Showing posts with label Verse. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Verse. Show all posts

22 Nov 2023

A CHRISTMAS CAROL WITH GRANDFATHER TIME

 


A CHRISTMAS CAROL WITH GRANDFATHER TIME BY ROSE ENGLISH WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY PABLO RODRIGUEZ.

Target Age ... Children age 4 to 8 + years

Genre ... Christmas Picture Book

Publication Date: 1st October 2023

Standalone Book

Estimated Page Count ... 32

Purchase Link ...  https://mybook.to/GrandfatherTimeXmas


A modern lyrical re-telling of the Charles Dickens classic for children of all ages. Young Ebenezer hates sharing and is not very caring. Can a magical clock and a ghost puppy help him mend his ways?


**At least £1 from every book purchased will go towards donating a book to each child in Hereford County Hospital over the Christmas Season 2023**


A Christmas Carol with Grandfather Time {a grandfather clock} tells the story of the young Eb who, well, not the most nice or thoughtful of children has some lessons to learn in this re-imagining of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.


Though obviously not nearly as dark as Dicken's version {English's version is after all aimed at children as young as four} we have the child friendly 'ghosts' of Past, Present and, my favourite, Future, 'The Dream Catcher' who come 8 o'clock Christmas morn hope to see a changed Eb 'sharing his games, happy and caring'. 


Written in rhyme, something that I personally believe always adds a certain something to books for young children; the poetic meter is pretty much consistent throughout, making it easy for young readers to pick up the words and thus the story as it is read out loud.


All in all the book worms and I enjoyed this fun rendition of a classic story. That the children were able to talk about why it was that Eb was not a good friend prior to the visit by the 'ghosts' a bonus. However, rather pettily of me perhaps, I was slightly disappointed in the depiction of Eb's parents; that having been told by his mum that it was time for bed, Eb's dad took over parenting when he 'Jumped from his chair and said with a roar! "NOW EBENEZER! You heard what Mum said. Put down your game and get ready for bed."' after Eb declared he wasn't finished playing his game.


The illustrations however, Hmm! I'm still not sure about the illustrations and the little bookworms certainly weren't particularly enthusiastic about them in so much as, once seen, they were happy enough to lose themselves in the story whereas normally there are complaints from at least one of them that they cannot see the pictures.


Having been called upon to re-read the story 'just one more time pleasseee' over several consecutive nights now, it would seem this has become something of a favourite with the bookworms. As for myself, happy to re-read it, I do think it a festive read and it has a good message at its heart.


Living on 'England's Green & Pleasant Land', among the gentle rolling hills of the Herefordshire Countryside, Rose's house is wall to wall books. She's a Read-a-holic, whose hobby is to write stories for the young and young at heart.


Working as a school librarian, and sharing her love of books with children, was the best job she ever had. However, life moves on and another chapter was only a page turn away. Working in a very different library now, she is a key worker for the NHS helping to run the Medical Equipment Library in Wye Valley NHS Trust.

After winning FIRST PRIZE in a short story competition with 'The Magic of Grandfather Christmas' she is inspired to transform the tale into a collection of stories for all ages. ‘Young Ebenezer' is inspired by the Dickens classic 'A Christmas Carol' and brought into modern times with a strong theme of sharing and caring.

Rose has a little sidekick called Miss Ruby Heart, a ruby King Charles spaniel from the Grandfather Time Series. The puppy is the Ghost of Christmas Past and features on the 'Young Ebenezer’ covers. She also has her own social media pages check out www.instagram.com/missrubyheart1


Social Media Website ... Website  X/Twitter


With thanks to Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for organising a paper copy. One of several bloggers participating in the Blog Tour of this book, agree or disagree with me, all opinions are my own; no financial compensation was asked for nor given; threats of violence towards my favourite teddy bear went unheeded as did promises of chocolate.




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5 Nov 2023

SANTA'S EARLY CHRISTMAS.

SANTA'S EARLY CHRISTMAS by LILY LAWSON.

Target Age ... Children {ages 3-8 years}

Genre ... Poetry/Rhyming Picture Book

Publication Date ... 5th November 2022

Standalone Book

Estimated Page Count ... 60

Order from Amazon ...  https://mybook.to/SantasEarlyChristmas


Last year Santa was hungry and thirsty by the time he delivered all the presents. But when he came home there was no food and drink left! This year Santa decides things are going to be different.

Every year I'm hoping to find that Christmas read that I know will become a tradition to be brought out and read every year ... in Santa's Early Christmas I have found just such a read.

A short story of what happens when, Santa having over indulged in Christmas fayre until 'there was nothing left scoff', will the presents be on time? followed by two bonus festive poems, one telling of what happens when Rudolph learning to fly, 'jumps off the rooftops and into the sky'; the second, an ode to when the 'lights and toys and tinsels are hung upon the tree' and 'the cards have all been written, the presents wrapped with care'. 

A rhyming book to be enjoyed by the whole family, beautifully written with fun, bright illustrations which combined are sure to have you chuckling. I only wish the book was longer.

