‘Down the street, not far away, there is a little hardware shop. From paint for a baby’s new room to a rubber tip for an old man’s walking stick. Travel through the pages of this book to find yourself down the street, not far away, in a little hardware shop with a big heart.’
Growing up in West Sunshine, Hazel spent a lot of time in D & H Hardware located on Glengala Road. Now a self-published author, Hazel’s first book for children reflects the diverse, multicultural and colourful world of her childhood.
D & H Hardware is a family-run business owned by Dimitrios and Helen, Hazel’s parents. Over the years, relatives have joined the team, including her younger brother, Arthur. It’s brimming with useful tools, supplies for the garden, and all the things you might need for building, plumbing and painting.
Now in its 43rd year, locals and regulars pop in for a chat, share tips and advice and shoot the breeze. Being situated in a diverse and multicultural suburb, as a child Hazel quickly learnt that there was more than one name for everything in the store.
“Going into the pandemic, the opportunity came about to focus on writing. I always wanted to publish children’s books. It was on my bucket list, so I thought, why not?” says Hazel.
“In all, there are 18 languages represented in the book, along with many of the interesting products you would expect to find in a well-stocked hardware store.”
Illustrated by Dasha Riley and published by Little Steps Publishing, the book presents scenarios and objects in a diverse range of languages.
For kids from households that speak more than one language, Hazel hopes the book validates their experience and reflects the broader community.
“It wasn’t until I grew up and moved away from West Sunshine that I realised how lucky I was to have grown up surrounded by different cultures and languages. I hope I’ve captured some of that in The Little Hardware Shop.”
Hazel credits her success to her parents who moved to Australia from Greece and worked hard to operate the business while raising a family and working actively to support and build the local community.
Join first-time author, Hazel Lekkas, as we listen to her new book inspired by a local, long-established business of Sunshine, ‘The Little Hardware Shop’, with a fun tool belt craft to follow. St Albans Library on Saturday, 19 August (10:30am), and Sunshine Library on Thursday 24 August, (4pm), in conjunction with Children’s Book Week 2023. You can find Hazel Lekkas at bibliaandlogia.com.
