BRENTON CULLEN is a bookseller, children’s literature advocate and now author with his debut middle grade fiction, The Prime Minister Problem.

RACHEL DENHAM-WHITE spoke with Brenton before its release.

Brenton Cullen says about his career, ‘I was always a writer, who then ended up working in bookshops. Working in bookshops was the perfect environment for an aspiring writer; I could keep up to date with new releases, market trends, and read all the fabulous new children’s books. Getting to be close to authors’ work spurred me on to write my stories when I got home each day.’

The spark for his debut middle grade novel, The Prime Minister Problem, was lit in 2022.

‘It was all sparked because I wanted to write a story for my partner, who is a political enthusiast. Originally, I thought of writing a humorous story about a boy who runs for Prime Minister of Australia. However, very quickly the story took on its own direction – or, rather, its true direction.’

The story follows 10-year-old Wren who feels like no one sees him. His mum is busy working two jobs, his brother doing his own thing. At school Wren hides in the library looking at books his grandma taught him to love. She was the only person who saw him. But she has had a stroke and now moved to a nursing home. Wren now feels extra invisible. So, he decides to write to the Prime Minister for help. When no reply comes it isn’t long before Wren finds he is not the only one who feels forgotten.

The Prime Minister Problem tackles big issues for kids – loneliness, family separation, and illness – with a deft, sensitive touch.

‘Life has hard bits and happy bits, scary bits and sad bits, laughing bits and the bits that don’t go your way. Some kids deal with these themes in their everyday life – and it’s important for them to know it’s all right to feel lonely, or sad about a family member moving away. Tough moments lead to new opportunities. Wren is sad about his grandma moving, but he decides to do something about it: he starts the Adopt a Grandparent program. Through that, he makes new friends and discovers courage he didn’t know he had.’

Like his character Wren, Brenton says he was a huge reader growing up.

‘I think I was born that way. But my mum and my Gran and my Grandma certainly encouraged it, from before I could talk or walk. They bought me books for gifts, read me stories and took me to libraries. I think Wren is partially inspired by my own experiences, his love of reading and his relationship with his beloved Grandma. But Wren is not me. I’d say he is the character I have written who is closest to my heart. I even sneaked some of my favourite books I read as a kid into the pages of the book.

‘I loved writing about Wren’s passion for the environment, animals and nature. He is also very quiet but has a huge imagination and a big number of internal thoughts. I think lots of kids are like this; maybe they seem shy or quiet on the outside, but inside, they are full of worlds.’

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brenton Cullen writes stories from the heart for children and young adults. He is a bookseller, interviewer, children’s literature advocate, reviewer and 2023 May Gibbs Children’s Literature Trust Fellowship Recipient and 2024 Winner of the Just Write for Kids Pitch It! Competition (Middle-Grade Category).

Brenton lives between the bush and the beach with his partner, a quartet of fish named The Supremes, five terrariums, eight house plants and an ever-growing picture book collection.

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