LOCAL CHILDREN'S author and artist Elizabeth Mulderig has written several books over the years, including a hit series featuring the mischievous character Tiny the Tree Frog. After an eight-year break the author's latest addition to the library of Bermudian children's literature, Do-Boy Digs Bermuda, hits bookstores this week.

Do-Boy Digs Bermuda tells the story of a Dachshund called Do-Boy who fancies himself a bit of a pirate after he finds a treasure map and travels across the island on his scooter in search of what he hopes is buried gold and silver.

In the middle of his frantic dig he meets a turtle at Devil's Hole who reprimands him, forcing the young pup to consider whether or not he will share the treasure once he finds it.

Of course, you have to read the story to find out what the real treasure is and whether or not the wiener dog does share it with the rest of the island. But there is a moral lesson to be learned from Do-Boy's actions, says the author.

"Now, if reading this story a child comes away with a stronger love of Bermuda or a stronger appreciation of nature versus material gain, then that would be great," says Ms Mulderig. "But I am just as happy if the story simply makes the kids laugh."

The character of Do-Boy is based on a dog the author had many years ago, Maxamillion, who was nicknamed Do-boy because he was "much more of a doer than a thinker" she explains with a laugh.

"Do-Boy died ten years ago and this is my tribute to him."

As for the popular series featuring Tiny the Tree Frog, Ms Mulderig assures youngsters that the green character is simply taking a break: "Tiny definitely had his day in the sun, so to speak, but that tired him out and he was forced to stop taking all those adventures."

With a chuckle she admits that Tiny makes a cameo appearance in Do-Boy Digs Bermuda as she has him sleeping in a tree in the background of one of the Do-Boy illustrations. "For those remaining Tiny fans, most of whom now have kids of their own, it's a sort of 'Where's Waldo?' situation," she explains with a smile.

Ms Mulderig describes the local reception for the first Tiny book when it was published in the late 1980s as "overwhelming". It became one of the most sold children's books in Bermuda and Ms Mulderig hopes Do-Boy Digs Bermuda will be received with equal enthusiasm.

"One of the most inspirational pieces of fan mail I ever received after writing the first Tiny book came not from a child, but from a grandmother, the late Lady Dill. She obviously had a fantastic, childlike spirit and really enjoyed the book. I treasure that letter to this day," Ms Mulderig elaborates. "It was that kind of encouragement which prompted me to write another quirky children's book, staring another quirky character having yet another quirky island adventure."

When asked how long it took her to complete the Do-Boy book, Ms Mulderig admits that she spent only a few hours writing the story, but almost six weeks re-writing it.

As for detailed illustrations, she describes these as: "Loose, funny and colourful. They are ink paintings and I spent no more than a day on each of them."

The hardest part, she says, was designing Do-Boy's jams. "I wanted him to be hip, gangsta and homeboy-ish so he wears his jams very low on his waist and he wears bling bling shades," she explains.

The author, who majored in English Literature at Boston University, says she enjoyed infusing as much humour into the book as possible with the cover depicting Do-Boy lazing on the beach with his "i-pup", virgin banana daiquiri and SPF 300, while in another stanza the "hot dog" drops his pants in St. George's because "Do-Boy found a good place to piddle. A parking lot with a ship in the middle."

Ms Mulderig describes herself as an island girl at heart, having spent the first eight years of her life in Bermuda until her business executive father was relocated to New York.

"I missed everything about Bermuda: Mount Saint Agnes, fishing for grunts, swimming in water where you could see the fish, stealing loquats and cherries," she recalls. "It took me almost a decade to stop desperately yearning to move back down here."

With a laugh she adds that she did get her wish a few years later when her father and brother Robby started a reinsurance company based on the island and the family returned. "And now, at age 48, I very happily reside here with my two neurotic dogs - not at all like Do-Boy, who was almost normal - Twinkie and Millie," she says.

As for the future, Ms Mulderig says she has no other books lined up, but there are plenty of paintings to be done: "I'm working on a series of 12 paintings of old Bermuda houses for a calendar celebrating Bermuda's quatrocentennial. That will hopefully be in the stores by next March."

Her advice to would-be young authors and illustrators is "to pretend you are a corporate worker and devote the same kind of hours to your work. Oh, and try and get as much praise and as many compliments as possible ... it helps," she adds. Ms Mulderig concludes that it's important for children to read because it ignites their imaginations. She feels that without imagination, the world would be a very dull place indeed. "Besides, reading keeps kids in the loop," she adds. Do-Boy Digs Bermuda was printed by Bermuda Press Ltd. and is aimed at readers eight and younger.

It is sold at Phoenix Book Mart, A&S Coopers and The Bermuda Book Store. Ms Mulderig will be doing signings in each store over the next month.