'Mr Bandicoot and Other Tales' is a uniquely Australian interpretation of nursery rhymes for kids. Available as a book and CD set and coupled with wonderfully whimsical illustrations, it's a package that can be read, sung, listened to and laughed with, all at once.

Written 50 years ago by Anne Lawson, the songs were created to entertain her children while she worked. Many of the collection of 27 nursery rhymes are centred round and about the family farm situated between Sydney and Wollongong on Highway No. 1 [Princes Highway]. They feature fantastic tales of the small adventures readers can undertake every day, from meeting Mr Bandicoot himself to exploring by the sea, or holding onto a kite dancing in the sky to a talking tooth brush called Tommy.

In 2008 at a family get together for Mother's Day, Anne's children put on an impromptu concert featuring the songs and found themselves debating the lyrics of one of the songs. Anne was moved to spend some time finding the book she had made for her children so long ago. In the ensuing debate a CD was suggested and then a book.

So Anne began working with Kate Rowe (winner of the Children's Category of the John Lennon Songwriters Award in 2009) to breathe new life into the songs, which Kate arranged beautifully. By Christmas 2008 Kate performed and recorded the tracks, along with John Stuart at Sound Heaven Studios in the Blue Mountains, NSW. Nan's close friends Hugo and Heidi created the dreamy illustrations. The book was launched in March 2010 at the Blue Mountains Folk Festival.

'Mr Bandicoot and Other Tales' comes packaged with a CD of the songs given a contemporary voice by Kate's musical talents.