Lily Lawson is a poet and fiction writer living in the UK.

She has poetry, short stories, and creative non-fiction

published in anthologies and online

in addition to her poetry books


My Fathers Daughter,

A Taste of What’s to Come,

and Rainbow’s Red Book of Poetry

 

and her kids’ books

Santa’s Early Christmas,

The Palm Tree Swingers Island Band

and If I Were Invisible…

 

You can find out more about Lily

and read more of her work on her blog.

 

Subscribers to Life with Lily are the first to hear all her writing news.

You can sign up here.


Social Media Links ... ~ BookBub ~ AllAuthor ~ Twitter ~ GoodReads ~ Instagram


With thanks to Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for organising a paper copy. One of several bloggers participating in the Blog Tour of this book, agree or disagree with me, all opinions are my own; no financial compensation was asked for nor given; threats of violence towards my favourite teddy bear went unheeded as did promises of chocolate.


Like my reviews and/or are an author, publisher etc who has a book you'd like me to review? Please get in touch, details can be found via my Review Policy. Likewise, lets share the bookish love; if you are a fellow bookworm/blogger please leave a comment and/or follow Pen and Paper on Google Friend Connect via the box on the right, I'll be more than happy to return your visit/follow your blog.

16 Sept 2023

BUS RHYMES AND PLAYTIME.

 BEEP! BEEP! 

All aboard! 

Tickets please! 

Today the Daisy Daydream Playbus Blog Tour stops by Pen and Paper.


BUS RHYMES AND PLAYTIME by SUE WICKSTEAD. 

Target Age ...  Children {3-9 years}

Genre ... Children’s Poetry and Rhymes book

Publication Date ... 1st September 2023

Estimated Page Count ... 30

Standalone Book

Order Link ... https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bus-Rhymes-Playtime-Sue-Wickstead-ebook/dp/B0CBNLR7D3/

Have you got your ticket ready?

Where shall we go today?

Why not jump on board the bus

– come along to sing and play.

So, take your seat as off we go.

What could happen along the way?

A compilation collection that sees a selection of new rhymes and stories alongside others from a number of her other books, many of them featuring the joy of a bus ride though David's Bin Day and Bathtime Adventure along with, our personal favourite, Barty Bear, also put in appearances.

Whether captured in short and snappy rhyme or depicted in bright, bold illustrations that accompany the verse so beautifully, as we have come to expect from the the author this is a fun filled read full of vivid imagery that is sure to delight.

That many of the pages featured a 'bus ticket' that prompted reader discussion {'Where would you like to go on a bus ride?', 'What toy would you take on a bus ride?' two of the 'tickets' that come to mind} an added bonus and one that the little bookworms really enjoyed. 

Nanny, Nanny!

There's a witch on the bus

And she's casting lots of spells.

She's stirring up her cooking pot, 

And making lots of smells!

{Pooey!}

- pg 22

Most of all though there was The Spooky Bus Ride, which, each verse beginning with the words 'Nanny, Nanny!', saw everything from a witch, a dinosaur, a bear and a gorilla onboard a bus. Needless to say this provided hours of hilarity as the little darlings changed Nanny, Nanny! to just about every other adult they knew {Mammy, Mammy! possibly their favourite}; the older ones also substituting the things onboard the bus to any other number of other things; the oldest also the activity being done to create ever more complex rhymes. 

 

Sue Wickstead lives in West Sussex, UK and writes children’s picture story books.

Sue's stories are inspired by her adventures with a Playbus as well as her experiences as a teacher.

The Playbus was a real double-decker bus full of toys, arts and crafts, as well as a lot of fun to play on.

 

Sue wrote a photographic social history book about the project which led to her story telling and her writing. All of Sue’s books do have a bus included in them somewhere. Daisy Daydream was the bus that Sue painted and the start of her Playbus and writing journey.

When not writing Sue builds models with Lego (especially for her grandson), she loves spending quality time with her young grandson and enjoys creating models to share with him on his visits.

Her grandson features in the book ‘Barty Barton; the bear that was loved too much’ which was published in 2020. He also helps his Nanny Sue to sing along with a few of the rhymes sue has written.

Many of Sue’s books have been entered and shortlisted in ‘The Wishing Shelf Book Awards’, the book ‘A Spooky Tale’ was a silver medal winner in 2019. The story was written with her class in school.


Social Media Links ... ~ Website ~ FaceBook ~ Instagram ~ X {Formerly Twitter} ~


With thanks to Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for another Blog Tour. Agree or disagree with me, all opinions are my own. No financial compensation was asked for nor given. Threats of violence towards my favourite teddy bear went unheeded as did promises of chocolate.


Like my reviews and/or are an author, publisher etc who has a book you'd like me to review? Please get in touch, details can be found via my Review Policy. Likewise, lets share the bookish love; if you are a fellow bookworm/blogger please leave a comment and/or follow Pen and Paper on Google Friend Connect via the box on the right, I'll be more than happy to return your visit/follow your blog.