** Book Birthday Blitz ** Santa’s Early Christmas- Lily Lawson

I’m delighted to be participating in today’s book birthday blitz for ‘Santa’s Early Christmas.’

Santa’s Early Christmas

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.

Purchase Link – https://mybook.to/SantasEarlyChristmas

Author Bio –

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 http://mybook.to/MyFathersDaughter,

A Taste of What’s to Come http://mybook.to/ATasteofWhatstoCome and

Rainbow’s Red Book of Poetry http:/mybook.toRainbowsRedPoetryBook

and her kids’ books

Santa’s Early Christmas, https://mybook.to/SantasEarlyChristmas

The Palm Tree Swingers Island Band https:mybook.toPalmTreeSwingers and

If I Were Invisible… https://mybook.to/IfIwereInvisible

You can find out more about Lily and read more of her work on her blog. https://www.lilyswritinglife.com/

Subscribers to Life with Lily are the first to hear all her writing news. You can sign up here https://www.lilyswritinglife.com/lifewithlily

Social Media Links –

https://twitter.com/lifelovelily22

https://www.instagram.com/poeticrainbow9/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20433114.Lily_Lawson

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lily-lawson

https://allauthor.com/author/lilylawson/

Review-

Lily Lawson’s picture books never fail to make me smile!

This one is a delightful rhyming verse book which tells of Santa’s exploits as he treats himself to a range of festive treats as an early present to himself before his busy work schedule takes hold.

Wonderfully illustrated as always by the talented Gustyawan, this is a perfect read to snuggle up to and share with your toddler or even for early independent readers to tackle alone.

Either way, it’ll certainly get you into the festive spirit!

With thanks to the author and Rachel at Random Resources for the opportunity to participate in today’s blitz.

** Blog Tour ** Charlotte’s Snowman- Lainey Dee

I’m delighted to be one of today’s stops on the blog tour for ‘Charlotte’s Snowman.’

Children love building snowmen. When they add a nose, eyes, and mouth to their snowman, they get a magical feeling that their snowman has his own personality.

And… sometimes snowmen do come alive!

Charlotte wakes up and sees that it’s snowing… it’s snowing and it’s snowing. She runs outside to build a snowman. She fixes a carrot for the snowman’s nose, a stick for his mouth, and two stones for his eyes.

But the snowman has many demands, so Charlotte has to part with her gloves, scarf and hat; so her snowman wouldn’t feel cold. But the sun comes up all of a sudden, and Charlotte cannot find her snowman anymore. She is sad. Then, she learns that her snowman hasn’t disappeared completely, but is hiding in the ground, waiting to emerge next winter.

A great book for those children who miss their much loved snowman when winter is over.

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Charlottes-Snowman-Lainey-Dee-ebook/dp/B08P1P97F1

https://www.amazon.com/Charlottes-Snowman-Lainey-Dee-ebook/dp/B08P1P97F1

Author Bio-

Lainey Dee was born in Birmingham and grew up in Kidderminster, Worcestershire.

The author of Charlotte’s Snowman, Let’s Celebrate Being Different and Rodasauri the Dinosaur’s Trip to London.

Lainey was inspired to write for young people having worked with children for many years. Lainey currently looks after twins aged five years. A huge art deco fan, she lives in an art deco house which is decorated in that period style. In her free time, she enjoys baking and cooking for friends and visiting national trust properties.

Her favourite ice cream is strawberry and the strangest place she has slept in was a tepee in Texas. She enjoys using her imagination to invent new stories and characters. Lainey hopes her books will
help readers see themselves and the world differently and understand how special they are.

Social media links-

https://www.shieldcrest.co.uk/about/featured-authors/lainey-dee/

Review-

This is a wonderful children’s picture book perfect for capturing the imaginations of readers between 5 and 7 years old.

The joy gleaned from building a snowman as a child only to feel that sense of disappointment when it then melts away is an emotional rollercoaster most of us will recall from our childhood winters.

This book deals with this beautifully by adding a sprinkle of magic which gives Charlotte hope that she will meet her snowman friend again when the next snow comes and is lovely way for parents to explain this to children as they read together.

The text is simple enough for older readers to be able to read parts independently but I imagine this book is best shared cuddle up in the warm once winter arrives.

The illustrations are perfect for discussions with younger readers and complement the accompanying text.

A lovely winter read.

With thanks to the author and Rachel at Random Resources for the opportunity to participate in the tour.

Further stops can be found here:

** Blog Tour ** Bus Rhymes and Playtime- Sue Wickstead

I’m delighted to be one of today’s stops on the blog tour for ‘Bus Rhymes and Playtime.’

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?

