The happy country life and healthy philosophies espoused in the Milly, Molly books are not too far removed from their author’s own farming background in New Zealand. Gill Pittar grew up the daughter of a farmer and physiotherapist in rural Waikato, and after secondary schooling in Auckland headed to Gisborne, where she trained and practised as a medical technician. She later married John, bought a farm and raised four children.
Farming was their way of life before the bottom fell out of the industry and personal tragedy, which included the death of a daughter, took its toll. In 1992 they moved to Auckland to help with the rehabilitation of their son Matthew, who sustained a brain injury as the result of a car crash. During the next three years John completed an MBA and Gill established and operated Rural Delivery, a specialist shop for New Zealand-made products in Remuera, where the seed of an idea was planted in 1992 when Milly and Molly began their life as a Topsy-Turvy doll. Gill resolved to use her doll as a vehicle to promote the acceptance of diversity while indigenous people worldwide—and more especially the Maori of New Zealand—were struggling to reinstate their place in a changing world.
A series of 48 books featuring the girls and their multicultural friends grew out of a desire to further promote the concept and the doll. Altogether 78 books have been written for two television series, the first of which is due to air in late 2005. The books are now contracted for release in 101 countries and in 23 languages.
As a parent and grandparent herself, Gill was inspired to write books other parents and grandparents would like to read to their children and grandchildren. The stories fuel the imagination, facilitate broad discussion, thought and change and encourage children to lead a well-balanced lifestyle.
“I want to get the message across that while we may look different, we feel the same emotions. Pain, heartbreak, loss of identity, self-esteem and sound values transcend race, colour and creed. I want to help make a difference.”