In what may be a first, a Dubbo mother and daughter are celebrating the simultaneous release of children's books that they also wrote and illustrated.

Irene Dunn, 71, and Celine Stoker, 26, are the creative leads behind three new works for children that have recently been published, and they could not be more prouder of their work.

Irene's journey to write "The Kookaburra's Sorrow" began more than 40 years ago in South Australia, when her then seven-year-old daughter Joan was very distressed at the news that Australian animals were being illegally trafficked overseas.

"Joan, saw it on the news, and she said to me I could stop it if I really wanted to," Irene told Dubbo Photo News.

"I said, 'It's not up to me, it's up to everybody in the world,' and she said, 'Oh, you could if you wanted to,'" Irene added.

"So I started to write the story down on a piece of scrap paper, about a kookaburra unable to laugh because of what was happening.

"Then I read it onto a tape recorder back in the day, and Joan took the tape recorder to school for show and tell," Irene explained.

"The school contacted me and asked me whether they could have the book, and I said I don't have a book, I just wrote the story for my daughter."

Irene said a subsequent meeting with "Possum Magic" author Mem Fox resulted in encouragement to publish the story aimed at 5-10-year-olds, and it eventually was. 

The book featuring Irene's own illustrations was picked up and sold in Koala Blue stores, Irene said, and she appeared on Channel 9 and in a story in her home town newspaper, the Port Lincoln Times, on November 29, 1985, promoting it. A copy of the original book is retained in perpetuity in the Children's Literature Research Collection at the State Library of South Australia.

Forty years later, Irene has taken her original drawings and text and independently published "The Kookaburra's Sorrow" for a modern audience.

The book, printed locally by The Colour Copy Shop, has a beautiful olde-worlde feel about it with Irene's illustrations and story standing the test of time. The subject matter - animal trafficking - is still as relevant and distressing today as it was back in 1985.

Celine's publication journey has been different, but also focuses on animal characters and is no less interesting. Like her mum, Celine is also a self-taught artist and has written and illustrated two marine-themed children's books for readers aged 5-9, "Olly The Octopus" and a sequel, "Olly The Octopus and the Mysterious Blub".

"I was just drawing one day and I thought I'll give it a crack and try and write a short story for children," she explained.

"I love marine life and I absolutely love octopuses. Originally it did start out as a factual book, but I thought, no, it doesn't capture children, it's too factual, it's too boring. So I changed it and wrote a story about an octopus that goes on adventures and makes friends and explores the ocean."

Like her mother's book, Celine's stories have an important message for readers.

"Sometimes being smart also means you've got to adapt, and I thought that would really resonate with some kids," she said.

Celine also wanted to ensure her children's books were full of bright colours.

"I don't see very many really bright children's books anymore, so I used ink pens to create mine," she added.

A career nurse, Irene is enjoying retirement and developing more stories, while Celine works in pathology in Dubbo and is also working on new material.

While Irene doesn't have an online presence yet, you can follow Celine Stoker Children's Books on social media and order Celine and Irene's books via that platform. They can also be ordered from The Colour Copy Shop.