‘Letters From The Ocean’ Teaches Kids An Important Message

By Sam Gillespie

A local author is hoping to educate the children of Australia on ocean conservation through a series of letters written by her character Tommy the Farting Turtle.

When lockdown hit, Lisa Thompson combined her passions for ocean animals and whimsy and wrote Tommy the Farting Turtle and his Adventures, a children’s book that even ended up in the hands of George Clooney and Sarah Ferguson.

Now, she’s continuing her pursuit of ocean education, writing ‘Letters from the Ocean’, a series of letters about sea creatures who have been rescued and released back to the ocean.

“I do a lot of research and talk to lots of places that rescue sea creatures around Australia and the world,” Ms Thompson said.

“I talk to some pretty interesting people.”

Ms Thompson hopes to start a subscription service where children will receive letters from Tommy telling his tale of marine friends being rescued, sharing that message of ocean care.

Growing up in Picton, New Zealand, Ms Thompson grew up on boats and has long had a love for the ocean.

“We need to teach our next generation how to preserve our oceans and sea life because when we’re not here, who will?” she said.

Stories range from a whale being rescued from a net in the New York harbour to pelican rescues in the southeast of Australia and are written in rhyme to appeal to a young audience.

On top of the letters, which are intended to be delivered once a month either physically or digitally, Ms Thompson dreams of travelling Australia and visiting schools, teaching children how to care for our oceans.

“I think it’d be really cool for kids who live in the middle of Australia nowhere near the beach to hopefully be inspired to become a marine biologist,” she said.

For more information or to find out how to get involved, email bridgenick@hotmail.com.

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Lisa Thompson hopes to teach kids how to care for our oceans. Photo supplied