Etienne Labuschagne

Etienne Labuschagne is a seasoned senior counsel who has been in practice in Pretoria since 1988. He has been a painter since childhood, and children’s book illustrations flowed naturally from this past-time. The urge to write children’s stories was born of a longing for grandchildren. Etienne started writing stories for them as a type of conversation in advance of their arrival, not knowing whether or when they would arrive. He and his wife have been blessed with six grandchildren. During the pandemic, Etienne wrote and disseminated stories for free to parents with small children. The parents deserved a small respite during that strange locked-up period. The realization that a child could take on board serious and difficult topics has formed the narrative. But humour and inside jokes provide the sugar that makes the medicine go down—for the parents. The kids are fine.