(Rhymes for Jay-Jay; Daisy; Sparky and Gloria too. Tickets with questions to answer as well as poems for storybooks)

Purchase/Pre-order Links –

https://suewickstead.co.uk/shop

http://www.suewickstead.co.uk

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

Amazon .com https://www.amazon.com/Bus-Rhymes-Playtime-Sue-Wickstead-ebook/dp/B0CBNLR7D3/

Waterstones https://www.waterstones.com/book/bus-rhymes-and-playtime/sue-wickstead/9781916392359

Barnes and noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bus-rhymes-and-playtime-sue-wickstead/1143774242?ean=9781916392359

Author Bio –

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 –

Web site : https://www.suewickstead.co.uk

Facebook: – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091634693677

Twitter https://twitter.com/JayJayBus

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayjaybusbooks/

https://www.instagram.com/sue_wickstead/

Review-

This is the second book from this author I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing and it’s equally as delightful as the first.

While it’s predominantly a rhyming picture book, as always Sue adds in some little extras to pique the curiosity of younger readers and to generate conversations with early readers who might be having the book shared and read aloud to them. It’s a lovely touch that these are added on bus tickets throughout the pages so provide a cute activity for little ones to spot them and see what questions are posed.

The rhymes themselves are either bus-related takes on popular classics, e.g. Five Little Buses went driving one day replacing Five Little Ducks went swimming one day and Drive, drive, drive the bus to the tune of Row, row, row your boat, or stand-alone rhymes written about relatable children’s themes. I particularly liked Barty’s Thoughts and The Spooky Bus Ride.

This book would certainly appeal to younger children and I can envisage parents and children alike breaking out in song and coming up with accompanying actions for several of the rhymes!

The illustrations complement the book perfectly and also provide additional discussion points.

A hugely entertaining book which I look forward to sharing with my toddler!

With thanks to the author and Rachel at Random Resources for the opportunity to participate in the tour.

Further stops can be found here:

Giveaway to Win a signed copy of the Double-Decker Playbus Colouring Book. (UK only)

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter link below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.

I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494568/

** Blog Blitz** If I Were Invisible- Lily Lawson

I’m pleased to be one of today’s stops on the blog blitz for ‘If I Were Invisible.’

Think of all the things we could get away with if nobody could see us! But how long would the fun last, if we had to do it all alone?

Purchase Link – https://mybook.to/IfIwereInvisible

Author Bio –  

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 –

Tweets by lifelovelily22

https://www.instagram.com/poeticrainbow9/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20433114.Lily_Lawson

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lily-lawson

https://allauthor.com/author/lilylawson/

Review-

This is another fun book from this children’s author. Short but sweet, it would certainly capture the imaginations of young readers as they put themselves in the place of the main character and consider what they themselves would do if they were invisible.

The illustrations by Gustyawan are the perfect compliment to the text, with bright, bold images which children will love to explore. I especially liked how the character is partially hidden to show his invisibility in each picture.

I also liked the reflective aspect of the book where it becomes less fun if you’re doing it alone; a thought-provoking moment for readers to ponder and discuss with an adult if sharing the book.

With thanks to the author and Rachel at Random Resources for the opportunity to participate in today’s tour.

** Blog Tour ** Daisy Daydream Bus Rhymes and Jokes- Sue Wickstead

I’m delighted to be one of today’s stops on the blog tour for ‘Daisy Daydream Bus Rhymes and Jokes.’

Some well known nursery rhymes, rewritten, with a bus twist.

Come and sing along and share a bus joke too.

A special collection for Daisy Daydream.

(Who has her own story book)

Purchase Links

https://suewickstead.co.uk/shop

http://www.suewickstead.co.uk

Amazon.co.uk https://www.amazon.co.uk/Daisy-Daydream-Bus-Rhymes-Jokes/dp/0993073794/

Amazon.com https://www.amazon.com/Daisy-Daydream-Bus-Rhymes-Jokes/dp/0993073794/

Waterstones https://www.waterstones.com/book/daisy-daydream-bus-rhymes-and-jokes/sue-wickstead/9780993073793

Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/daisy-daydream-bus-rhymes-and-jokes-sue-wickstead/1132338099?ean=9780993073793

Author Bio –

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

Her stories relate to both her experiences as a teacher as well as her play-work adventures with a bus. 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 she 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 : http://www.suewickstead.co.uk

Facebook: – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091634693677

Twitter https://twitter.com/JayJayBus

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayjaybusbooks/

https://www.instagram.com/sue_wickstead/

Review-

What a delightful book to introduce preschoolers and young children to the power of rhyme and exploration of language along with the basis behind the humour of simple but effective jokes suitable for their age.

I loved the twists on traditional nursery rhymes to give them a bus related theme, despite keeping close enough to the originals to maintain both the magical quality and the rhythm.

The illustrations are wonderful and offer plenty of scope for discussion with younger readers/ pre-readers.

The jokes are probably aimed at a slightly older audience but even younger children will love the way they are presented on various ticket stubs.

This would be a lovely addition to a child’s bookshelf.

With thanks to the author and Rachel at Random Resources for the opportunity to participate in the tour.

Further stops can be found here:

Giveaway-

Giveaway to Win a signed copy of the Double-Decker Playbus Colouring Book. (UK only)

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter link below.

The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner.

Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.

