Returns
Our policy lasts 30 days. If 30 days have gone by since your purchase, unfortunately we can’t offer you a refund or exchange unless the item is deemed to be faulty.
To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging.
To complete your return, we require a receipt or proof of purchase.
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Our policy lasts 30 days. If 30 days have gone by since your purchase, unfortunately we can’t offer you a refund or exchange unless the item is deemed to be faulty.
To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging.
To complete your return, we require a receipt or proof of purchase.
Any item not in its original condition, is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to our error
Any item that is returned more than 30 days after delivery cannot be refunded
Refunds
Once your return is received and inspected, we will send you an email to notify you that we have received your returned item. We will also notify you of the approval or rejection of your refund.
If you are approved, then your refund will be processed, and a credit will automatically be applied to your credit card or original method of payment, within a certain amount of days.
Late or missing refunds (if applicable)
If you haven’t received a refund yet, first check your bank account again.
Then contact your credit card company, it may take some time before your refund is officially posted.
Next contact your bank. There is often some processing time before a refund is posted.
If you’ve done all of this and you still have not received your refund yet, please contact us at juliamarsen@aol.com.
Exchanges (if applicable)
We only replace items if they are defective or damaged or do not fit. If you need to exchange it for the same item, send us an email at shop@ottieandthebea.com and send your item to: 10a Market Hill Framlingham Suffolk IP13 9AN
Shipping
To return your product, you should mail your product to: 10a Market Hill Framlingham Suffolk IP13 9AN
Shipping costs are non-refundable unless the item is damaged or faulty. If you receive a refund, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund.
Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged product to reach you, may vary.
If you are shipping an item over £50, you should consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We don’t guarantee that we will receive your returned item.
]]>During lockdown we started to offer a whatsapp appointments service- a chance to support an independent business, do your bricks and mortar shopping from home or work at a time you choose with a real person helping.
Since moving the shop to Framlingham we've started offering this bespoke service again. After 13+ years I am fairly well practised at providing age appropriate pressies whilst sticking to budget. So,if we can help do drop us a line and we can set up an appointment or send through ideas.
We offer free delivery on any purchases over £50 and I am more than happy to wrap your gifts and label them.
Email us at shop@ottieandthebea.com
Call us on 01728 901166
We are always happy to help :)
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A very big thank you to everyone who came and celebrated the past 12 + years with us.
To kick off the new newsletter we're having a Candylab SALE - this code will give you 40% off.
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Would you like to explore more about interior design- how to come up with ideas and put them together and build a design scheme?
This summer come and join us at a fun packed workshop where you will
The workshop will take place on Monday 22nd August from 3pm-6pm and is open to anyone aged 12-16. Cost £25
Please note workshops are limited to 6 places per session (and have to be full for the session to take place)
To book or find out more please message Sally at rhubarbhilldesign@gmail.com
As an interior designer and stylist Sally’s work has been eclectic, from the antique Singer sewing machines in All Saint’s stores to styling TV productions such as Downton Abbey and commercial shoots
Driven by creative ideas, an eagle eye for detail and much charm and wit, one of Sally’s passions is the imaginative minds of children and how this imagination can influence their environments and enhance their wellbeing.
Follow on @rhubarb_hill_designs
]]>To celebrate Inde Bookshop Week I thought it was time to have a competition and what better excuse could I possibly find :-)
What is your favourite destination in any book you've read?
You'll need a postcard, your imagination, pens, pencils, paints....whatever materials you would like to use.
Then imagine you are in your chosen destination and write/ draw... on your postcard and pop it in the post to us at either of these addresses or drop it off in person ;
Ottie and the Bea
12, Old Dover Road
Blackheath London SE3 7BT
or
Ottie and the Bea 'Upon the Hill'
10a Market Hill
Framlingham Suffolk IP13 9AN
The winning entry at each shop will receive a BIG BAG of BOOKS.
We are thrilled that we have two fantastic judges on board- in London the wonderful Holly Rivers will be picking the winning postcard and in Framlingham we have the fantastic Lisa Thompson judging :-)
Closing date for entries is the 16th July. Open to all and the bag of books will be chosen to suit the winner- whether it is for yourself or to be donated to a school, a friend, an old people's home, a charity....
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I witnessed a hall full of year 7 children totally engaged with Elle, who brilliantly encouraged them to participate in discussions about neurodiversity. I saw children proudly introducing themselves to Elle eager to talk to her about dyspraxia, autism, dyslexia... I saw a cohort of children listening and hearing someone tell their story and hearing how she carved out her own place in the world. Elle told her own story of being a child who was bullied and who wasn't encouraged to dream big at school! Well, there's no stopping her- she is an award winning writer and if you haven't read any of her books ....DO because they are fantastic;
And if you order them now you can enjoy the event discount!
]]>But having spent the last few days re looking at what I set out to achieve and what I believe is at the core of what I want to do. Our stated mission still holds true to be 'purveyors of playfulness, storytelling and creativity'.
Playfulness : At the core of Ottie and the Bea is a belief in the fundamentally necessary nature of play in the healthy brain development of children, and the importance of play as a means of developing key life skills.
Storytelling : Stories, both spoken and read, are a vital way of understanding the world in which we exist, and a means of empathizing & understanding the life experience of others.
Creativity : Carefully nurturing creativity helps children grow emotionally, socially, intellectually, and physically; and through creative play, children develop skills which enable them to express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas.
