SKU: 1170760898

Oswald Messweather - Dimity Powel & Siobhan McVey QUEENSLAND AUTHOR

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Oswald Messweather - Dimity Powel & Siobhan McVey QUEENSLAND AUTHORDont let your ice cream melt while youre counting somebody elses sprinkles. Now, its a well known fact I LOVE ice cream, barely noticing incidental toppings in my eagerness to tuck into its creamy, silken wonderfulness. However this is a sentiment (and well known meme) I can relate to, at least in part. While many of us, young and old, develop repetitive habits that can be interpreted as obsessive, it is when unwanted reoccurring thoughts, fears and

Don’t let your ice cream melt while you’re counting somebody else’s sprinkles.

Now, it’s a well-known fact I LOVE ice cream, barely noticing incidental toppings in my eagerness to tuck into its creamy, silken wonderfulness. However this is a sentiment (and well-known meme) I can relate to, at least in part. While many of us, young and old, develop repetitive habits that can be interpreted as obsessive, it is when unwanted reoccurring thoughts, fears and sensations (obsessions) dominate actions and compel repetitive behaviours (compulsions) that the illness, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) becomes apparent. It’s this obsessive desire to reduce or alleviate the fear of a consequence occurring that many can relate to, myself included. Fear can spark many things…even story lines….

Sometimes picture book ideas spring up out of nowhere. I can’t recall exactly where Oswald’s story came from or why the urge to tell it hammered at me so strongly , but once he slipped into my life, he was determined to stay and be heard. Oswald Constantine Dorian Messweather’s tale first bubbled to life during a flight from Brisbane to Singapore. In just under eight hours, Ozzie as he affectionately became known to me, invited me into his precise and anxious world. I knew I had to treat him gently yet couldn’t wait to share his tale of overcoming, or rather managing, OCD with the world. This is his story.

Mess and disorder upset Oswald. Even the complexity of his own name is enough to set Oswald’s legs jiggling and his palms itching with anxiety. To combat his unease, Oswald obsessively counts his take-everywhere pocket pals – his crayons. It is a compulsion he finds comforting but also extremely exhausting.

Oswald’s obsessive preoccupations distract him from everything and everyone else around him, until one day Oswald is encouraged to use his penchant for perfection and eye for detail in a class project. With the help of his crayons, Oswald’s classmates create something spectacular, which helps Oswald realise just how valuable he is in spite of his anxieties.

Oswald is not a picture book that focuses intently on the educational perspectives of children with OCD but rather more on the emotional aspects associated with this debilitating condition. Oswald is caught in the grips of needing to be in control of the messier aspects of his life and like many young children suffering from obsessive worrying and anxieties, wants to stop but can’t. By allowing Oswald to take control of his anxieties and employ them with purpose, Oswald gains room to breathe and an awareness that they need not govern him.

Siobhan McVey evocative stylised illustrations help reinforce as well as soften the prose which is occasionally metaphoric and curt. Ribbons and swirls of colour speak for Oswald, depicting the intensity of his emotions through their form and complexity and deliver a sense of hope and enlightenment.

Unhealthy reoccurring anxious thoughts can inhibit daily functioning in the most corrosive ways. Nearly 3 per cent of Australians experience OCD with children as young as six displaying symptoms. Causes and triggers are many and varied however, this picture book endeavours to create a timely and gentle medium, which parents and carers can share with young children to encourage deeper discussion and promote emotional and mental healing in a non-instructive way.

Published: 28 March 2021
Illustrator: Siobhan McVey
Format: 32pp Paperback 
Ideal for: 4 – 8 year olds and sufferers of OCD

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SKU: 1170760898

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Amazon Vine Reviewer
Omaha, US
★★★★★ 5
Durable duck toy for man’s best friend
Although it was suggested that this toy would be best for small breeds, I found that it’s durable enough for my 80 pound Irish setter! It has literally become his best friend. He takes it everywhere he goes! There’s a small squeaky noise that comes from the neck area that he has to work to find. I’m sure he will eventually destroy this as he has with all his other toys, but it’s really holding up much better than anticipated. It is well worth the $10 cost.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2025
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Ted and Katie
Battle Creek, US
★★★★★ 5
Really cute, well made dog toy. Was a huge hit with our pup
This toy was a big hit! Pros - love the heavy duty burlap-kinda fabric. Our new puppy has razor sharp teeth but this fabric is holding up really well. - size is great for a variety of breeds - shape is perfect for grabbing onto. Our puppy especially likes picking it up on the neck where the toy is more slender - the extra little feet and wing flaps add some interest that have really kept her occupied Cons - the squeaker is in the neck where the fabric has embellishments and is a little thicker. It's a little hard to activate the squeaker but maybe the toy/stuffing needs to get broken in more and then it will be easier to squeeze that section
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Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2025
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Ladybug27
Port Orchard, US
★★★★★ 5
Best Balls Ever!!!
Size: Medium
These are the best balls ever! We have 2 very active ball loving dogs and these bounce very well and they actually hold up with active play and chewing. They still look brand new after daily use for months!
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Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2026
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David
Omaha, US
★★★★★ 5
Finally a ball my power chewers cannot destroy
Size: Medium
I have two dogs, an American Bully and an American Pit Bull Terrier, and both of them love to chew. Most balls last a very short time around here before they are shredded or missing big chunks. This one has actually held up. They chase it, tug on it and sit and chew on it, and it is still in one piece with no pieces breaking off. One of my favorite things is being able to put food inside. I add some kibble or small snacks, and they will happily sit and work on it for a long time. It keeps them busy, gives them something safe to chew, and they get a little reward while they play. When they are done, I just rinse it out and it is ready to go again. If you have strong jawed dogs that usually destroy toys, this ball is worth trying. Mine really enjoy it and I feel better knowing they finally have a ball that can keep up with them.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2025
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Jen Siefert
San Leandro, US
★★★★★ 5
My dog LOVES this ball
Size: Medium, Size: Medium
Does your dog destroy tennis balls in seconds? Yes? Then your dog NEEDS this ball! It's squishy like a tennis ball, fits in ball launchers (even the cheap ones) and bounces when it hits the ground. My dog has been literally playing with this ball all day and not a single mark on it! The only bad thing is that it does not float. Definitely worth the money! Put it in your cart!
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Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2026

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