pym said.

“I’ve sold quite a few of the first book. People that buy it seem to love it.

“I wrote the second one because I wanted to finish the story. I was trying to stamp out some trolls.”

Suffice it to say, Pym’s methodology for stamping out trolls combats the negativity of trollism with kindess.

“I like a happy ending. It’s meant to be a feel-good book. I guess I want a better world,” she said.

“They say that everyone’s got a book in them. So it was in there somewhere.

“I’m just going to keep on with painting for now but it is possible I could do another one. I won’t rule it out.”

Pym’s foray into children’s book writing and illustrating followed her retirement after working as a medical receptionist and, before that, in book-keeping and accounts.

Both books are available online at tedville.etsy.com and the first book in the series is stocked at Collins Booksellers, Bridge Mall, with the creator hoping to see the second in the series follow suit.