Rosie Boom
Rosie Boom, author, speaker and singer/songwriter, lives with her husband Chris and their six children on a small lifestyle block near Whangarei. She spent her childhood in the jungles of New Guinea, and wrote her first short story there at age nine. It won an Australasian short story competition and Rosie received a first edition copy of The Fellowship of the Ring as a prize. She is a registered nurse, and worked for a year in Borneo before returning to NZ to marry Chris. They have six children whom Rosie home schools. She speaks at many homeschooling conventions and parenting workshops throughout NZ and overseas. She began writing in earnest in 1999 and a number of her short stories and articles have been published in the N.Z. School Journal and overseas magazines. She has had six books published and is currently working on the next books in two different series. Her first series, The Gift of Values, reflects Rosie’s passion for family. In her latest series, The Barn Chronicles, Rosie shares with other families about the fun and adventures the Boom family has experienced as they make their home in a 90-year-old barn on their land. Rosie’s sense of humour and taste for adventure has ensured that this series is loved by children and parents alike. The first book in the series, Where Lions Roar at Night, recently won the 2010 Australasian CALEB Children’s Book Award. The second book in the series, Where Arrows Fly, won the same prize in 2011. For more information visit www.rosieboom.com
Genre:
Skills:
- Children's Fiction
Branch:
Northland
Location:
Whangarei
Publications:
Publication #1
Where Arrows Fly
Publication #2
Where Lions Roar at Night
Where the Crickets Sing
WINNER 2013 CHRISTIAN SMALL PUBLISHERS INTERNATIONAL BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD CHILDREN’S CATEGORY (8-12 years)
FINALIST 2012 CALEB PRIZE BEST CHILDREN’S BOOK
Going on the pony trek to the beach is a dream come true for twelve-year-old Milly— trekking over high hills, swimming Peony in the sea, galloping along the beach. But when tragedy strikes, the excitement turns to tears.
Adventures, dramas, laughter and some tears are all part of the rich tapestry of the Boom family’s third year of living in their ninety-year-old barn. Milly’s days are full to the brim as she cares for her animals, milks her cow, enjoys adventures with her brothers and sisters, and helps Mum and Dad build the new family home. She is as happy as a cricket. But that doesn’t stop her lying awake at night, dreaming of hitching Peony to a wagon, climbing into the high wagon seat and picking up the reins……
Where the Crickets Sing by Rosie Boom is a warm-hearted, engaging book for the whole family to enjoy. The third book in the multi-award-winning series, The Barn Chronicles, it invites readers to join the Boom family in another year of homesteading in rural New Zealand.
The first book in the series, Where Lions Roar at Night, won the 2010 CALEB prize for Best Children’s Book, and the sequel, Where Arrows Fly, was awarded the same prize in 2011.
Where the Crickets Sing is printed with a hard cover and navy cloth spine; 283 pages and over 90 pencil illustrations.
“There is something about reading of life in the Boom’s barn that creates the warmest of family bonds. I can’t really describe it, but it’s there.” Veronica, mother
“Destined to be a classic.” Peter Harris, author
“A lovely family read that will keep young adventurers, boy and girl, riveted to the page.” Jenny Waldron, mother
“The Barn Chronicles are the best books I have ever read! They are full of fun, adventures, celebrations, broken legs, and heaps more! I would love to live in a barn like that and live on that property with a river, animals, swings, eels and everything else!” Maria, 10
“Full of family high-jinks and laughter.” Sandra, mother
“A modern-day ‘Little House on the Prairie’ – and every bit as charming as that classic. My daughter was just spellbound as we read The Barn Chronicles. Though they were family read-alouds she kept sneaking off with them to read ahead. In an era where wholesome, fun children’s novels are increasingly hard to come by, this series is a gem.” Lisa Taylor, author
Where the River Rises
WINNER 2014 CHRISTIAN SMALL PUBLISHERS INTERNATIONAL BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD CHILDREN’S CATEGORY (8-12 years)
As the Boom family begins a fourth year of living in their ninety-three-year-old barn, a terrible drought has Northland in its grip. The land turns brown, the Great River of Narnia falls, and the animals begin to suffer. As the relentless drought continues, thirteen-year-old Milly begins to think the rains will never come. But meanwhile there is a homestead to be finished and adventures to be had. There are calves to rear, gardens to plant and endless firewood to be collected. When the drought finally breaks and the river rises again, The Ruins have been transformed into a home crafted with love, blood, sweat and tears. Milly can hardly wait to move in. The time has come to leave the barn and begin a whole new adventure…
Where the River Rises is a warm-hearted, engaging book for the whole family to enjoy. The fourth and final book in the multi-award-winning series, The Barn Chronicles, it invites readers to join the Boom family in another year of homesteading in rural New Zealand.
