Whimsy Wood Visit To Bishops Cannings Preschool And A Library Event!

Posted by Sarah Hill

I must confess that it’s been a truly wonderful and whimsical month for the world of Whimsy Wood! A few weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to be taken on by awesome literary agent extraordinaire, Sharon Facey. My Whimsy Wood children’s series of books continues to be developed into the all new ‘Whimsy Wood Family’ brand, which will include a new series of children’s books, merchandise and a hugely exciting and enchanting animated TV series! Woohoo! 😃📚✨

Last week I was invited to Bishops Cannings Preschool to read a Whimsy Wood story to their children. I was also asked to judge their Whimsy Wood colouring-in competition! This competition had been run across the pre-school and main primary school. The story I read to the lovely little children was the most recent Whimsy Wood book, ‘Fearne Fairy And The Landing Lesson’, which they absolutely loved! There was much giggling at all the charming characters’ voices that appear in this 10th whimsical book.

Wellies belonging to the children at Bishops Cannings Pre-school! 😃📚✨

 

Once I’d finished reading to the children and answered all their brilliant questions, I looked at the huge array of fabulous Whimsy Wood colouring-in entries. Goodness! There were so many and such a lot of effort had been put into every one! It was jolly tricky to decide on the winners but I managed in the end and I’d like to congratulate all the children who entered and send a ginormous Whimsy Wood round-of-applause to the winners! I do hope you enjoy your signed copies of the Whimsy Wood books and other whimsical goodies that you’ve received for being wonderful winners!

As you can see from the image below, this year’s Summer Reading Challenge, organised by The Reading Agency and libraries across the country, has started! There is an animal theme this year and I’m delighted to say that I’ve been asked to be part of my local library’s reading challenge events! If you’re free on Saturday August the 12th and are in the Melksham area in Wiltshire, do pop along to Melksham library at 2.30pm. I’ll be reading a Whimsy Wood story to all the children (and grown-ups) who come along to this free event then. I’ll look forward to seeing you!

Join in this year’s Summer Reading Challenge! 😃📚✨

 

Well that’s all from me for now, so I shall wish you all a wonderfully whimsical summer holiday and I’ll go and get creative elsewhere!

Sarah Hill, children’s author and creator of the Whimsy Wood children’s books.

Enchanting Events In Whimsy Wood During The Jolly Month Of June!

Posted by Sarah Hill

Well, the jolly month of June is almost at an end and what a terrific time it’s been in Whimsy Wood! ‘Dizzy Damselfly’ has thoroughly enjoyed her summer holiday along the banks of Snapdragon Stream this month. She met ‘Bristle Bumblee’ and ‘Dewberry Dragonfly’ while fluttering about the golden ragwort flowers that grow on the sandy banks. They kindly showed Dizzy their ‘Flying Academy’ which they had set up last year. The academy is going from strength to strength and the stag beetles and May bugs’ flying skills are rapidly improving under the careful tuition of Bristle and Dewberry!

‘Dizzy Damselfly’ by Snapdragon Stream 😊📚✨

 

‘Florence Fox’ has become an Auntie for the first time! Her sister Flora had a beautiful litter of four furry fox cubs, perfect in every way. Florence can’t beIieve how much work is involved in rearing young ones and is amazed at how her sister manages! The cubs adore their funny Auntie Flo because she’s brilliant at playing rough and tumble games with them!

‘Fidget Fox Cub’, one of Flora Fox’s four babies! 😃📚✨

 

‘Flora Fox’ is not alone in the wonderful world of motherhood currently, because ‘Mrs Whistle the woodpecker’ is a proud new mummy to little baby Walter. He’s certainly a bruiser of a baby bird as you’ll see from his handsome picture below! He’s certainly keeping Mr and Mrs Whistle busy with his constant demands for fresh earthworms and grubs!

Meet ‘Walter Woodpecker’, Mr and Mrs Whistle’s baby! 😃📚✨

 

Finally, from little big ones, we go to big little ones since the marvellous month of June has seen the enormous Elephant Hawk-moths flutter about in Whimsy Wood from dusk into the balmy summer evenings. These elegant creatures have loved fluttering about with ‘Fearne Fairy’ and ‘Mustard the Magpie moth’!

