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You may remember that the lovely Tamsyn Murray stopped by a while ago, to talk about writing. She also donated a signed copy of her fantastic book for young adults, My So-Called Afterlife, to the Bah! Brilliant Book Bonanza. And she’s come up trumps for us again, with a great competition for Bah! readers.
Tamsyn has written a new book, for 5-10 year olds, about the adventures of the cheeky, charming and super-talented Harriet Houdini. Harriet is a rabbit who can chew through anything, jump over anything, and outwit anyone; this story is about her adventures as she enters the Superpets TV talent show.
It’s such a pleasure to read a children’s book that does all the things that this one does. It has real, believable characters; a proper plot; genuinely funny moments; engaging dialogue. Everything that happens in the story rings true within the world of the book: we find out, for example, just where Harriet got her amazing athletic ability from. Harriet is living proof that writing for children doesn’t have to cliche-ridden and lazy. (Sadly, what I recall from my years of bedtime stories is that much of it is.) This is a book that the grown-ups will enjoy reading as much as the children who are read to. I highly recommend it to you.
And here’s how you can get hold of it…..
Tamsyn has offered 3 copies of ‘Harriet Houdini – Stunt Bunny: Showbiz Sensation’ to Bah! readers. Not only that, but she will sign them to the child who will receive the book.
If you’d like a copy, all you have to do is leave a comment telling me about a pet you’ve known and what is special about them, and who you’d like the book to be dedicated to. I’ll choose the winners at random when I get back from Berlin on Monday.
(I have a cat named Mr. Whiskers, by the way, and he has three legs, having lost one of the back ones after a series of kittenish hi-jinks.)
Maxi would love this, it would be very special, as today he is representing his school in a local story telling afternoon. My special pet. After miscarring twins at 20 weeks nearly 14 years ago my wonderful husband brough home Smudge and Snowey two wonderful kittens, They were and Mr Smudge still is my first baby. They helped use up the love that my heart was busy creating for those lost children.
I had a cat named Abby. She could only see out of one I, but could she smell and did she love corn. Corn on the cob is a wonderful August pleasure for those living in New England. I had cooked corn one night and carefully put the eaten ears at the bottom of the trash. The next morning it was evident that Abby had gotten into the trash and taken one of the ears of corn as there were only two where there should have been three. I had no idea what she did with it, but she returned it a day later, picked totally clean, by leaving it on the floor next to the trash. Who says cats are not smart? This was the first of many “tricks” she pulled on me, and I loved her for it.
Oh and the book would be for my grand niece, Lyla Denny.
Selecting one pet to tell about is hard. One that comes to mind is the first horse I owned, Canyon Son. I had never rode until I bought him from my boss. I always said if I could have created a horse that suited me, it was Canyon. I had him for 17 years before he died from a disease from a opposum (long story). He made me love riding. As for the book, I’m helping to encourage my little cousin Owen to love reading.
Thanks so much for introducing me to this ‘new to me’ author.
Mason
Thoughts in Progress
Don’t enter me into the competition because my kids aren’t *quite* old enough, but I just wanted to tell you about Charlie. He wasn’t technically my pet, but my stuffed animal friend. He was given to me for Easter when I was three, and he was my best friend growing up. He sounds a lot like Harriet. I imagined him as having super-powers. And he could jump over anything and his ears were really strong. He was kind of a cross between a ninja and a superhero. And he got me through a lot of tough times when I was younger. Harriet sounds like she can do the same with today’s kids
My dog Aris loved pistachios. You could give them to her with the shells on and she would eat the nut and spit the shells out. We never figured out how she did it but it was a great party trick!
My pet is still alive, all be it on his last legs. Buster the dog has lived with my parents since 1997, when I was with them too. He’s a Collie crossed with a labrador, meaning he’s very energetic but also caring and warm tempered.
The first time I took him for a walk I had to carry him around our housing estate – he was scared of cats, people, cars, crisp wrappers…
Since then walking is all he’ll do, managing to make it around the estate once a day before crashing out for a good couple of hours. It’s likely he hasn’t got long left, but he’s provided so many good memories. I still visit him under the guise of a parental catch-up.