About the author
​
Snapper Books was established by Rick Hoskin in 2021, its prime purpose being to promote children's stories.
Rick is a retired physiotherapist, brought up in Auckland, married with two adult daughters. He became totally blind at seventeen. In London he qualified in physiotherapy, and worked for more than thirty years on Auckland's North Shore.
His interest in writing spans more than thirty years. In addition to a dozen picture books for two-to-seven-year-old children, 'Double trouble' (a short novel for 9-12-year-old young adults relating the adventures that a group of girls get up to in boarding school), and 'Stretching the truth' (a candid yet tongue-in-cheek memoire of his life in physiotherapy), he has published 'At any cost', a crime thriller.
The children's stories have been developed from bed-time tales which were told to his daughters. Being blind, Rick couldn't read them many traditional stories found in print, so he developed narratives that encompassed his children's early lives, enmeshed with many of his own childhood memories.
The girls' enthusiasm for the stories led Rick to jot down the storyline, and now, more than three decades later with grandchildren growing up, he has been prompted to put pen to paper and publish with the help of a variety of illustrators.
More recently, for a decade he was involved with the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind as Chair of the Board. He says this was greatly fulfilling, giving back in one way or another for the excellent support and services he has received throughout many years. His success in leading the organisation was rewarded in 2022 with the honour of Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Being blind, Rick couldn't read his girls many of the traditional stories found in print, so he developed narratives that encompassed his children's early lives, enmeshed with many of his own childhood memories.
The Snapper Collection:
The Ziggy Series
There are four adventures in the Ziggy series written by Rick and illustrated by Sara Ransley.
​
Ziggy and Big Ginger
When Ziggy sees Big Ginger watching her bird friends, she knows he's going to creep into the garden and try to catch them. What will she do to stop him?
​
Ziggy and that Funny Old Rat
One morning when Ziggy goes in to the garden to play with her animal friends, she can't find Keni. Where will Taika, Manawa, Tia and Ziggy find him? What had he been up to and how do they save him?
​
Ziggy and Little Joe
When Ziggy is playing in the stream in the park next door, she gets a fright when a puppy's head pops through the leaves and licks her ear. Ziggy decides to call him Little Joe, takes him home, and then gets quite a surprise from her Mum. Find out what is in store for Little Joe!
​
Ziggy rescues Tara
While playing on the beach, Ziggy finds Tara, a critically endangered Black
Billed Gull. Tara is badly injured. Ziggy wants to save Tara, and gently
befriends her. Find out what Ziggy does to help Tara back to good health.
The final book in the present Ziggy series, once again Sara Ransley has
artfully brought Ziggy, the beach and Tara to life.
​
The Ziggy series are "read-to" books
written to entertain 2 to 7 - year - old children.
​
Send us your photos!
