This playful image is a personally owned photo enhanced by BeFunky AI photo to art editor***

A little story for big hearts

There once was a girl who cared a whole lot.
She cared SO MUCH – she would often get stuck.

She cared about forests and animals and planting trees.
She cared about plastic pollution and saving the seas.

But she also cared about birds and bees and only eating organic veg
She cared about it all so DEEPLY, it nearly drove her over the edge.

She wanted to help, but she didn’t know how,
What could only 1 person do?
Surely you needed a crowd!

Then one day, the girl made a friend.
He cared about Oceans,
But he was at his witt’s end!

His cause had all the data and details, the most convincing facts,
but what he couldn’t quite figure out, was how to stop people in their tracks.

“I know what you need”, said the girl.
“You need a funny face,
Something creative….
to fill their hearts with grace.

So the little girl got working
on a mascot for this cause
It would be a creature from the oceans
that would beckon people to pause.

Oceaneers was all about food choices,
that what you eat reeeeally matters!
Earth breathes lighter when we all eat more plants,
Instead of giant meat and fish platters.

She fashioned her mascot from wetsuit,
bit of leather and an old bicycle tyre.
And so Iggy the Iguana was born
A grinning face for all to inspire

You see Iguanas are an ideal example
of a creature that eats only plants
they still swim fast and climb big rocks
but with their diet, they do no harm.

This doesn’t mean other fish who eat fish are bad…
Nature takes only what she needs
it’s some people who don’t know when enough has been had.

So we send out great big vessels
to TAKE and TAKE and TAKE
from the sea in great big nets
they catch turtles – not just hake!

Iggy’s biggest wish, is that we can overcome this challenge
because if we learn to eat for the oceans
we can restore nature’s harmony and balance. 

This children’s tale is based on true events. Head this way to read about how I really made Iggy the Iguana for an organisation called Oceaneers.

If you liked this writing for children, drop me a comment – my studio pens run on more than just ink!

***If you’re wondering why an artist type would dare use an AI art generator, it’s because illustration is NOT my forte and because sometimes in life we needed a little help getting to where we’re going. I am currently doing children’s book illustration courses and until then, this will have to do.