Swimming with Aunty Isobel

A colorful underwater scene from the children's book 'Swimming with Aunty Isobel'. Two girls, an adult and a child, are swimming together through a vibrant coral reef filled with fish and sea life. The title and authors' names are prominently displayed.

When I grow up I want to be a marine biologist, just like my Aunty Isobel.

The ocean can be a place of wonder, with coral rainbows and breaching whales!

It can also be dark and scary.

But if you venture out under the light of a pancake moon, you might discover something wonderful. Something that makes anything seem possible.

Inspired by the adventurous life of marine biologist Isobel Bennett!

In the collection

A close-up of a crab with a greenish-blue carapace and orange claws, resting on light-colored sand.

Isobel Bennett, Sesarma erythrodactyla, Bayview, Pittwater, New South Wales, 1986, nla.obj-140469240

Two starfish on a sandy surface: one vibrant orange and one dark brown, both with spiny arms.

Isobel Bennett, Astropecten polycanthus, lower and upper surfaces, Gunnamatta Bay, New South Wales, 1986, nla.obj-140473599

An underwater scene featuring four sea urchins with spiky shells resting on a rocky seabed covered in green algae and marine growth. Sunlight filters through the water, illuminating the textured ocean floor.

Isobel Bennett, Heliocidaris erythrogramma is the common seaurchin of rock-pools, Newport, New South Wales, 1985, nla.obj-140475997

A black-and-white portrait of an older woman with short, styled hair, looking directly at the camera. She wears a light-colored coat over a turtleneck sweater, with a decorative brooch pinned to her lapel. The background is softly blurred, suggesting an outdoor setting with water and distant land.

Alex Ozolins, Portrait of Australian marine biologist Isobel Bennett, c. 1975, nla.obj-136632745

A large sea turtle is resting on a sandy beach, partially buried in the sand with sparse vegetation around it. The image is in black and white, giving it a vintage or historical feel.

Frank Hurley, Sea turtle laying eggs, Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef, 6, ca. 1910-1962 nla.obj-157791198

A black-and-white photograph of a sea turtle resting on a sandy beach, with sparse vegetation and trees in the background.

Frank Hurley, Sea turtle laying eggs, Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef, 7, ca. 1910-1962 nla.obj-157791555

Teachers' Notes

Teachers' notes: Swimming with Aunty Isobel (PDF, 1.48MB)

A smiling woman with dark, wavy hair wearing a blue ribbed cardigan over a black top, standing against a textured pink wall.

About the author

Cassy Polimeni is a children’s/YA author and freelance editor living on Bunurong country/SE Melbourne, who has always loved words and faraway places.

In 2022 she was awarded an Australian Society of Authors/Copyright Australia Mentorship to develop a middle grade novel set in Norway, which she worked on with Kristina Schulz. She has been published in print and online, including The Guardian and Destinations Australia magazine. Other jobs she’s had include bookseller, travel writer, magazine editor, TV book reviewer and airport chauffeur.

About the illustrator

A smiling woman with short gray hair looks upward and to the side, holding a pink pencil. She wears a white t-shirt with red lettering and a necklace, with a bookshelf visible in the blurred background.

Evie Barrow is an acclaimed artist and illustrator whose hand-drawn storytelling celebrates the unique warmth, texture and imperfections that bring her art to life, inviting readers of all ages to linger over the page.

She aims to inject imagination, wonder and joy into every children’s picture book she illustrates.

In 2026, My Mum is a Bird received a CBCA Notable and was Highly Commended in the Victorian Premier Literary Awards.