Oak Tree Life was founded by Susie Reading and Katie Kett. We met while working side by side in the same busy Day Surgery Unit as Operating Department Practitioners (ODP's). A shared love of creativity, storytelling and nature soon grew into a lasting friendship. ​​Over time we discovered that we shared the same dream of writing a children's book.

 

We both have young children and are inspired by the traditional books we read as children, including Frog and Toad and The Wind in the Willows. Our stories are written to be enjoyed by parents and children alike, with a focus on British nature.

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We began meeting in local coffee shops whenever we could and our debut book Little Owl's Woodland Adventure was written over tea and cake. Once the illustrations had been brought to life at Susie's kitchen table, we were ready to publish. With the support of a successful Kickstarter campaign, we raised enough to print our first 100 books, which quickly sold out.

 

Today, we regularly run reading and craft events at local libraries and schools, sharing our stories with young readers and their families. With big plans for 2026, including an exciting collaboration and our next book in the Oak Tree Life series, our woodland world is only just beginning.