Sarah Brennan with a reader. [Photo: Guo Yingguang]

Prior to the reading of The Tale of Temujin, her fourth zodiac story from The Chinese Calendar Tales series in Beijing last week and with her fifth book in production, Hong Kong-based Australian children's author Sarah Brennan spoke with the Global Times about her passion for her two most treasured things: writing and children.

"My first favorite thing is writing and my second favorite thing is kids because they are fun. They make you laugh. They are very energizing. Kids are fabulous," said the mother of two.

Brennan, who practiced medical law in London for 10 years, began her career as a writer after she moved to Hong Kong 12 years ago. With the successful launch of her first book A Dirty Story in 2004 and following reading tours in schools and visits to bookstores, Brennan noticed a gap in the market - a lack of Chinese subject matter written in English. Hence came the first of her Calendar Tales in 2007, The Tale of Chester Choi, which tells the adventure of an orphaned dragon and a little boy.

"I wanted to do something that was dear to the hearts of the kids. So I thought children like dragons anyway and then Chinese dragons are really important in Chinese mythology. I just wanted to do something that Chinese kids can really resonate with," she explained.

Besides making her books fun and humorous, Brennan also incorporates interesting information about Chinese history and culture.

"Chinese culture is amazing, from a great history and not enough people know about it. Now with China so huge on the world stage, everyone wants to know about China…I believe that it's highly important for Chinese kids learning English - and English-speaking kids living in China - to be able to read books written in English which relate to Chinese culture and traditions," Brennan said.

So far, The Chinese Calendar Tales, illustrated by renowned South China Morning Post cartoonist Harry Harrison, has four volumes, including The Tale of Run Run Rat and The Tale of Oswald Ox, all have been bestsellers in Hong Kong.

Starting writing in rhyme when she was 7, Brennan's books are brimming with catchy verses. "In fact I find it very hard not to write in rhyme for children," she said. "It's the song in my head and I like playing with the rhythm...For me that's fun. I like having a framework where I like to make words within those rules."

Her rhyming books have been a hit in Hong Kong schools. "Kids find rhyme easier sometimes because it is predictable...So I find children with English as a second language and also children with reading difficulties prefer rhyme because I think it gives them confidence because they can work out the words," Brennan explained.

An avid reader herself, Brennan said that reading should be challenging as well as fun.

"For kids, if you can make them laugh then you get their attention."

However, she tries to make her books educational as well.