Meet ‘Elijah Elephant Hawk-moth’! 😃📚✨

 

Well, that’s all from me for now, so I’ll bid you a fond farewell and wish you a wonderfully whimsical weekend! 😃📚✨

Sarah Hill, children’s author and creator of the Whimsy Wood Family children’s books and brand new animation TV series.

A Whimsical Deadline And A Preschool Visit!

Posted by Sarah Hill

Hello there and apologies for my recent absence. I have been a little snowed under with Whimsy Wood Family work for a deadline, which I’m delighted to say that I met with time to spare! Woohoo!

The work requested of me was to change all the titles of the 1st 10 Whimsy Wood children’s books that have been published to date. I also needed to add a new character to each of these 10 Whimsy Wood books and adjust their storylines slightly. I can let you know a few of the new Whimsy Wood Family characters; there’s ‘Lettie Ladybird’, ‘Soul Songthrush’ (singing teacher extraordinaire!) and ‘Mable Mole’ to name but a few!

Meet ‘Mable Mole’! 😃📚✨

 

The reason I needed to do this tweaking is because, very excitingly, we have a brand new publisher for the Whimsy Wood books! The books, brand new TV animation series and merchandise will now be under the Whimsy Wood Family brand! All super dooper amazing!

Now that my recent flurry of fervent activity is done, I am enioying a little respite and making the most of this glorious weather! While sitting in my sunny garden, listening to the Wiltshire birds twittering and bumblebees buzzing, I’ll be mulling over a wee preschool visit that I’ve been invited to do. This is next month and to Bishop Cannings Preschool in Wiltshire.

Well, I’d better get back to my mullings and sunny snoozings! Wishing you all a wonderfully whimsical week.

Sarah Hill

A Flurry Of Whimsical Activity!

Posted by Sarah Hill

It’s certainly been a busy few weeks in the wonderful world of Whimsy Wood! ‘Posie Pixie’ and ‘Wibble Woodlouse’ have been practising their lines for the brand new animated TV series, ‘Whimsy Wood Family’, which they’re appearing in!

Wibble Woodlouse and Posie Pixie practising their lines for the Whimsy Wood Family TV Series!

 

‘Dr.Tustle the Tawny Owl’ has been helping the Whimsy Wood choir of young chaffinches to get over their sore throats. They have a number of splendid songs to sing in the Whimsy Wood Family TV series and with regular acorn capfuls of Dr.Tustle’s milk thistle medicine, their singing voices are now much better!

The brand new animated TV series, Whimsy Wood Family, is coming to your screens very soon!

 

While the woodland folk have been preparing themselves for the filming of the Whimsy Wood Family which they’ll all feature in, I’ve been busy writing more whimsical stories! Did you know that ‘Fearne Fairy’ has a cousin? No, neither did I! Not until Fearne told me herself just last week!

Fearne’s cousin is called ‘Fortune’ and she lives in a far away land with much colder climes than the delightful Whimsy Wood. I imagine that where she lives is rather like Lapland, especially since she has a team of arctic foxes which all have very delicate white fairy wings, just like Fortune! The image below is the nearest I could find to how I imagine Fortune to be…..

Meet Fearne Fairy’s cousin ‘Fortune’!

 

Well, on that wonderfully whimsical note, I shall bid you farewell and wish you a wonderfully whimsical week!

Sarah Hill, author and creator of the Whimsy Wood children’s books and Whimsy Wood Family TV series. 😊📚✨

The ‘Whimsy Wood Family’, A New Whimsy Wood Brand!

Posted by Sarah Hill

Soooo, finally I can let you in on a little bit of Whimsy Wood’s ginormous secret! The Whimsy Wood children’s books are to become a brand new animated children’s TV series and brand. It really is beyond exciting and I can barely get my head around it!

The 1st Whimsy Wood Family Animation Poster!

 

There has been a huge amount of hard work going on behind the scenes for the past 5 months. The 1st 14 Whimsy Wood children’s books I have now rewritten as children’s TV episodes. I have written a synopsis for a brand new Whimsy Wood animated children’s film and created gaming concepts for this wonderfully whimsical brand new brand! Sarah Mauchline, our wonderful illustrator, has also been very busy creating all these amazing adverts for the Whimsy Wood Family.

The 2nd Whimsy Wood Family Animation Poster!

