Real Cowgirl

Isabelle Duff is a farmer, author, and student at the University of New South Wales, where she is studying Advanced Science and Commerce. She has worked on her family farm near Manildra, NSW, where they farm sheep and cattle, and crop. Isabelle is a self-proclaimed ‘tree hugger’, passionate about science and environmental agribusiness. She hopes to one day manage the family business. She has volunteered at her local primary school and is keen to facilitate discussions with children about mental illness, to help reduce stigma and ignorance. Isabelle signed her first publishing contract, for Cookie, with EK Books when she was 18. That book was inspired by her border collie Saffy, and by the Australian bush. The Real Cowgirl is based on her first pony, Bindi, and her friends that make her feel brave. Susannah Crispe is a Canberra-based children’s book illustrator with a background in zoology and art history. She has a degree in Art History from the University of Sydney (2008) and studied Zoology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of New England. Susannah is a largely self-taught artist and works primarily in watercolour and digital collage. Susannah is also a stay-at-home-mum, where reading books with the kids forms a huge part of her everyday routine. Susannah illustrated Isabelle’s first book, Cookie, as well as Where the Heart Is (also with EK Books).

“Sal feels brave and tough when she is with herpony, but scared and anxious at school. In this heart-warming book, Sal learnsto channel her nerves and be her true self, her trusted pony by her side.”- Australian Women’s Weekly