I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494563/

** Blog Tour ** The Palm Tree Swingers Island Band- Lily Lawson

I’m delighted to be one of today’s stops on the blog tour for ’The Palm Tree Swingers Island Band.’

Take a tiger, an orangutan, an elephant, an eagle, a rhino, a dragon, a spider, and a turtle. Mix with music till loud – you might want to stand back.

Purchase Link
https://mybook.to/PalmTreeSwingers

Author Bio –
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 –

https://twitter.com/lifelovelily22

https://www.instagram.com/poeticrainbow9/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20433114.Lily_Lawson

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lily-lawson

https://allauthor.com/author/lilylawson/

Review-

This is a thoroughly enjoyable children’s picture book! Bold colours, bright characters and an array of musical instruments make this a delightful read for a range of ages.

I can imagine reading it with younger children and using Gustyawan’s incredible illustrations as discussion points but equally could see it being as appealing to slightly older readers who could read the text independently and discuss the story with an adult.

I especially like the way the author has either chosen a slightly more obscure animal or a less obvious instrument to make up the band as this lends itself to not only enjoying the story but learning at the same time.

The rhyming verses perfectly compliment the musical theme and it was refreshing to see the chosen font using a standard ‘true’ letter a rather than the keyboard version.

I’ll most certainly be adding a physical copy to my little one’s reading collection!

With thanks to the author and Rachel at Random Resources for the opportunity to participate in the tour.

Further stops can be found here:

** Birthday Blitz** Jana’s Brightly Coloured Socks- Sally Fetouh

I’m happy to be able to share an extract as part of today’s birthday blitz for ‘Jana’s Brightly Coloured Socks.’ This looks like a wonderful picture book with a really important message for younger readers.

Cheerful text and whimsical illustrations bring alive this heart-warming story of kindness and inclusion featuring a character with Down syndrome.

When young Jana receives heaps of beautiful socks from her parents after learning how to put on socks all by herself, she can’t wait to show her friends at school. They are always kind and patient with Jana when they play together.

Jana decides to share a pair of her new socks with each and every
friend. This calls for a school sock parade! All of the children had so much fun showing off their colourful socks together that they gave a very special and huge gift for their kind and generous friend, Jana, a box of more socks!

Author Sally Fetouh was inspired to write this touching story by her own daughter who has Down syndrome, feeling it was important for her and other children like her to be able to see themselves in literature.

Two years ago, after reading a different story about a girl with Down syndrome to her daughter’s preschool class, Sally says, “The children were so engaged in the story and asked questions. They were very accepting and loving of their friend—my daughter. I left with a heart
overflowing with emotion and that inspired me to write my story.”

Purchase Links

http://www.sallyfetouh.com/books

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Janas-Brightly-Coloured-Socks-Fetouh/dp/0645421901/

Author Bio –

Writing is very much a part of who author Sally Fetouh is as a human being. As a child, writing was a way for her to express herself and all of the stories and ideas she had in her head. Now, as an adult, she has been inspired to write a beautiful story of kindness and friendship,

Jana’s Brightly Coloured Socks, a heart-warming picture book loosely based on her daughter who has Down syndrome.

It was important to Sally that her daughter and other children like her were able to see themselves represented in literature. The idea came to Sally when she visited her daughter’s preschool to read a story about a girl with Down syndrome. The loving, accepting, and inquisitive responses from her daughter’s classmates inspired her to write a story reflecting these caring friendships.

Sally believes a great book is one that has impactful characters and a story that provides a new experience or perspective to the reader that stays with them long after the book is closed. She hopes that her young readers with disabilities or those who are different in some way will be able to relate to the main character and see a little bit of themselves, while also aiming for other readers to gain insight into the world of Down syndrome and the importance and impact of kindness and friendship.

When she isn’t writing thought-provoking children’s books, Sally works as a lawyer and a photographer. She enjoys being in nature, hiking, and horse riding. She lives with her family in Sydney, Australia.

Jana’s Brightly Coloured Socks is her debut picture book.

Social Media Links –

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sallyfetouh/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089048475502

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/sallyfetou

‘Jana’s Brightly Coloured Socks’ is a story aimed at ages 4 to 8. It stars a
character with Down syndrome although the condition is not explicitly
mentioned anywhere in the story. When young Jana learns how to wear her socks all by herself, her parents celebrate this new milestone by gifting her a drawer full of brightly coloured socks. When she shows her favourite pair to her friends at school, everyone wants a pair too. Jana gets an idea of sharing a pair with one of her friends every day until she has none left. This calls for a sock parade at school, that culminates with a beautiful surprise of a big box filled with balloons and socks just for Jana, gifted to her by her school friends. The
festive feel at the end when all the children have fun on a jumping castle enjoying balloons, confetti and all things fun, gives a joyful sense of acceptance with the message, that it is okay to be different. Just like the socks, each had a different colourful design, but they were all still the same thing – socks! The book features beautiful watercolour illustrations and celebrates friendship, differences, true inclusivity, acceptance, and kindness.

With thanks to the author and Rachel at Random Resources for the opportunity to participate in today’s blitz.