The first book in the series, Where Lions Roar at Night, won the 2010 CALEB prize for Best Children’s Book, and the sequel, Where Arrows Fly, was awarded the same prize in 2011. Where the Crickets Sing was a finalist in the same award in 2012 and the winner of the 2012 Christian Small Publishers International Book of the Year Award Children’s Category (8-12 years)
"The Barn Chronicles are amazing! 10/10! I love how the series is funny, adventurous and exciting. I sometimes wish I lived in the barn but I live on a farm so it’s pretty much just as good. I love animals and enjoy reading about the horses, ducks, chickens, Prince Caspian and Angel. I will also always remember John the Baptist, the retarded but lovely rooster — R.I.P. I definitely recommend this series for all ages. Awesome!" Annelies, 10
“A modern-day Little House on the Prairie – and every bit as charming as that classic. My daughter sat spellbound as we read The Barn Chronicles. Though they were family read–alouds she kept sneaking off with them to read ahead. In an era where wholesome, fun, children’s novels are increasingly hard to come by, this series is a gem.” Lisa Taylor, mother, author of Motive Games
"The Barn Chronicles series is fabulous! I can never stop reading them. Once I did a ‘Rosie Boom book marathon’ and read the first three books in four days! Every time Mum orders the next book, I flip straight to the back to see if it says, ‘to be continued’. I’m thrilled when it does. They are such excellent books!" Erica Dekker, 11
"The Barn Chronicles series has charm and simplicity and reminds me very much of the beloved Laura Ingalls Wilder series. The illustrations are precious." Beverly McCord, USA
"I love your books, The Barn Chronicles. They are amazing, with all the adventures and drama! When I read them, I feel drawn into the story as though I am living it. I can’t wait to read the next one." Elisabeth
"Thanks so much also for sharing your barn adventures. Our entire family (mum, dad, 5 and 6 year old) is hooked!" Jeanne-Marie, mother
"I wish they would never end." Jane
Where the Jungle Calls
WINNER 2021 CHRISTIAN INDIE AWARD CHILDREN’S CATEGORY (8-12 years)
Rose lives in the big city. But one day her life changes forever…
Rose, her twin sister Penny and their brother Peter find themselves swept away into a great adventure, sailing the blue Pacific to a mission school deep in the jungles of Papua.
There they become adventurers and explorers in their own wild kingdom. They swim and fish in the rivers and make huts and gardens where they grow pineapples, peanuts and bananas. They chase huge emerald and blue butterflies. They run barefoot and free, and imagine themselves as Tarzan and Jane, swinging on vines through the jungle.
But there are hidden dangers lurking: snakes, scorpions, jerry-wars, malaria – and in the rivers, fearsome crocodiles…
Where the Jungle Calls is a wholesome adventure story for 8-12 year old children (and for the whole family to enjoy). Based on the author’s own childhood, it recounts the fun and adventures of three young children and their parents who take up home in the jungles of New Guinea.
Where the Jungle Calls is the story of origin for the multi-award winning series The Barn Chronicles. Here in the jungles of Papua, New Guinea, the readers of The Barn Chronicles will meet their favourite characters again in a different time, a different place. This is where their adventures first began.
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My childhood in the jungles of Papua, New Guinea was a dream come true for three city kids from New Zealand. We spent three years exploring the jungles, swimming in the rivers, playing with our unusual pets. Adventure and fun filled our days.
I have been longing to write this book for years, and have had the joy of re-living our magical childhood all over again. In this day and age of increasing obsession with safety and the phobias of over-cautious parents, I realise just how blessed we were to have had the freedom to explore nature and build huts and yes, take some risks. As children read Where the Jungle Calls, I hope they'll enjoy escaping in their imaginations to a wilder, freer time, and that perhaps they will choose to put their devices aside and head outside to have some adventures.
Rosie
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“Another family classic by Rosie Boom – wonderful! For lovers of The Barn Chronicles, this story has the enchantment of another land, another time period, and a whole new set of characters – yet still based on actual events that happened to a New Zealand family – a magical mix that kept our family reading night after night, wondering how the next turn of events would unfold. A great family read-aloud to enjoy together, but one I know my children will re-read on their own lots more times – and then go off inspired with some idea for an exciting adventure of their own.” SHERYL, MOTHER
“The story grabbed me and drew me in. I didn’t want to stop reading! I love all the adventures. I would have hated the mosquitoes, though – I can’t help scratching bites too.” DANIELLE, 12
“So exciting!! Every chapter is so exciting that we just want to keep reading more! It sounds like such a different place and it is so interesting to learn all about it. When we close our eyes, we can imagine being there having the adventures ourselves.” ZELDA, 8 and VERA, 7
“I laughed so much! But there are some parts I wouldn’t have liked to see – like the crocodile.” SARA, 6
“There are adventures in every chapter! My favourite character was Peter, because he was quite adventurous. He does things that I would like to do! Papua New Guinea sounds very amazing to me.” JULIA, 7
“My pirate/warrior/hunter daughter thinks nothing could be better than the wilds of PNG to satisfy her thirst for adventure.” MOTHER
“Where the Jungle Calls is a very exciting and funny book. I love all your adventures, hearing of your accidents and the tricks you played.” KATE, 12
“I always look forward to having a chapter of this adventurous, exciting book after dinner. It has cool details that give you a picture in your mind of what’s happening.” GRACE, 9
“This book is amazing! It paints a beautiful picture of what it’s like to live in the jungle of Papua New Guinea, and it describes everything with so much detail, and makes you want to keep reading and never stop!” JARED, 16
“Thanks for writing another beautiful book! The kids are so quiet and enthralled while I’m reading to them and then beg for more each time I finish a chapter (I’m happy to oblige them as am enjoying it a lot myself!). We are learning lots together as a family, you really bring the jungle and all its creatures alive!” JANIE, MOTHER
“Where the Jungle Calls is VERY interesting- I just can’t stop wanting to read it! I wish I had a swing like their one… and a puppy too!” KOHEN, 10
“This book is full of good laughs and it is not hard to get Mum
to read us an extra chapter… or two.” EMILY, 14