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E. J. (Erica) Gore
Erica grew up in Brisbane, Australia, in the 1950/60s.
For an inwardly adventurous, but outwardly shy child, reading was a major part of life. Stories such as Enid Blyton’s ‘Famous Five’ adventures fired her imagination and
created new worlds for her to explore. Making up stories of her own followed as a natural progression, with Erica holding storytelling sessions for her stuffed toys each evening before bed.
Having overcome her shyness by taking drama classes at her mother’s insistence, Erica became a primary school teacher. She brought her love of story into the classroom, using narrative as a base for the units of work she planned for her students. Her core belief that stories provide children with a means of engaging with, and forming deeper understanding of, the world around them proved most successful in encouraging learning.
When she retired from the classroom, Erica began to write her stories down. ‘It was as though the time was right to be writing. The ideas were there and I had to let them escape from my brain and sort themselves out on paper.’
Erica’s characters are average kids. They do not have any special powers. They do not live in any fantasy worlds. Quick wits and keen observation skills are their weapons.
The main character, Taya, is the adventurous little girl that Erica longed to be. She has the adventures that Erica dreamed of having. She is a child who wonders about things and likes to figure out puzzles. She can be a scaredy-cat and she can be amazingly brave. She and her fiend, Chris, are likeable kids with whom young readers can easily identify.
Who wouldn’t want to be out and about solving mysteries and having adventures?
Erica still lives in Brisbane with her husband and their two mischievous dogs.
Reviewed by Melinda Hills for Readers' Favorite
An unexpected trip to Narralong and the Splinter Island bird sanctuary is not what 11-year-old Taya Bayliss wants, but what can a kid do? Before she even leaves home, though, a mystery presents itself and leads to big action! Taya’s dad, ‘Birdman Bayliss’, is a scientist who studies birds. He has been called to Splinter Island to see why there are not many eggs this year. The real reason behind this shortage leads to a serious situation involving smugglers, lots of money, and people willing to do anything to keep their operation a secret. With her friend’s help, Taya keeps track of her dad who has been acting strangely, and they come face to face with danger. Taya’s love of puzzles and codes enables her to figure out how the crooks are communicating their plans and set up a look-out to catch them in action. Will Taya’s curiosity get her in trouble in Taya Bayliss - Code Breaker by E.J. Gore?
An excellent story that is easy to read, Taya Bayliss - Code Breaker by E.J. Gore appeals to young girls and boys interested in mysteries. The characters are ordinary kids with a strong friendship and above average powers of observation and problem solving. Taya has a good relationship with her parents, but the difference between children and adults is realistic and it is exactly Taya’s natural resistance at being told what to do that gets her involved in the mystery. Discover just what Taya’s curiosity gets her into in this exciting, fun to read story.
