Two up-and-coming Donegal artists have just published a beautiful new children’s picture book in aid of charity.
Ballindrait woman Leona Burns and Letterkenny man Brendan Clerkin, who worked together at Lottie Dolls, are the creators of Moya’s Night at the Zoo!
A perfect Christmas gift, all author royalties will go directly to Dogs Trust Ireland.
Brendan said he was inspired by countless fun trips to Dublin Zoo every weekend with his daughter.
“We lived so close to Dublin Zoo that, on the occasional calm night, from our back yard you could hear the lions roaring,” he explained.
“My daughter used to wonder at bedtime what they were up to at night! When I told Leona about the lions roaring at night in Dublin, she loved the idea of bringing the story to life with vivid illustrations.”
The book tells the story of Moya, who longs to visit the zoo.
But, when her parents say no, she cheekily sneaks out by herself… followed closely by her pet dog Kadi!
Unfortunately, they both get locked in when the zoo closes! Luckily, Mama Orangutan takes Moya under her wing.
Moya is feisty, fun, and a little naughty… will she learn any lessons from her adventure?
This is a colourful story with fun twists, that allows readers big and small to explore their imaginations.
Gorgeously illustrated, the story is about living in the moment, staying safe growing up, and creating empathy with animals.
Creating empathy with animals is a central theme of the story, so author royalties go directly to Dogs Trust Ireland.
The trust is Ireland’s largest animal welfare charity, whose mission is to bring about the day when all dogs can enjoy a happy life.
Dogs Trust volunteers suggested the name Kadi for the dog, which was the name of the first dog adopted in 2022, meaning ‘pure’ in the Greek language.
Kadi is one of approximately 800 dogs that found their ‘forever home’ this year across the country.
A perfect Christmas present, Moya’s Night at the Zoo is available in Ireland at the Dogs Trust website for € 14.99.
In the UK, it can be purchased here via Amazon.
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