Denny author and Bairn cartoonist team up to help keep kids super cyber safe

Wendy Goucher, who lives in Denny, has written a new book entitled Nettie in Cyberland which aims to get parents and little ones discussing – in a fun and memorable way – the dangers you can run into whenever you venture online.

An information and risk training consultant, Wendy also writes books and her latest publication – the first of a series of cyber safety stories featuring her young heroine Nettie – is aimed at children aged three to five.

And, of course, their parents.

Wendy said: “You can never start too early when it comes to cyber security – it’s like coaching a children about looking both ways before they cross the road and we tell them this years before they will ever be crossing the road by themselves.

“It’s the same with being safe online and the book allows the children to learn about it through the characters and get involved in the story.”

Wendy spoke to a lot of teachers, parents and grandparents before she wrote the book.

“They said the didn’t know where to start when it came to talking to children about cyber safety – especially the grandparents. We need to get these grown-ups out of the habit of saying they don’t know how the Internet works so they can’t talk to children about being safe when they use it.

“So this book is really for both children and adults – it’s a resource. There are lots of helpful links included in it about staying safe online.”

Wendy has actually been working with Bairn cartoonist Jim Barker for over 10 years – he has provided his signature artwork for projects run by Wendy’s company.

“This book has taken six years to create,” said Wendy. “I wasn’t going to privately publish this because it was too important so I had to find the right publisher to get it to as many people as possible.”

Nettie in Cyberland is now available to buy online at Amazon.com.