The illustrator of the successful Easter Bilby and its sequel is ready to share the latest instalments in the life of the desert marsupial and his band of friends.
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Author and artist Kaye Kessing launches Bilby's Ring at the Australian National Botanic Garden at 10.30am on Sunday, November 15.
Ms Kessing will read a section from the new trilogy of adventure stories at the event.
At once gripping and a little bit gruesome, the tale of the pink-eared bandicoot and other precious native animals is aimed mainly at those in the upper primary bracket.
But Ms Kessing said she had heard it was billed as suitable for anyone from 8 to 80-plus.
In the new episodes, Bilby and his mates try to find a safe place to live free from feral invaders, such as foxes, cats and rabbits.
Ever since she "went up to Alice Springs as a little rookie art teacher" in the 1970s, Ms Kessing has been educating her readers on the dangers of introduced animals.
She grew up on a farm in South Australia but was "gobsmacked" when she realised how many native animals were living in the desert.
Once she started learning "a hell of a lot" about them, she could not stop and she has been tireless in researching her subject.
Threatened Species Commissioner, Gregory Andrews, will launch Bilby's Ring in the Botanic Garden's Visitor Information Centre Canberra.
He will highlight the important message contained in the set of books, which includes the fact that everybody is responsible for protecting threatened creatures.
"We need to get a broader democracy, that's not just human-focused," Ms Kessing said.
Bilby's Ring gives a voice to animals facing the possibility of extinction even as it raises awareness among the younger generation and teaches them about environmental geography.
Children and their families who visit the Botanic Gardens for the book reading will be able to enjoy bilby-themed crafts, activities and educational displays as well as a self-guided bilby trail.
On a related note, the Department of the Environment's Julie Quinn will speak about "Abating the threat of feral animals" at 1pm in the theatrette at the gardens.
Her talk touches on her work on the challenges of feral animal control and policy at the Department of Environment.
Dr Quinn will discuss how science is incorporated into feral animal control policies and programs, and the importance of monitoring and recording changes.
