This is the third book in the trilogy from writer Georgia Cameron and photographer/musician Michael Bianchino following their popular Mikey the Powerful Owlet: Saving Byles Creek Valley (2016) and Mikey the Powerful Owlet and Friends: Saving Byles Creek Valley and Beyond (2017).
In the first book, Mikey was just a cute little fluffy chick. In the second book he’d developed into a juvenile (or teenager) with some dark chevrons on his chest.
Now, Mikey is all grown up and is raising his own family. But, life is challenging – there’s a housing (or hollow) crisis in the valley due to habitat loss and there’s also a cost-of-living crisis (with ringtail in short supply) so he’s working two jobs. In addition, he’s struggling to protect his family from human-induced threats – climate change, hazard reduction burns, roadkill, rodenticide poisoning, electrocution on powerlines … the list goes on.
And his mates in the valley like Maggie the Magpie, Red the Blue Tongue Lizard and Sammy the Swamp Wallaby are also challenged with fake grass, roaming cats and dogs, light and water pollution as well as introduced species.
The latest book is a community collaboration based on Georgia’s highly commended 2024 Australian Wildlife Society wildlife fiction short story competition entry and Michael Bianchino’s impressive body of photographic work compiled over a decade of monitoring Powerful Owls.
The illustrations were created by Macquarie University Junior Science Academy students guided by local artists Melony Smirniotis of Gallery 11:11 and Jo Goodchild. It includes an inspirational foreword by acclaimed horticulturist and media personality, Graham Ross, and motivational afterword by the founder of Higher Ground Raptors, Peggy McDonald.
Through storytelling, music and art at a grassroots level, Georgia and Michael have educated, entertained and engaged both adults and children raising the next generation of citizen scientists, wildlife warriors and community activists.
This project takes their fundraising for Sydney Wildlife Rescue, BirdLife Australia’s Powerful Owl Project and other wildlife charities to $19,952 including 42 Secret Life of Powerful Owls shows to over 3,000 people plus large-scale events for National Science Week, busking and markets.
All profits ($10 from each book sold and proudly printed in Australia) are fundraised for Sydney Wildlife Rescue and BirdLife Australia’s Powerful Owl Project.