Lessons in life from an asthmatic cheetah

A SERIES of children’s books has been penned by two Sheffield University graduates.

Kate O’Sullivan, 23, and David Harfield, 24, have worked together on a series entitled Oddtails, which tell the story of unusual animal characters.

The books, which are aimed at five and six year-olds, feature Roy the eagle, who wears glasses for hunting, Milly the asthmatic cheetah and a vegetarian grizzly bear named Kate.

Miss O’Sullivan said: “We live in an increasingly cosmopolitan world, yet children are still teased and bullied and feel left out.

“The books not only represent positive attitudes to disability, something that is scarce amongst young children’s literature, but they also give facts about the animals and the environment.”

The books, which were the brainchild of Miss O’Sullivan during the third year of her degree in international history and international politics at the university, began taking shape after the pair graduated in 2008.

After contacting Sheffield University’s enterprise centre for help with their idea, they were offered an initial grant of 250, followed by a later grant of 750, which enabled them to hire an artist for illustrations, fund printing costs and set up a website.

Miss O’Sullivan added: “We’re thrilled with the book’s success and the grant was essential. We couldn’t have done it without it.”

Over the next year the pair, who now live in London, took the books into schools around the country to see how they were received. They then sent them to a number of publishing houses before getting signed by publisher Loose Chippings.

Mr Harfield, who studied philosophy at the university, said: “I never envisaged this would be what I’m doing now but I just think the book’s message of teaching children to accept individuality and disabilities is quite important.

“Even if one child feels happier about who they are then we will have accomplished something very special.”