Iris's Ukelele - Tom Fitzgibbon prize winner published

Iris's Ukelele - Kathy Taylor - Scholastic - RRP$19.50

A story (for 10 years +) about a vampire rap musical and a strong friendship … and dreams of a shiny new purple ukulele.

 Iris wants to be the best rapper and ukulele player in the whole of the entire universe.  Preferably with her best friend ever, and fellow Master of the Musical Universe, Sidney, at her side. They’re even writing a rap musical together, and Iris hopes they’ll win the talent competition which will enable her to buy the new purple ukulele that she covets. But then she and Sidney fall out, much drama ensues, and Iris discovers what’s most important in life. 

                                            

About the author 

Kathy Taylor has wanted to be an author ever since she entered a writing competition sponsored by an ice cream company and won a copy of Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer for her efforts.  She was seven and her story was about an ice-cream-eating dinosaur.

These days, when she's not stuck at her desk job in a high-rise Wellington office building, or running around after her family, Kathy enjoys watching reality television shows, trawling through op shops in search of hidden treasure, and playing Trivial Pursuit and other board games.  On the odd occasion she finds time to write.  One day she plans to read Tom Sawyer.

Kathy is really interested in popular culture and while Iris’s Ukulele was forming in her head, vampires and werewolves seemed to be everywhere – on the TV, in books and films.  Ukulele orchestras were also growing in popularity, and she began to think about a main character that was influenced by these things.

Also, Kathy remembers wanting to be famous when she grew up – something that she shares with Iris! Iris’s Ukulele won the Tom Fitzgibbon award in 2011 and is published this month.