Helen Ross (nee McKenzie) is a children’s author, an award winning children’s poet, writer, and teacher.

Since childhood, Helen has been spellbound by the magic of words; hence she has been writing for over 30 years.

Helen has won awards for her poetry, including first place, and her poems have been published for on-line resources, and in anthologies and collections, including Hopscotch (a collection of poetry and short stories) published by Jelli-Beanz Publishing. Three of her poems appeared in ‘A poem a Day’, a website inspired by 2012, the National Year of Reading. Her haiku poetry, ‘Clouds’ and ‘Schools In’ have been published online at Delightfully Haiku, Published by Jelli-Beanz Publishing.

Helen’s collection of humorous poetry, Bubble Gum Trouble and Other Giggle Poems (illustrated by Dee Texidor) was published by Little Steps Publishing, Division of New Frontier, 2009.

10 Yellow Bananas, a humorous reverse counting story in rhyming verse was released 2010 (new Version), published by Little Steps Publishing.

In 2006, Helen published two stories in rhyming verse: Ten Yellow Bananas (original version) and Santa is in our Chimney.

Aside from writing, she travels around Australia conducting writing and giggle poetry workshops. Helen is a Queensland Professional Development Co-ordinator (Honorary) for the Australian Society of Authors, a member of SCBWI Queensland (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) and an Ambassador for Books for Kids. She lives in Brisbane with her husband and their beloved pets.

Website: http://www.helenross.com.au 

Email: helen@helenross.com.au

 

Poems:

There’s something growing in my cup

There’s something growing in my cup
Don’t know what it could be
I haven’t had a drink from it
For a week or so, you see

I sat it on the kitchen sill
And forgot I’d put it there
I’m looking at this funny thing
Now it’s growing hair

Oh no! It’s moving
Yikes! It’s starting to grow
It’s now got an extra spike
Now I see a toe

It’s such a funny shape
Green and very thick
Yuck! Just looking at it
Really makes me sick

I’m going to be ill
I have to look away
It must go down the drain
Has to be today

I turn the hot tap on
And pour in some detergent
Getting rid of this thing
Is becoming rather urgent

I watch it as it bubbles
In my little cup
The hot water slowly
Swishes the green thing up

As I rinse my cup
I turn the cold tap on
And look inside my mug
Oh good! It now has gone

© Helen Ross

Source:  Bubble Gum Trouble and Other Giggle Poems by Helen Ross. Little Steps Publishing, New Frontier, 2009.

Cats in the toilet paper

What’s that scurrying about?
It’s the sound of tiny paws
The cats are along the hallway
What’s that between their claws?

Oh no! It’s the toilet paper
That they’re dragging behind
Along the wooden hallway
And over the kitchen blind

There’s toilet paper everywhere
They’ve left nothing bare
The cats have left a trail
While travelling without a care

Now someone is shouting
Oh no! It’s my Dad
He’s covered in toilet paper
And does look rather mad

Something’s moving toward me
Skidding on the floor
It’s Hans, our cute puppy
With paper around a paw

The cats have been everywhere
Around light shades and  plants
Toilet paper’s handing in cupboards
Around our clothes and underpants

The cats have gone outside
Paper is wrapped around a pole
There seems a lot of paper
Oh no! They’ve got another roll.

© Helen Ross

Source:  Bubble Gum Trouble and Other Giggle Poems by Helen Ross. Little Steps Publishing, New Frontier, 2009.