Christine Durkin

In the marshes, bogs, and creeks of rural Wisconsin, I found my first friends: the frogs, turtles, and hawks that inspired a lifelong love of nature.

Rainy days sent me indoors to get lost in countless books, where I discovered the power of words to capture that same wonder.

My first series, "The Adventures of Walter the Frog", are born from this childhood blend of outdoor exploration and literary magic, written to ignite a sense of adventure in young readers and show them the magic waiting just outside their door.

(Mostly though, they're ridiculous stories about a giggle-inducing, misbehaving, lovable frog.)

My newest release, Inky and Me, is a sweet "girl meets cat" love story crafted for ages 2 to 4. Packed with playful rhyme and bouncy rhythm, it guides little ones from a stormy initial encounter into an action-packed day of imagination, before softly settling into a peaceful nap between two inseparable friends.

Though now retired, I've enjoyed working with animal advocacy efforts like trap, spay and release rescues and fostering. Today, my two daughters and three grandchildren carry on that mission, making animal rescue, rehabilitation and adoption a central, ongoing part of their lives.