Scene from My Ocean Home Fiji by Penelope Casey

Tui's Gang Crafter Profile

Tui’s Gang is a captivating and vibrant Fijian children’s brand. It creates engaging and creative products through the colourful illustrations by acclaimed artist Penelope Casey.

Launching successfully with an initial focus on children’s picture books, Tui’s Gang plans to continue creating picture books, along with educational resources such as flash cards.

Tui’s Gang aims to develop learning for children not only in Fiji but globally, by sharing the colours, words, sights and sounds from typically Fijian childhoods. We aim to be well recognised and at the forefront of the multicultural children’s books and resources genre internationally.

From her birth in the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea, Penelope was immersed in the vibrant colours and sounds of this culturally-rich country which had a significant impact on her art.

These close associations with such a variety of people during her infancy, childhood and young adulthood, inspired the formative years of this artist and instilled her initial love of portraiture. Penelope’s studies of Papua New Guinea Highland warriors in ceremonial garb captured the intensity and diversity of a fiercely tribal race who struggle to reconcile cultural traditions with the realities and pace of the modern world...

"There are many little ways to enlarge your child's world. Love of books is the best of all." - Jacqueline Kennedy.

...Penelope’s move to the Fiji Islands in her early twenties “softened” her style as she was greatly influenced by the tranquil and simple lifestyle as well as the very temperament of the islanders: her new surroundings permeate and idealise the day-to-day existence of the regal Fijian race.

It is with this appreciation of Fiji and her love of life in the Pacific Islands that Penelope created Tui's Gang Children's books, to show the wonderful lifestyle and pace of Island life. Through her picture books, Penelope uses illustrations to connect with your child and captivate them with thrilling and beautiful tales of life in Fiji.

Working with acrylics, pen and ink Penelope’s artwork has been widely exhibited with collections showcased in Australia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, the UK, mainland USA, Hawaii, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Singapore and accepted a fellowship in the Royal Society of Arts. The use of numerous textures, as well as bold colours, emphasizes the visual power of her art.

It is Penelope's hopes that these books will become widely available in Fijian schools as a fun, educational resource. She has created picture books and flash cards to teach children how to count and to learn the colours, in both English and Fijian.

Penelope's Children's books really are stunning. At myFijiStore, we're always on the lookout for wonderful Fiji-made gifts. When we opened the first page of 'My Ocean Home Fiji' we were drawn in to the magical story of Tui and his underwater friends - literally unable to put the book down! The illustrations are just breath-taking - they transport you to another world of vibrant colours and Island life, making you feel as if you're right here in Fiji.

Not only are there story books, there's a wonderful colouring-in book called 'Tui's Gang Colouring Book'. We join Tui and his friends for another adventure, beautifully told with text and illustrations spanning 43 pages. At the back, there are activities such as crosswords, connect-the-dots, a fruit salad recipe and more - lovely extras which reinforce the images and words throughout the book to help your child learn.

With both English and Fijian, this is the perfect way for your child to learn about island life and culture in Fiji. The books are appealing to all children as Fiji is such a breath-taking and vibrant place, home to the friendliest people on Earth.

Everyone we've shown the books to has absolutely loved them - even adults can't help but be glued to each page, wanting to see the beautiful illustrations and what happens next in the story. Each book really is a work of art, we are so pleased to be working with Penelope and the Tui's Gang team to bring these beautiful books to you.

Penelope Casey the Artist and Creator of Tui's Gang Children's books

About: Penelope Casey

Penelope is an award-winning Artist, she is a Fellow at the Royal Society of Arts in London and was awarded 'Fiji Artist of the Year' by the Royal Commonwealth Society to name just a few. Born in Papua New Guinea, Penelope was immersed in the vibrant colours and sounds of island life which had a significant impact on her art.

My Ocean Home Fiji Beach page text Children using Tui's Gangs books My Ocean Home Fiji Octopus page

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