This is Shannon Cullen’s Journal for Mothers

When New Zealand-born Shannon Cullen had her first baby Matilda, who is now aged four, she found herself writing down random notes and doodles at all hours. This sparked the creation of I’m Wrecked, This is My Journal, Jenny Lee writes for the Irish News.

Filled with a mix of funny quotes, puzzles, witty lists and reflective questions, the alternative baby memory book is aimed at inspiring and uplifting even the most despairing of sleep-deprived parents.

“I was looking back on the diary I had written when I was nursing Matilda and realised how nice it was to have those honest memories – whether it was a day where everyone cried or a happy outing,” explains the 39-year-old publishing director for children’s books at Penguin Random House.

“I wanted it to reflect my experience of parenting, which is that everything is a balancing act – balancing your baby with one hand and a glass of wine with the other.”

Cullen has been filling in one of her books herself as she nurses her six-month-old Sam.

As well as aspiring to wake up naturally, without the aid of children, in the next few months Cullen plans to return to work, where she will undertake the challenge of building the Ladybird brand, which became iconic in the 20th century thanks to its Peter and Jane titles.

“My job involves commissioning everything in the children’s section, from five to teenage. But I will also be taking on the challenge of running Ladybird. It will be really fun to reinvent the brand and make it a bit more modern.

“It would be lovely to publish Ladybird books on nature and topics such as space, picking up on the popularity of inspiring British astronaut Tim Peake.”

Original article by Jenny Lee, The Irish News, March 28, 2017.