Патрисия О'Хара выпустила вторую книгу серии «Олли Смали» о жизни в реке Св. Лаврентия

New adventures for Ollie Smallie Cornwall-area author Patricia O’Hara is continuing her mission to connect children with the St. Lawrence River through storytelling with the release of the second book in her locally inspired Ollie Smallie series. The newest title, Ollie Smallie Meets the Goodbye Girls, follows O’Hara’s 2024 debut, Ollie Smallie’s Dangerous Discovery. Both books are available in English and French and feature colourful illustrations by O’Hara’s twin sister, Sheila Dunkinson. The series centres on Ollie Smallie, a young smallmouth bass, and his best friend Rita, a juvenile American eel. Set in the St. Lawrence River, the books introduce children to local aquatic species while weaving in environmental themes and life lessons. The first book sees the pair exploring a new part of the river only to discover it littered with garbage. Inspired by O’Hara’s experiences as a scuba diver, the story encourages environmental stewardship and highlights the impact of pollution on aquatic habitats. “In the first book, they check out a different part of the St. Lawrence River, and it’s littered with garbage,” O’Hara explained. “It’s all about cleaning up the river.” The sequel shifts its focus toward emotional learning, helping young readers understand themes of change, loss, and acceptance while remaining grounded in the river ecosystem. O’Hara said the series grew out of a desire to introduce children to freshwater fish and the underwater world she encounters while diving. “As a scuba diver, I discovered that kids don’t know about freshwater fish,” she said. “I’m actually going to write a series of books to introduce them to the 10 main fish that I see when I dive.”