 

All that’s left for me to say is…stay tuned and watch this space! 😉😃📚🎥✨

With warmest whimsical wishes,

Sarah Hill

A Wonderful Review, A Writing Festival And A Fairy Fayre!

Posted by Sarah Hill

The wonderfully chocolatey time that is Easter is just around the corner and what better gift to accompany a child’s Easter egg than a book? Well you’ll be excited to know that Whimsy Wood has its very own Easter book, titled ‘Fearne Fairy And The Chocolate Caterpillar’! We recently received a wonderful review for this 9th chocolatey instalment and here’s a snippet of what Abbie at Bloomin’ Brilliant books thought:-

“….I loved the way this book is written. Hill’s use of alliteration gives the story a rhythm and makes it immediately engaging to the reader. The use of this technique within the character’s names makes them easy for children to remember. Brilliantly written for young readers, I can imagine that any child would be easily captivated by the story. It also has a conversational tone in places making it an ideal book to read aloud to your child. The use of phrases such as ‘splish, splash, splosh’ encourage young, new readers to get involved in the story and I can imagine children saying these phrases loudly. Fearne Fairy and the Chocolate Caterpillar is the perfect length to keep young minds focused. …..”

The fabulous front cover of book 9, ‘Fearne Fairy And The Chocolate Caterpillar’!

 

If you’d like to read more of this review then please click on this link here, thank you. http://www.bloominbrilliantbooks.com/childrens-books/childrens-book-review-fearne-fairy-and-the-chocolate-caterpillar-by-sarah-hill/

It’s just over a week until my ‘Whimsy Wood’ children’s books and I will be at The Abergavenny Writing Festival! I’m so excited that we’re first up on Thursday April the 20th and I can’t wait to meet all the children that will be coming along and trying their hands at some Whimsy Wood craft activities! If you and your wee ones fancy making ‘Skittle Spider’ from pine cones, or dressing up Whimsy Wood’s ‘Dr.Tustle the Tawny Owl’ in exotic feathers, or putting ‘Humbug Hedgehog’s’ prickles back on him, whilst listening to me reading ‘Fearne Fairy And The Chocolate Caterpillar’, then do come along! You’ll be in for a wonderfully whimsical treat! 😃📚

Whimsy Wood Is First Up At The Abergavenny Writing Festival!

 

Once we’ve packed away the Skittle Spiders and Humbug Hedgehogs, trundled our merry way home and had a quick cuppa, my Whimsy Wood children’s books and I will be at Pewsey’s Fairy Fayre in Wiltshire on Sunday April the 23rd! We’re very excited about this fabulous fairy event and can’t wait to see what everyone thinks about the brand new ‘Fearne Fairy’ stationery and notepads! If you fancy taking part in the Fairy Trail that will be at Pewsey’s Fairy Fayre and seeing all the wonderful fairy crafts that will be there then do come along! You’ll be able to grab yourself a signed Whimsy Wood children’s book too! 😃📚

Flyer for the Pewsey Fairy Fayre!

 

Well that’s all from me for now, so I shall bid you farewell and wish you a wonderfully whimsical and chocolatey Easter! 😃📚🐣🐰✨

Sarah Hill, children’s author and creator of the Whimsy Wood children’s books.

March Winds And April Showers Bring Forth May Flowers!

Posted by Sarah Hill

While the wind is blowing a gale outside and the rain is pitter-pattering down the window pane, I’m trying to remain positive and think about that well known saying above of ‘March winds and April showers bring forth May flowers’! If it all gets a bit much, I might have to adopt Fearne Fairy’s thinking below of ‘If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em’ and go jumping in numerous muddy puddles!

Here’s Fearne Fairy jumping up and down in a muddy puddle in Whimsy Wood!

 

Incase you didn’t know, my ‘Whimsy Wood’ children’s books all have a proverb or old saying woven into each story, giving the books real meaning. For example, the proverb that appears in book 8, ‘Fearne Fairy And The Dandelion Clocks’, is ‘Share and share alike’. I’m rather excited to share a wonderful review of this particular whimsical book which is especially written for the month of March. This review arrived in my inbox this week and here’s an snippet…..’This is a truly enchanting fairy tale, magical and yet with a little lesson about the importance of sharing woven in. I read it to my little granddaughter and she was captivated, loving both the story and the wonderful illustrations. I look forward to sharing more Fearne Fairy tales with her as we explore this exciting series together.’

