'Josephine is a first-time author who lives in Melbourne. She has a bachelor’s degree in science and worked in the industry for several years. After raising her children, she completed a diploma in Primary Education. As a teacher she was constantly looking for ways to engage children in the learning of mathematics. So, what is she doing writing a children’s book, you may ask? Well, one such way to engage children in maths, she discovered, was to use literature. Using a picture story to teach maths can allow children to make valuable connection with the concepts being taught and be a bit of fun also. So, during a futile search for a good picture story book to help teach the concept of place value she decided to write her own. Not knowing where to start, she completed a short course in writing for children, and after several drafts, The Great Apple Surprise was created. Josephine used her own extended family including her parents as inspiration for her characters. Although her parents were not farmers, her father loved the beauty of mathematics and her mother loved feeding the family. These are qualities they have passed on to Josephine, who when she is not teaching, loves to bake and share her treats with her family.' (https://www.littlesteps.com.au/contributors/josephine-brooker
