A key character in a series of children's picture books written and illustrated by Mairi Hedderwick is "Grannie Island", who lives further round the bay and was widely hailed, as for example "a positive image, a celebration of the strength of women, and a challenge to gender stereotyping".
A key character in the books is Katie Morag's "Grannie Island", who lives further round the bay, and is generally found in her dungarees often driving or fixing her tractor, or surrounded by cats around her Rayburn stove, in contrast to Katie Morag's altogether more "Granma Mainland". Katie Morag is the title character of a series of children's picture books written and illustrated by Mairi Hedderwick. Grannie Island was widely hailed, as for example "a positive image, a celebration of the strength of women, and a challenge to gender stereotyping"  a happy accident, as Hedderwick had originally planned for the character to be male, until her North American publisher demurred; but not inappropriate, as Hedderwick was as likely as not herself to be found behind the wheel of her old tractor at the time. 
