Local author Michelle Noble-Jones releases “Manu and the Orangutan,” inspired by a trip to Malaysia, encouraging children to chase their dreams.
Her headmaster, Chris Powling, was an author. He asked students to write stories, and they got awards at the school assembly. Michelle remembers buying colorful notebooks and writing small stories at home.
Her first story featured Mr. Bumble Bee and his friends. She now writes about orangutans and their pals. Michelle released her first book, Manu and the Orangutan, on January 30.
The book was inspired by a trip to Malaysia. It tells about Manu’s adventures in the wild, where he makes friends and faces challenges.
Michelle visited Borneo’s rainforest in 2023, hoping to see orangutans. Their guide, Emmanuel (Manu), found them eleven, even though Michelle wanted to see at least eight.
On the plane home, she decided to write a book. The long flight gave her lots of ideas, and she wants to encourage kids to chase their dreams. Michelle wants to show children that anything is possible. She started writing young but stopped for a while, adding that passion never truly disappears.
Michelle visits schools and nurseries to read her book. She says the children’s reactions are priceless and feels truly humbled by their responses.
Michelle is writing a second Manu book and plans a third book in the series later. She is amazed by the positive reviews of her current book.
Being a local author is amazing. The feedback on Facebook and at schools amazed her, as did the Amazon reviews. She is very grateful for the support.
Writing the book was an amazing experience. Getting the book contract from Pegasus Publishing changed her life, and watching Manu come to life was incredible. Her family’s support helped her a lot.
She wants to keep writing and sharing Manu’s stories. She hopes to keep making children smile and wants kids to ask questions about animals. A cartoon about Manu would be her ultimate goal.