Advocacy, hope and Honeysuckle Gold - the story behind my new picture book!

'Once upon a time - both right next door and far away - there lived a girl.'  
That's the first line of my new picture book, Honeysuckle Gold, coming out next month (September 2026! Eek - so exciting!).
It's a book about two girls whose lives are connected through the cotton supply chain. It’s about child labour, the rights of the girl child, and modern day slavery. And it’s a story about the difference we can make in a world that needs change. 
I wrote the original draft of this book about ten years ago as part of my Master of Arts (writing and literature) at Deakin University. I’ve long been passionate about fighting slavery. Out of the Cages was written in response to this. But for my picture book assignment, I’d wanted to tackle an aspect of modern slavery that younger children could process.

In order to do this, there were a few key considerations for the crafting. Firstly, I needed to write a story in which awareness about the issues could be communicated, but hope had the final word. I also wanted the story to be a springboard for conversation and action. And  I wanted to empower my readers (both young and not-so young) with a vision of a future where fair trade was the norm without burdening the story with jargon.
Because, here’s the thing: advocacy works, it really does! 
Here's how I know: when I was first researching this book, the situation around Uzbekistan cotton was bleak. Thousands of people, including children, were being forced into the cotton fields for months every year. This situation was the inspiration for my story. However, in the years since, as a result of advocacy work from individuals, corporations and governments, this situation has dramatically changed. By 2021, pressure on Uzbek cotton suppliers resulted in the eradication of systemic forced and child labour in Uzbekistan. Change blew in, just as it does in the narrative of Honeysuckle Gold. The happy ending for many, became possible.
But in many other parts of the world the cotton supply chain continues to engage with forced labour practices, human trafficking and child labour. According to Be Slavery Free, nine of the top ten cotton producing countries in the world continue to rely on unethical practices. Because of the global nature of consumerism, many of the items we wear each day are likely to have interacted with modern slavery at some point of the cotton supply chain. This, I believe, requires a response. There is still a vital need for advocacy, for awareness raising, conversations and action to bring about changed expectations. In this way, Honeysuckle Gold becomes a story of realistic hope for the future.

Last month, I visited my brothers in Far North Queensland. While I was there, I was given a tour of a local farm just days after their cotton harvest. I had many thoughts as I stood in the bare fields fingering the cotton I found. I reflected on the weighty history of cotton and the cotton industry. I thought of the wins we’ve had in the progression to fair trade and ethical awareness. I thought of the Ethical Fashion Guide Baptist World Aid produces, a resource helping us make fair trade clothing choices. And I thought of the work yet to be done to guarantee slavery and forced labour free cotton in the future. 
Honeysuckle Gold is a picture book. It touches on these big issues in a way that I hope will spark conversations and inspire imagionations. It's my contribution to the hope that whether far away, or right next door, we might all have the chance to dream of a better world... and the courage to do what it takes to get there.

Honeysuckle Gold is illustrated by Natasha Hagarty and will be published by Wombat Books, 1 September 2026. Pre-order your copy today or invite Penny to speak at your event.