The fabulous front cover of ‘Fearne Fairy And The Dandelion Clocks’!

 

If you would like to read the rest of this review then you will find it here:-https://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R2C8PX8GINZSRP/ref=pe_1572281_66412651_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Also, you may be excited to learn that Wildlife Watch, the children’s club of The Wildlife Trusts, are currently running a competition to win signed copies of ‘Fearne Fairy And The Dandelion Clocks’! The competition closes on March the 31st and all you have to do is tell them what you most like about Spring and then enter here  http://wildlifewatch.org.uk/fearne-fairy-and-the-dandelion-clocks

Now what I most like about Spring is the sign of fresh green shoots growing, indicating new life and fresh beginnings, which brings me onto the new Whimsy Wood story that I’m currently writing. I love researching all the woodland flora and fauna that is relevant to the month and book that I am writing for and it amazes me the number of weird and wonderful things we have growing and living in our woodlands! This terrific toadstool below is a prime example! This beauty is named the ‘Plums and Custard’ fungus and rightly so, with its creamy yellow undersurface on its cap and the rest of it being a marvellous maroon colour! You won’t be surprised to learn that I shall be weaving this magnificent mushroom into the latest Whimsy Wood book!

 

‘Plums and custard’ fungus!

 

Finally we’re thrilled to have been invited to attend the Pewsey Fairy Fayre in Pewsey, Wiltshire on Sunday April the 23rd! There will be a Fairy Trail as well as the fairy-themed Fayre, so if you fancy a day filled with fun, frivolities and fairies then come along!

Flyer for the Pewsey Fairy Fayre!

 

Well, that’s all from me for now. I shall toddle off and try to be creative elsewhere! Wishing you all a wonderfully whimsical weekend! 😃📚✨

Sarah Hill, children’s author and creator of The Whimsy Wood Series.

It’s British Science Week!

Posted by Sarah Hill

Did you know that it’s currently British Science Week? It started on Friday the 10th of March and ends on Sunday the 19th of March. There are plenty of activities for you and your children or school to get involved with. For fun ideas or further info on this innovative week, then please click on this link here. https://www.britishscienceweek.org/

At the Whimsy Wood headquarters we had our very own suggestion for a nature-related science activity that we’ll be getting to grips with this weekend.  Our very own activity to honour British Science Week will be to do some wildlife gardening, where we’ll be planting up a wildflower border to attract plenty of brilliant bumblebees and we’ll be creating some bug hotels for the thousands of important insects that inhabit our gardens. For more wonderful wildlife gardening ideas please click on this link here. https://www.buglife.org.uk/activities-for-you/wildlife-gardening?gclid=CjwKEAjwzKPGBRCS55Oe46q9hCkSJAAMvVuMNlOX1YYBR-FvdhsYeSlGMvbJKPmlXRdpOyluL8dVixoCxQbw_wcB

Can we imitate Whimsy Wood’s perfect primroses and charming celandines with our gardening science project?! 😃📚✨

 

Now I know that my Whimsy Wood children’s books have been used during science, geography and numeracy classes, as well as the obvious literacy lessons in Primary schools. However if science isn’t your thing then how about entering a Whimsy Wood competition? This Spring competition is being run by Wildlife Watch, which is The Wildlife Trusts’ children’s club. There are signed copies of book 8, ‘Fearne Fairy And The Dandelion Clocks’ up for grabs. All you need to do to enter is click on this link to Wildlife Watch’s website and follow the competition guidelines. Good luck! 😃📚✨http://wildlifewatch.org.uk/fearne-fairy-and-the-dandelion-clocks

The fabulous front cover of ‘Fearne Fairy And The Dandelion Clocks’!

 

Well that’s all from me for now, so I shall go and try to be creative elsewhere! Wishing you a wonderfully whimsical week! 😃📚✨

Sarah Hill, children’s author and creator of The Whimsy Wood Series.

Whimsy Wood’s World Book Week And School Library Opening Event!

Posted by Sarah Hill

Last week’s 20th World Book Week was certainly a wonderfully whimsical one for my Whimsy Wood children’s books and I. First of all the Whimsy Wood competition to win signed copies of book 10, ‘Fearne Fairy And The Landing Lesson’, run by the International Writers Inspiring Change (IWIC) foundation, concluded on March the 1st. The 5 lucky winners were Tina Brown, Carol Dowd, Elisabeth Elgenmark, Patricia Halfman and Tracy Hudson. They have been notified and their signed copies are winging their splendid selves to them as we speak! 😃📚✨

The fabulous front cover of ‘Fearne Fairy And The Landing Lesson’, the 10th ‘Whimsy Wood’ book!

