David Chapman is a thirtysomething Bermudian author. He is also a proud father who has taken his involvement with his children and turned it into a series of Bermudianised science textbooks.

Mr. Chapman beams with pride when discussing this project, and rightfully so! The books feature stunning full gloss photography (shot by Bermudian photographer Cherie Richardson) and an outstanding array of fun and fascinating facts.

The "Daddy And I Explore" series is set to make its debut in the Bermuda school system this coming September, and is sure to be a hit with parents, teachers, and students across the Island.

The first two books in the series ("The Tide Pools" and "The Mangroves") will provide plenty of excitement and enlightenment for students in primaries two to four this year.

These books will also encourage young people to get out and explore their environment, and hopefully inspire parents to join them.

In fact, Mr. Chapman cites the desire to cast a different light on Bermudian parents, specifically Bermudian fathers, as a significant inspiration for the creation of this compelling series.

The books consist of pictures of Mr. Chapman and his children exploring the areas each book is focusing on. Facts are printed alongside great photos of a Bermudian father spending quality, constructive time with his children, which is an image Mr. Chapman was very intent on projecting.

These books are designed to provide a wealth of scientific knowledge to young minds as well as to directly contradict the often stifling myth of the "deadbeat dad". When asked about his inspiration for creating the series, Mr. Chapman points to the importance of fathers spending time with their children first.

Indeed the first book in the series highlights a day at the seashore with his daughter, and the second features an expedition to the mangroves with his son.

The very nature of these books proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that there are positive images of young Bermudian fathers available within these shores.

Mr. Chapman's next concern was to get the content to young people in an easy and accessible way. The books are written in simple language and narrated from the perspective of the child in each instance.

This style allows the reader to feel like they are being told a story by a friend instead of being directed by a stuffy old professor. The books are light, relevant to Bermuda's environment, and specifically designed with the Bermuda school curriculum in mind.

Actually, the series was born as a result of Mr. Chapman's time teaching in the Bermuda school system, and becoming very familiar with the science curriculum. "I saw that there was very little content pertaining specifically to Bermuda, and thereby found an opportunity to develop a fully Bermudian product that would address a sorely lacking area of local instruction."

Mr. Chapman approached Science Officer Joan Blades at the Department of Education and she encouraged him to run with the concept.

The Bank of Bermuda came on board soon after and the rest, as they say, is history. The second book in the series is already in every public and private school on the Island, and the first is well on the way.

Mr. Chapman encourages parents to "get your children reading early" and to help them to develop an appreciation for "our environmental heritage''.

As for the future, Mr. Chapman is currently shooting for the third installment in the series ("Daddy And I Explore ... Farms"), which will focus on our rich agricultural heritage.

Mr. Chapman is also in talks with an American publishing company about taking the series international.

For now the books are available across the Island at your favourite bookstore, or online at all the places books are sold (amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and so on).