From mental health to mapping history: the world of Karen Tyrrell’s books

In her latest book – being launched on 15 October at the Beenleigh Cane Ball – Karen Tyrrell traces the history of the Beenleigh-Yatala area in an engaging, child-friendly way. 

Follow The Sugar Trail was commissioned by the Rotary Club of Beenleigh, Beenleigh Quota Club and Soroptimists International Beenleigh, and will be given to Year 3 students in the area. 

As an author of 12 children’s books and 2 memoirs, taking educational subjects and turning them into colourful adventures that are relatable to young readers is something Karen is more than adept at. 

Her other children’s books take subjects like mental health and the environment and give them a warm, simple and easy to follow spin – and for this, she has also recently been named Children’s Rights Queensland Ambassador.  

As part of her role, during Children’s Week, from 24 October, Karen will present interactive story sessions and speak about children’s issues. 

‘This is such a great role for me; most of my books are about children’s rights, empowering children and giving a message about being happy and healthy,’ Karen says. 

‘I was amazed when I got the email telling me I had been selected! It’s an honour.’ 

As if this wasn’t enough, Karen, who lives in Shailer Park, recently toured outback schools during Book Week, where she spoke at 12 schools in 10 days – sometimes travelling 100 km from one school to the next. 

‘It was a lot, and it was very busy, but we were on a high so had plenty of energy to do it all,’ Karen says. 

She was accompanied by husband Steve, who plays a range of characters in her shows and readings. 

Karen’s days may currently be filled with classroom workshops, speaking engagements, creating new books and even a recent outback tour during Book Week, but being a children’s author wasn’t always on the cards for her. 

After years working as a primary school teacher, she left and wrote 2 memoirs, then dabbled in a few literary genres before settling on children’s books. 

‘My memoirs were about my struggle with being bullied when I was a teacher, and my recovery from that – and my children’s books also deal with mental health,’ Karen says. 

It was Steve, who is Karen’s biggest fan, who suggested children’s books. 

‘That’s when I realised I could write books that could help the many young children who struggle, who might feel sad or anxious, and my first children’s book, Bailey Beats the Blah, was born,’ Karen says. 

That book, and the ones that followed, are all about helping kids to live strong – whether through accepting themselves or, in a 5-book series, helping the environment – as well as Ready, Set, Discover Logan, which encourages pride in our city.  

Karen is currently working on 2 more books – Invisible Girl which she describes as ‘a shout out for all the introverted kids’, and Ghost Boy, about anxiety.  

‘These books are a reaction to what Karen saw during COVID, when kids’ anxiety seemed to sky-rocket,’ Steve says. 

‘Books really help – we have never been to a school and not had a child come up afterwards to talk to one or both of us about their own experiences with some of the things we have talked about.’ 

Follow Karen Tyrell and buy her books via her Facebook page and website, karentyrrell.com.