 

Then the 20th World Book Day itself was on March the 2nd and I was kindly invited to Corsham Primary School’s Broadwood and Pound Pill sites to take their KS1 assemblies and read book 9, ‘Fearne Fairy And The Chocolate Caterpillar’. I had a truly terrific time and I was astonished at how the 270 children that I read this 9th chocolatey Whimsy Wood instalment to, listened so intently and sat so beautifully. Thank you very much Corsham Primary School for inviting me. Here I am in the picture below dressed as ‘Posie Pixie’, ‘Fearne Fairy’ and ‘Mrs Spottisdowne the sparrow’ for my World Book Day author visit!

Sarah Hill dressed as ‘Fearne Fairy’, ‘Posie Pixie’ and ‘Mrs Spottisdowne the sparrow’ for World Book Day! 😃📚✨

 

For this particular school visit, I took plenty of Whimsy Wood bookmarks and colouring-in sheets to give to all the children. Below is the black and white image from ‘Fearne Fairy And The Chocolate Caterpillar’ that I used for these sheets . 😃📚✨

‘Fearne Fairy’ and ‘Mustard the magpie moth caterpillar’ image for the Whimsy Wood World Book Day colouring in sheets! 😃📚✨

 

Not only did the enchanting world of Whimsy Wood celebrate World Book Day with a school visit, but we also ran a competition on our Whimsy Wood Facebook page to win signed copies of book 7, ‘Posie Pixie And The Pancakes’. To enter, all you had to do was post a photo of your child dressed up as their favourite book character to the Whimsy Wood Facebook page. This competition ended at midnight on World Book Day. I was absolutely delighted with how many people entered! I’m not kidding, we had hundreds of photos posted to the page! So much so, we had to increase the number of books that we had planned to give away! All fifteen winners have been notified and their signed copies of ‘Posie Pixie And The Pancakes’ are winging their sweet selves to them as I type! 😃📚✨

Fabulous Front Cover Of 'Posie Pixie And The Pancakes'.

Fan-fizzle-tastic Front Cover Of ‘Posie Pixie And The Pancakes’.

 

Last but by no means least, I was very fortunate to be invited back to Corsham Primary School on March the 3rd to be part of their official opening event of their 2 brand new school libraries! It was a real honour to be invited to their library openings and I was thrilled to see how excited the children were about their new, fun libraries! Here’s a link to the article about this awesome event in The Wiltshire Gazette & Herald:- http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/15132697.Corsham_Primary_School_celebrate_World_Book_Day_with_new_libraries/#

Opening of Corsham Primary School’s 2 new libraries! 😃📚✨

 

Well, I had better get on and be creative elsewhere, so I shall wish you a wonderfully whimsical week. 😃📚✨

Sarah Hill, children’s author and creator of The Whimsy Wood Series.

A Whimsy Wood Competition To Celebrate The 20th World Book Day!

Posted by Sarah Hill

On Thursday March the 2nd, (this coming Thursday in fact!) the 20th World Book Day will have arrived! Woohoo! 😃📚✨

On Thursday March the 2nd it will be the 20th World Book Day!

 

To celebrate this delightful day and all things bookish, I wanted to let you know that we’re running a competition on the Whimsy Wood Facebook page! Here is the link to this page:- https://www.facebook.com/WhimsyWoodSeries/?ref=ts&fref=ts

Dress up as your favourite character from your favourite book!

 

Signed copies of book 7, ‘Posie Pixie And The Pancakes’ are up for grabs. To enter, folk need to simply ‘like’ the page and post a photo to this page of their child dressed as their favourite character from their favourite book! The competition is open now and closes at midnight on Thursday March the 2nd. Winners will be chosen at random and notified on Friday March the 3rd. Good luck!

Fabulous Front Cover Of 'Posie Pixie And The Pancakes'.

Front Cover Of ‘Posie Pixie And The Pancakes’.

 

Wishing you a wonderfully whimsical week,

Sarah Hill, children’s author and creator of The Whimsy Wood Series.