Books
A middle-grade novel for ages 8+ with strong, a relatable female protagonist who takes on a big challenge (saving the brumbies).
Themes of belonging, environment, family, survival, disability.
A year has passed since 12-year-old Georgie Stone had a serious horseriding accident. She lost an eye, her horse and her country life. All she has left is a horse braid bracelet to remind her of her lost brumby, Magic.
Now that she’s back at the cattle station, Georgie tries to overcome her fear of riding and prepare for the two-week cattle muster. But she’s worried about the herd of wild brumbies led by the Ghost Horse, being hunted by a local horsewhipper, Goldburn. As the Ghost Horse begins to follow Georgie on the muster, the stallion is in extreme danger. Could the grey stallion be her old horse, Magic? How can she prove it before Goldburn captures him?
“I can feel what Faith feels as she stretches out into a gallop. Me. The wind in my face. The perfect horse.
As hard as it will be, my body aches to ride.”
Buy Signed Books
Signed copies of Stef’s books are available for purchase directly from the author. Please pay via Paypal here and insert your order details in the notes.
In PAYPAL note section state
name of books ordered e.g.2 x In My Dreams x 2 or 1 x Home for Luna.
any dedication you would like written in the book e.g. Dear Tom, Sleep tight in your dreams tonight.
your postal address.
Hardback signed book - A Home For Luna, In My Dreams and Toy Mountain - $35 each including postage to anywhere in Australia.
Paperback signed book - A Home For Luna and In My Dreams - $25.00 each including postage anywhere in Australia.
A Home For Luna
When Luna washes up on a strange shore she is scared and lonely. She soon discovers there is beauty in her new land, and along the way makes unexpected friends. But will she ever feel at home in a place so different from the one she remembers?
Themes of refugees, change, homelessness, family.
‘A Home For Luna’ Book Review links:
Kids Book Review “A story to pull on heartstrings and spread a message of hope, A Home for Luna is a stunning addition to schools, homes and libraries everywhere.”
VS View From The Bookshelves “The tale can be enjoyed at a surface level as one of developing friendship and finding a new home, and on another level this book could be used as the start of a discussion about displacement and refugees with young children.”
Judges comments;
“This is everything a picture-book should be. The story is lovely – Luna, a black and white cat, is far from home, washed ashore in a remote place where eventually she’s befriended by a colony of penguins, including Tiny and Yellow-Eye. When a man passing by in a boat attempts to rescue her, Luna doesn’t want to leave, and she and her new friends join forces to drive him away. The illustrations are delightful, particularly the final picture where Luna is nestled at the feet of Tiny and Yellow-Eye like a penguin chick.
The story has universal themes that even very young children will be able to recognise. The idea of ‘home’ and feeling safe and having friends are all very simple concepts for children to understand, because they’re central to their own lives. For this very reason, however, they do feature a great deal in picture-books, and it takes no little skill to come up with something as original and appealing as this story."
Download Teacher’s Notes here
In My Dreams
An illustrated story that empowers the reader to embrace their imagination and chase pirates and ride wild winds on the back of a dragon. It’s a lyrical bedtime story that encourages a positive approach to bedtime for children who dream vividly or have wild, imaginative thoughts. Illustrated by the talented Tanja Stephani.
Themes of confidence, positivity, resilience, nightmares.
‘In My Dreams’ Book Review links:
Library Girl and Book Boy: ‘A beautiful new bedtime read to spark imaginations and help readers and listeners gently drift off to sleep.’
Make Believe: ‘Every image has the vivid technicolour of a dream world where anything is possible and everything is larger than life. The cover has beautiful gold sparkles which photographs just don't do justice to.’
Download Teacher’s Notes here
Watch Tanja Stephani’s creative illustration process in the trailer for "In my Dreams", written by Stef Gemmill, illustrated by Tanja Stephani, published by New Frontier April 2020
Toy Mountain
Toy Mountain is a quirky picture book about a boy who gets the chance to be a toy tester for the Tiny Hands Toy factory. He quickly accumulates a pile of plastic, clunky toys, discarding his old, well-loved toys which he eventually saves from being broken and lost forever. The story has an underlying theme of our war on waste and highlights how our actions for a sustainable future require us to have values of care, respect and responsibility.
Themes of environment, recycling, consumerism, sharing.
‘Toy Mountain’ book reviews
Kids Book Reviews: ‘Toy Mountain explores consumerism, greed and learning to be happy with what you have. It’s a great lesson for kids, who often want more, more, more, or want what everyone else has. Sam has to learn this lesson the hard way, but in doing so let’s other kids learn and understand more about having things you really don’t need. A fun and clever story that triggers thoughts and ideas.’