Fiona has written and beautifully illustrated a children's sophisticated picture book.  Called The Search for Silva, it is written from the point of view of animals, in the genre of an armchair treasure hunt.  It is aimed at promoting compassion and empathy towards animals.

It follows a welcome swallow, Sam, who, on the way to the dawn chorus, meets a cow called Cindy.  Cindy is upset as she has lost her calf, Silva.  Sam teams up with Cindy to find Silva and they meet other animals on their journey and learn of their experiences.  There are clues, both in the text and illustrations, as to the whereabouts of Silva, as he is somewhere in New Zealand.  Be the first to work out Silva's location and a prize awaits you!

The Search for Silva is a 32-page book with 15 illustrations.  It is aimed at 8-10 year olds but doesn't exclude readers either side of this age bracket.  It is an educational, yet fun and engaging, look at animal's lives and the influence people can have on them.  Copies cost NZ$24.99 each.  Shown opposite and below are some of the illustrations from the book.