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Toot – The World’s Tiniest Whale is the debut children’s picture book from up-and-coming Auckland author Joy Ramirez.

This charming, fun-filled story splashes into bookstores nationwide today!

The story is packed with unique and loveable characters like: Toot – a whale the size of your thumb, Henry the Fifth – the royal goldfish, Lord Squigglebottom, and Princess Bambella. 

Toot jumps out of his fishbowl into the great unknown, in search of the sea. With the help of his goldfish friend, Henry the Fifth, Toot learns to keep on swimming - even when he feels out of his depth.

Author Joy Ramirez says, “My passion is to create stories that teach children positive attitudes and social skills, so they grow into awesome adults. This story helps kids to learn about perseverance.

“Toot’s adventure starts when he has the courage to jump out of his little fish bowl and follow his heart. For me, jumping out of my fishbowl was leaving my corporate job and learning how to write children’s stories! I threw myself in the deep end and gave it a go.”

Since starting the project in June 2014, Joy wrote 28 drafts of the Toot story over ten months before it reached its final form. While learning to write children’s books, she learned how to set up a self-publishing business. The book is published by her company Mercury Fox Media.

Auckland Illustrator Mike Chapman brings the story to life with colourful, charismatic line drawings and watercolour illustrations.

Grey Lynn mother Ella R. says, “It’s a wonderful children's book with real drama and beautiful illustrations, my daughter loves it.”

The book captivates children with wonderful rhyme. It also comes with a bonus audio book download, read by New Zealand's much-loved comedian Dai Henwood! 

A Spark My Potential crowd-funding campaign generated $7,335 in donations; which enabled the 40-page paperback book to be illustrated.

Toot - The World's Tiniest Whale is available at Whitcoulls, Paper Plus and selected independent bookstores nationwide.

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