The Story Behind 5 Cockatoos

Some story ideas take months to plan. Others arrive all at once.

5 Cockatoos began with a real moment outside my window one morning here in Australia. Five cockatoos were sitting together in a tree, making noise, shifting around, and flying away one by one. I remember stopping what I was doing just to watch them.

Birds have always been one of my biggest interests. Whenever I see one nearby, I instinctively stop and pay attention. I love the movement, the sounds they make, and the personalities they seem to have.

Cockatoos especially feel full of energy and character, which made them perfect for a playful children’s story.

Not long after watching those five cockatoos, the idea for the book appeared almost fully formed in my head. I could already hear the rhythm of the words and imagine how the counting would work as each bird flew away.

That moment became the inspiration for 5 Cockatoos, a standalone counting rhyme picture book created separately from the Magbean® series. While Magbean® focuses on character-driven storytelling and social themes, this project was a chance for me to create something simple, fun, rhythmic, and playful for younger readers.

As a Canberra-born neurodivergent creator, I often experience creativity through patterns, sounds, visual details, and moments that stay in my mind long after they happen. I enjoy taking those everyday experiences and transforming them into stories, illustrations, and characters that children can connect with.

One of my favourite things about children’s books is how they can encourage curiosity.

Something as ordinary as birds sitting in a tree can suddenly become an adventure, a rhythm, or a story children want to read again and again.

I hope 5 Cockatoos encourages young readers to count along, laugh, notice the world around them, and maybe even listen out for the sound of a cockatoo nearby while reading.

You can explore 5 Cockatoos here:

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– Nat