Minnie Moo and Her Delightful Nanny: Debbie draws on her career as a nanny to write her first children's book

A Bishop’s Stortford nanny who wrote a children’s book while sitting in a park has received her first copies from the publisher.

Minnie Moo and Her Delightful Nanny is a beautifully illustrated short story for young children aged three-plus about the day in the life of a nanny, the little girl she looks after and the fun they have together.

Author and mother-of-three Debbie Lawrence, 45, lives with husband Peter in Mary Park Gardens, off Bishop’s Avenue, and has worked as a nanny for families in and around the town for 28 years.

The former Summercroft Primary and Birchwood High School pupil has dedicated her career to caring for youngsters, often with her own children in tow when they were younger, including daughter Reanna, now 22, and twin sons Matthew and Cameron, who are 18.

“I love my job and was just sitting one day and thought ‘I’d like to write a nice story about a little girl with her nanny’,” said Debbie.

“It didn’t seem that there were many books about nannies so I sat down and started writing while sitting in the park.

“I waited until I had the guts to send it to a publisher, which I did, and it all went from there.

“I just love reading and children’s books with their illustrations and lovely stories. It’s such a nice bonding time when you sit there cuddling up with a book together with the children.

“I’ve been doing that for so many years with my own and the children I look after and thought I’d love to have a book out there I’ve written.

“I continue to visit Bishop’s Stortford library each week to enjoy some stories so you can imagine how very excited I am to be able to add to the collection with my own book.”

In Minnie Moo and Her Delightful Nanny – Minnie Moo being the nickname Debbie gave her own daughter – the pair enjoy a fun-filled day baking cookies, creating flower fairies and doing crafts.

Debbie said that it would be particularly useful for families introducing their children to a nanny for the first time, promoting it as a positive experience.

She has worked for several families in the town and surrounding villages since she began nannying at 17 and has loved being a part of other families.

She has stayed in touch with many of the children and was even invited to the wedding of one of her former charges, who got married in September.

Having kept her storywriting a secret until now, Debbie said that many of those she looked after were delighted to hear she had written a book.

“They’re all just amazed,” she said. “I’m just quite overwhelmed by it!”

As for a follow-up book, Debbie said she would let the dust settle on her first one before considering writing another.

* Minnie Moo and Her Delightful Nanny is available to buy now on Amazon.