Jillian S. Burgess
Jillian Burgess is an Australian speech communication specialist with a love of teaching. Over a career spanning 50 years, she has taught thousands of students from across Australia and to the world stage.
She is Vice President of the Australian Speech Communication Association (ASCA) and has examined and adjudicated since 1984. She is a founding member of the Australian Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships (AIDPSC) and the Australasian Debating and Public Speaking Championships (ADPSC).
Her love of storytelling and language acquisition led to her writing The Mumbling Gum Blossom, a Year 2 play written in 1995. This fictional story evolved from the play in the hope it will assist children to speak out confidently, to say their name with pride and ownership, and to always remember the value of friendship.
The inspiration to use and animate the Australian flora and fauna came from Jillian and her husband, Lester’s interest in plants and animals throughout their travels and camping adventures across the country and beyond.
This is her first foray into children’s fiction. Jillian lives in Sydney with her husband Lester, together they both travel frequently visiting family around Australia.
The illustrator, Olivia Anne Johnstone, is an Australian school student who uses water colour and black ink outline which is a component of her signature art style.