Little Brown Mouse creates a bridge between parents and children

“I THINK rhymers make the best readers,” comments Justine Murphy, whose book launches in the Priory Market this July 12 after that Sunday’s children’s film screening.

The event will include a reading of the book, a Q&A session, and a performance by the Walkeleles ukulele band.

The book is aimed at children aged four to eight and has a subtheme about mental health and resilience.

Justine describes the book, titled ‘Little Brown Mouse in a Hole Lot of Bother’, about a mouse trapped in a hole and the journey to freedom.

The story emphasises the importance of resilience and mental health, with a subtle theme for young children.

The book aims to create a bridge between parents and children to discuss mental health issues.

Justine describes the process of making the illustrations as “just pure joy”, particularly the original watercolour paintings.

The book is written in rhyme, which she enjoys, inspired by classic children’s books and a love for poetry.

Justine also mentions that the project was a “lockdown activity”, providing ample time to work on it.

She is working on a trilogy, with the second book titled ‘Little Brown Mouse Weathers the Storm’ and the third book titled ‘Little Brown Mouse and the Colour Crisis’.

The main challenge now is finding time to work on the sequels while balancing a full-time job and other commitments.

Future projects for the rest of 2026 include upcoming gigs with the Walkeleles and various events with Electric Zoo, including summer festivals.

Justine would like to thank Choice Publishing for their assistance with the layout and font choices and acknowledge a friend whose own mental health struggles inspired the book.

She also expresses gratitude to Amy, the manager at The Priory, for arranging the space for the book launch.

Justine’s book launch will be held in the Priory Market on July 12 after 3pm once the children’s film is over.