Wolverhampton author is shining a light on brilliant bogs
When Jessica Law heard her second picture book, The Rattlin’ Bog, was going to be published, she more was than a little surprised.
She had first written the story, inspired by an Irish folk song, in 2017, following success with her first children’s book, A Hole in the Bottom of the Sea. But, when she didn’t hear back from the publisher after submitting her manuscript, Jessica assumed it wasn't suitable.
Then, in April last year, she was contacted out of the blue by Barefoot Books, who wanted to publish The Rattlin’ Bog.
“When I didn’t hear back from the publisher, I put the idea of writing children’s books out of my head. It was a shock when they said they wanted to publish it after all this time,” says Jessica, who grew up in Wolverhampton.
The sing-along picture book for ages three to seven aims to foster an appreciation for an under-valued wildlife haven: the peat bog.
Jessica’s interest in the natural environment developed from a young age thanks to visits to Penn Common and local ancient bluebells woods.
After attending Highfields School and later Wolverhampton Girls’ High School, she graduated from Oxford University with a degree in biological sciences.
Since then Jessica has worked in community education and science communication and also several years writing for the nature conservation charity BirdLife International.
The opportunity to publish her first children’s book came while working in a bookshop delivering children’s activities, based in the same building as the publisher's offices.
One day, she plucked up the courage to submit her CV with a sample of her writing to the editor.
Her timing turned out to be perfect because the publisher was looking for someone to write a book about sea creatures and Jessica’s biology degree made her the ideal candidate.
“It shows it’s worth putting yourself out there because the worst that can happen is they say ‘no’. It’s better to have tried and get rejected than to not have tried at all,” says Jessica.
A Hole in the Bottom of the Sea, which went on to sell more than 56,000 copies, became a popular educational resource worldwide and could be found in schools and libraries across Wolverhampton.
The sing-along book was also chosen as the BookTrust National Bookstart Week book in 2016.
Illustrated by Jill McDonald, the story focuses on the marine food chain.
The Rattlin’ Bog, which features illustrations by Brian Fitzgerald and music by The Speks, follows a similar format. It uses the traditional Irish folk song of the same name to teach children about life cycles in nature and real-life peat bogs.
“As a child, my friends and I loved to sing the Irish folk song The Rattlin’ Bog to while away long car journeys. Rattlin is an Irish word for great or brilliant, and I had the idea of adapting the song to show children just how great peat bogs really are,” says Jessica.
Vivid drawings by Irish illustrator Brian show the incredible variety of species that call peat bogs home, including foxes, lizards, dragonflies, waterbirds, and even the carnivorous Sundew Plant.
A staunch peat bog advocate, he dedicates the book “To the Irish Peatland Conservation Council, who strive to protect the bogs of Ireland”.
“Because of their flat, windswept appearance and waterlogged terrain, people often think of peat bogs as barren wastelands – places to be ignored and avoided or, worse, drained for farmland or dug up for fuel,” says Jessica.
“By showing the ways in which a peat bog can support a thriving variety of life, from hatching birds to growing trees, I hope to dispel the ‘barren wasteland’ stereotype once and for all,” she adds.
The book also includes a recording of the song by The Speks, Ireland’s first traditional folk band for children.
Fun facts at the end of the book expand on the wildlife and themes mentioned in the song, including a simple explanation of peat bogs’ role in the fight against climate change.
“As layers of dead plants pack down on top of each other over the centuries, huge amounts of carbon are stored underground, meaning peat bogs store twice as much carbon as all the world’s forests,” says Jessica.
“Children today are spending less time in nature than any previous generation. And if they aren’t aware of nature, they’re less likely to want to protect it.
“I hope that my book inspires children to be proud of their natural heritage and to safeguard the amazing flora and fauna that call peat bogs home – for nature’s benefit, and for ours.”
The Rattlin’ Bog is available from the Barefoot Books website, all online book vendors, and numerous book shops.
