Terra Tots Tales

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Terra Tots Tales

Hi! I’m Jess, a teacher, mum and the heart behind Terra Tots. I love writing stories that my children and children like them can truly relate to.

I believe in creating stories where kids can see themselves and their everyday adventures on the page.

18/08/2026

There's something satisfying about wrapping something you've poured your heart into.

11/08/2026

My writing process usually goes something like this...

1. Get ridiculously excited about a shiny new idea.
2. Brainstorm like a genius.
3. Write the entire manuscript in a few sittings while the words are magically flowing.
4. Spend weeks convincing myself every second word is wrong and edit 5,163,745,178,263,54 times 😅

Okay, I exaggerated! This was my 7th or 8th edit... With each edit, I focus on something different:

First, I look at the story as a whole. For this manuscript, I broke it into five sections: scene setting and introducing the problem, three increasingly difficult challenges, and finally the mastery moment.

Next, I revisit my goals and make sure I've actually achieved what I set out to do.

Then I look at the word count, word choice, and whether the language suits my target audience.

After that, I ask myself what can be removed from the text and shown through illustrations instead.

Even though at this point I've probably read the manuscript 100 times, I still do a rhythm check. Originally, I wanted to write in an anapestic rhythm, but I eventually let that idea go. I realised I was forcing the words to fit the meter, and the story was losing its strength. Instead, I aimed for three to five strong beats per line (usually four) with the beats spaced as evenly as possible. That's what's highlighted in this photo.

I also counted the syllables in each line, not because I'm aiming for perfect consistency, but because it helps me spot where I've become too wordy.

Once that's done, I map the manuscript into spreads and think carefully about page turns to build suspense and make sure each page has enough breathing room.

Now, even though I'm calling this manuscript "finished," there are still two lines I want to add where I replaced an entire verse with an illustration.

Once those final tweaks are in, I'll lay the manuscript out on the pages, do one last spelling and grammar check, and then hand it over to some fresh eyes. Because no matter how many times I've read it, there's always something someone else will spot!

06/08/2026

At the beginning of this year, I had an idea for a children's picture book and to throw out a wild statement - this story has not been told before!

Seven months later... the manuscript is finished!

I had a few goals for this story:
* Create a rhyming read-aloud for children aged 3–8.
* Get outdoor families giggling together.
* Celebrate a positive mindset, perseverance and resilience.
* Encourage children to care for nature through minimal-impact practices.

Finishing the manuscript is a huge milestone, but it's only the beginning.

I'll be sharing this journey over the coming months. For now, though, the title is staying a secret...

But go on, have a guess 😄

04/08/2026

I've been meaning to make our family tree for quite some time mainly so the kids can work out which cousins belong to which uncle... we've had a bit of confusion 😂

The kids loved collecting the gum leaves, but at the time Mia wasn't interested in the leaf shading. I should have showed her an example first because since then she's been coming back to it and has really enjoyed exploring all the different patterns and textures. Both kids loved gluing the faces on!

It's found a home on our fridge and they interact with it multiple times a day (we actually created this a couple weeks ago now).

02/08/2026

A different kind of bushcraft this week...

We made chocolate! Flavoured with one of Australia's incredible native ingredients - lemon myrtle.

Years ago, while working out of Darwin, I met one of the owners behind Kakadu Plum Co. It's been great to reconnect with their products, conveniently at their beautiful store here in Mordialloc! They have a wonderful selection of native foods/spices, books, soaps, lotions, gifts and more. Check them out!

30/07/2026

A fresh new look for We're Going to Have a Baby!

This was one of the very first books I created, and while I've always loved the story, Terra Tots has evolved since then and I wanted this book to reflect the same nature-inspired style and warmth as the rest of the collection.

Timelapses are so satisfying. It's amazing how a project that took me nearly two weeks can be condensed into 30 seconds and appear effortless!

If you'd like to see more pages, click here: https://terratots.com.au/b/H3ihw

28/07/2026

Some wintry days, when we're all feeling a bit run down, we bring nature play indoors.

Last week we made these little "candle bowls" and they were such a hit!

This activity was so simple! The kids loved running the sand through their fingers, carefully arranging our little collection of nature treasures, and, of course, blowing out the candles… why wait for birthdays 😅

*The cowrie shell is one I collected as a child, before I knew any better!

23/07/2026

The struggle is real 😂

21/07/2026

Our gumnut tunnel entertained the kids for ages!

16/07/2026

Sun catchers ☀️

Made with cereal boxes, glue, scissors, and pressed flowers. Such a simple nature craft with beautiful results!

Address

Carrum Downs
Carrum Downs, VIC
3201

Website

https://terratots.com.au/

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