Author: P.G.Rob
Located in: New Zealand
Submitted: April 05, 2026
Tell us a little about yourself. Hello from the South Pacific where I live and work with my sea captain and chief engineer husband Jean-Claude and our family. Thankyou for this opportunity.For many years we have served on christian medical ships in the South Pacific islands.I am author,illustrator and publisher of the Captain Bear and the crew of the Marie Grace series which includes a hard cover edition of 'A Christmas Tale.' Our books are a source of self support for our service on board the ships. We live on boats for extended periods of time .I am a trained school teacher and have worked with island children.I use my God given illustrating and writing gifts to glorify the Lord .as best I can.
What was your motivation behind this project? We also have travelled on France's canals by barge and here I learned and sketched the barges ,the creatures that live along the canals and
learned of the history of horse drawn barges. There were otters who swam near us and a lone fox who stopped by one morning. I take sketch books wherever we travel. I was an Art teacher in New Zealand schools and also taught in 'ship's school' as we take crew families onboard.
What do you hope folks will gain from this project? I would like children to know the history of canalboats and also the workings of boats such as the steering equipment and also I include in each book some information on God's wonderful creatures and how animals instinctively know God . Children and animals have much to teach us adults about simple kindness, friendship and faith. In my latest book in the series subtitled "A Wild Bee Tale' the reader discovers how important bees are to our beautiful world as Captain Bear and crew rescue them. I worked with two beekeepers to understand the bees' world.
How were you personally impacted by working on this project? In each book I am always impacted with how much God cares for his creation and how beautifully designed his creatures are. Creating a book slows me down to consider His creation. I learn as I go, just as a child does.I see how skilled mariners like my husband Jean-Claude ,are-he has been on boats since 11 years old. Being at sea for long periods of time teaches one patience and develops an awe of His creation. We see Him at work far out at sea, in an albatross who flys alongside the 'Bridge' and looks at we humans inside and in the dolphins who play around the ships ,in the creatures who inhabit the shores we visit.And always the children who live on these shores.
Who are your influences, sources of inspiration or favorite authors / artists? I have studied children's literature and love C.S. Lewis's Narnia series and Tolkein's Lord of the Rings -the film series of the latter set in New Zealand in the wild areas I like to return to .As an illustrator I enjoy Quentin Blake's free style and Beatrix Potters sympathy for animals and beautiful water colours which medium I also work in.
Anything else you'd like readers / listeners to know: It is my hope that young readers might be inspired to become adventurous and explore God's wonderful creation for themselves.
