About Geoff
The Storyteller Behind Harold
THE BEGINNING: BEDTIME STORIES & DISASTERS
There's a reason Harold is such a gloriously clumsy character.
It started with bedtime stories for my grandson Kayle. Night after night, we'd giggle and laugh as we invented Harold's many escapades—the catastrophes, the mishaps, the absolutely-spectacular failures. Those moments together were both memorable and joyous. Kayle is in his twenties now and we still laugh about some of the disasters we created together.
But somewhere between the laughter, I realized something important: these stories were doing more than entertaining. They were teaching. They were showing a young person that it's okay to make mistakes, as-long-as you learn from them and make things right.
That thought led me to ask a bigger question: Why not share these stories with kids around the world who might benefit from them?
WHY I WRITE LIKE HAROLD LIVES
Growing up, I was a lot like Harold—tall, clumsy, always meaning well but somehow causing chaos. I remember the night I stacked several small metal plates separated by tissue paper to create a capacitor and blew all the lights in the house. My parents were patient but exasperated. I was mortified but also kind of amazed at what I'd accidentally created.
That's the feeling I wanted to capture in Harold's world.
I believe kids need heroes who aren't perfect. They need characters who mess up spectacularly, own their mistakes, and keep trying. They need permission to be imperfect because perfection isn't real, and the sooner they understand that, the sooner they can focus on what actually matters: learning, growing, becoming themselves.
But as I wrote Harold's first books, I realized something crucial: one arc wasn't enough. Character development doesn't happen overnight. Real growth happens over time—through repeated lessons, deepening friendships, bigger challenges, and gradually becoming who you're meant to be.
So I kept writing. Through 29 books, I wanted to show what authentic growing up actually looks like. Not becoming perfect, but becoming more thoughtful, more resilient, more yourself. I wanted readers to follow Harold from age 9 through age 13, watch him apply lessons from Book 1 to situations in Book 25, and see that growth is a lifelong adventure.
WHERE HAROLD'S STORIES COME FROM
Harold's adventures are inspired by real-life moments of spectacular failure—mine, my kids', my grandchildren's, and stories from friends and educators who've shared their own Harold moments.
The volcano that erupts with pink foam? Based on an actual science project disaster (though with considerably less foam than Harold's version). The runaway hospital bed? Inspired by my dad's mischievous hospital stories. The friendship fallout that shakes Harold's world? Every person reading this has experienced that. The middle school transition that terrifies and excites Harold all at once? I remember exactly how that felt.
These aren't just disasters for the sake of entertainment. They're the real-life plot twists that every kid experiences. And I wanted to show how Harold navigates them—not perfectly, but authentically.
THE HAROLD I HOPE READERS FIND IN THEMSELVES
More than the chaos, I wanted to show genuine growth.
Harold doesn't become perfect by Book 29. But across the series, he becomes responsible, honest, patient, persevering, mindful, empathetic, courageous, resilient, confident, and wise. That's real growth. That's the kind of becoming that happens over years, not overnight.
And that's what I hope young readers see in themselves across their own years of growing up.
WHO I AM (BEYOND THE HAROLD STORIES)
I'm a Sydney-based author and grandfather, now in my eighties, who grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa before emigrating to Australia. I'm passionate about creating stories that entertain while teaching important life lessons—the kind that stick with you long after you've closed the book.
When I'm not writing about Harold's latest catastrophe, I enjoy the chaos of family life, spend time with my beloved Jack Russell Terrier (yes, like Spike!), and visit schools across Australia to connect with readers and educators.
My first pet was Daisy, a little Fox Terrier who was like my shadow—she followed me everywhere, even climbed fences with me. That loyal, mischievous energy became the inspiration for Spike, Harold's disaster-prone companion. Any pet owner knows; sometimes your pet causes as much chaos as your kid does. That's Spike.
WHY THESE STORIES MATTER
In a world that often demands perfection, kids need permission to be imperfect.
They need role models for:
Taking responsibility for mistakes. Apologizing genuinely. Learning from failures. Persevering through challenges. Growing at their own pace. Deepening friendships. Facing fears with courage. Solving problems creatively. Treating others with empathy. Leading authentically. Balancing competing demands. Finding purpose through service. Embracing change. Becoming themselves.
That's what Harold offers across 29 books: hope that we can all keep improving, keep learning, keep getting back up when we fall down, and discover that growing up doesn't mean losing your joy.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED WRITING 29 BOOKS
When I started writing Harold, I thought I knew what I was doing. I quickly discovered how little I really understood about the process.
The more I learned, the more I realized how much more I needed to learn and grow. I've embraced new technology, stood in awe of what's possible, and discovered that writing a series isn't just about the stories—it's about building something that serves readers, parents, and educators in different ways.
If I could give one piece of advice to myself at the beginning: Live life to the full and never lose the child in you.
That's what Harold taught me.
HOW HAROLD SERVES DIFFERENT PEOPLE
For Readers: Harold is a friend who gets you. Someone who's been clumsy too, made mistakes, lived through the embarrassment, and kept trying. Your story, told in his adventures.
For Parents: Harold becomes a shared language between you and your child. A way to talk about responsibility, friendship, courage, and growth without it feeling like a lecture. A springboard for the conversations that matter.
For Educators: Harold is proof that engaging storytelling and character development aren't separate things—they're woven together. He models what it looks like to teach the whole child while keeping the joy alive.
FUN FACTS ABOUT GEOFF (BECAUSE YOU ASKED)
Favorite childhood book: The Student Prince
Biggest personal Harold moment: Too many to choose from, but-definitely, the capacitor incident
Why Jack Russell Terriers? My first pet Daisy (a Fox Terrier) was my constant shadow. Companion. She followed me everywhere, even climbed fences so she could be with me, and got into as much trouble as I did. That energy became Spike.
Writing spot: My study (where all the magic happens)
Can't write without: Coffee
How many cups per book: Eleveneen! Yes, that many! (And counting)
What advice would you give Harold if he were real: Be the best version of you that you can be.
Favorite Harold disaster from the 29 books: Honestly? Impossible to choose. Ask me on a different day and I'll probably give you a different answer.
CONNECT WITH GEOFF
I love hearing from readers, parents, and educators. Your Harold stories matter to me.
📧 Email: hello@hazardousharold.com
📘 Facebook: [link]
📷 Instagram: [link]
🐦 Twitter: [link]
School Visits & Speaking: I'm available for school visits, library events, virtual presentations, and book club discussions. Whether you're introducing Harold to your school, or your book club is deep in an arc discussion, I'd love to connect. [Contact link
READY TO JOIN HAROLD'S JOURNEY?
Harold's adventures are waiting in the Circle of Friends. Whether you're a reader discovering Harold for the first time, a parent looking for conversation starters, or an educator building your classroom community, there's a place for you here.
Because growing up—the messy, chaotic, joyful adventure of it—is something we should all experience together.
