Knotty Wood

About the Book

The forest where Duck lived caught fire from the heat of the sun. Duck and all the animals fled to safety. All alone, tired and hungry, not able to find his Mom and Dad sad little Duck fell asleep only to be discovered by Maggie Magpie the next morning. She takes him to her home in Knotty Wood were creatures from all over the world live happily together. Mystery and intrigue starts to evolve around a thin scraggy scare crow bird that has lived in the wood for many years his name is George. George is a special friend to all the animals and birds because they believe the wood belongs to him and he planted all the trees in Knotty Wood. This puzzled little Duck because most of the trees appeared to be well over a hundred years old. Even when the GREAT BATTLE erupted and men began to cut down trees, every creature big and small fought for days to stop the destruction of 'George's Wood'. A new friend of Ducks called Bertie Blackbird was shocked when told an unbelievable, crazy, impossible story called THE GREAT MOVE. How George had moved rivers, barns, fields and lakes to a new location. Who was George? Who was Thoth? Why did Thoth the moon god with magic powers suddenly appear with his sacred Ibis bird? Duck certainly was very confused also very excited. He happily finds his Mom and Dad at an incredible REST CENTRE teaching damaged animals how to look after themselves. Having always loved solving mysteries, Duck proudly announces to his Mom and Dad that he has been made 'MYSTERY SOLVER OF KNOTTY WOOD', but will he be able to solve all the secrets and mysteries of Knotty Wood and find answers to so many questions?

About the Author

Two years ago Barbara, her husband Jack and daughter Emma together with their animals moved to the Eastern Cape South Africa. Barbara and Jack to open an art gallery in St Francis Bay and Emma to attend the University in Port Elizabeth for a B.A. in Media and Communications. Son David, his wife Michelle and grandson Adam happily not far away in Cape Town also have an art gallery. Barbara and Jack are totally involved with all aspects of their gallery as well as photography, writing, painting, design and architecture living in a wonderful environment close to the sea. Recently they made a new 'friend' a Cape Clawless Otter on an early morning walk. Their dogs mesmerised and puzzled watched as this strange creature splashed around in the waves a couple of meters away teasing and showing off. Olly Wolly is his name now and he is included in Barbara's next book. This kind of incidence of which there are many, together with hundreds of bedtime stories Emma was told when very young at home in England, led to Emma convincing Mom to write the stories down. Knotty Wood: Secret of the Sacred Ibis is the first.

All this is far removed from the hectic professional life of lecturing and design work in her home country. After seven years full time study, graduating with 1st class honours from the Royal College of Art London UK, she went on to lecture for 12 years in architecture, environmental design and art in London. During the same period producing designs for hotels throughout England and Sri Lanka. Interiors for Mbale Cathedral Uganda, holiday village in Greece, sailing school in Scotland, exhibitions in Germany, England and Milan, art critic for the National Newspaper, and buyer and valuer of art works for the National Gallery of Zimbabwe and the Museum of African Art in Belgium etc etc.

Now in the harmony of St. Francis where birds, animals, whales, dolphins and seals live against a backdrop of tremendous winds, incredible sky formations and thundering waves Barbara is free to pursue painting, design, writing and research, areas of great interest that will eventually help in different ways to contribute to conservation and wild life.