What a treat to flick back through all the photos of all the events that we have held, hosted and participated in and there's one constant - all the smiles !!
So, having faced the blank pieces of paper with trepidation I am now feeling much more positive about what the future might hold.
]]>In our busy world full of bright lights, screens and devices, where images and visuals are popping up all around us. Maileg is a magical world in which matchboxes are designed as beds for mice; there are princess mice, chefs, tiny baby mice and rabbits who make perfect tea time companions. How could you not want to loose yourself in this wonderful world. Theirs is a world packed with childhood imagination and possibilities– and here at Ottie and the Bea that is something we really treasure.
Maileg (pronounced My’lye) is a brand of beautifully designed and made Danish timeless toys to be cherished and treasured with friends and family for generations and over the next few weeks we will have lots more beautiful Maileg treasure to share with you
Drum rolls please...with our bricks and mortar shop closed for now we are running a home delivery service, but we feel that there is something missing in our delivery runs. We realised just what it was after a young regular was rather disappointed with our attire...
So, we need you to design our delivery outfit! The delivery outfit needs to be colourful, fun and unisex, it is essential that the outfit will make people smile, but it is also important that it is a bit practical too (as we still need to be able to carry out our deliveries).
Think you can do it? Get designing! Send in your entries to us by the end of the week by 8pm- Saturday 3rd May.
The competition is open to creative kids and adults alike. The winner will receive a bag of goodies up to the value of £50 from our website.
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On their YouTube channel, they have playlists of author readings, character illustrations and lots of author and illustrator Q&As – find out about space and learn how to be an astronaut with Dr Kaneni discover the laws of physics – including entropy, black holes, and mobius strips – with The Infinite Lives of Maisie Day, sing along to lots of nursery rhymes with our sing along with me series, and learn to make origami with our British Museum and National Trust origami instruction videos.
Nosy Crow really are amazing -a small, multi-award-winning, independent children’s publishing company. They began publishing child-focused, parent-friendly children’s books and apps in January 2011 their aim being to create books and apps that encourage children to read for pleasure. And we love what they do! And their free resources are really wonderful
Sending you all lots of sunny smiles
xxx
]]>Play is so good for us all - the kind folk at Living Refinery have put together some wonderful makes from the companies they work with.
You can have fun planning your day with this link Picnic My Day day planner
And use these make my day activity cards
Make a face emotion flash cards
And here are some great builds - a marble run, a scene, a pinhole camers....
Enjoy xx
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At the end of my first day at home I'm already missing them and you all dreadfully!
Today I've been wondering what we can do to help.... so, I have popped some useful links and resources and recommendations here. As we hear about other wonderful offers we will keep you updated - I promise.
Okido Magazine- a science and art magazine is a wonderful resource for 3-7 year olds. You can sign up for a subscription online. You can also enjoy their website and the free resources they have put up there.
Authors of Funny Books
Mac Barnett - Kid Spy storytime on Instagram a chapter every evening - (can be watched after the event)
Phoenix Magazine - a brilliant comic from David Fickling Publishers.
Check out their offer on facebook
https://www.facebook.com/pg/phoenixcomic/posts/
Middle Grade Fiction Authors
Lisa Thompson- insta live
Piers Torday- instagram book readings
Abi Elphinstone- youtube resources and check out authorfy
Scoop Magazine is a wonderful resource for children 8+ who like reading / books/ stories and you can sign up to receive the magazine.
Suggested resources: •
Authorfy- sign up for free and their resources are brilliant!!!
Walker Books YouTube channel - We have an array of authors interviews, readings and book trailers available to watch
Simon and Schuster Publishers-
Downloadable activities on our website: https://t.co/lV9lRZejlp?amp=1
Teaching resources & book notes on TES: https://t.co/NtQAOd0Brh?amp=1
Children's YouTube videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyK02hpIHfPA1ZkVGy7MiiZ-ey0VnsDwJ
Toppsta.com is a great resource for getting reading recommendations for your children by age and interest. They are also launching a new #ToppstaBookClub running every weekday on Twitter at 10am.
• BookTrust – the charity BookTrust have a number of book reviews, interviews with authors and illustrators, and tips and advice on sharing stories as a family.
• CLPE – The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education – CLPE have a number of free Primary materials and teaching resources from their Power of Pictures project • National Literacy Trust also host a number of resources on their own page as well as the child friendly site http://www.wordsforlife.org.uk/
• CBeebies Bedtime stories – There’s a delightful array of picture book readings from Cbeebies bedtime stories available on iPlayer
• Down the Rabbit Hole podcast – DTRH is a radio show dedicated to children’s books, broadcast on Resonance FM and then available to download as a podcast. They have 70 episodes available to listen to now, packed with reviews and book discussions and author and illustrator interviews.
Art Activities
DJECO- who we love have posted some activity sheets for you to print out and use
...we all look forward to seeing you all again soon
x
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Wowzers!!
We will be announcing more events shortly. Scoop Magazine and Beadoir will be back at Easter and due to the success of the short story writing workshops we ran at half term we will be setting up a regular creative writing class for 9+ on Wednesdays 4.30-5.30pm (do register if you are interested).
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Join us to celebrate the Little People Big Dreams series...Come dressed as your favourite person from the series and have your polaroid picture taken and the best dressed will receive a prize.
There will be stories , puzzles and colouring all based around Little People Big Dreams Series. A writing activity based around who inspires you.......................
]]>Join us to celebrate the Little People Big Dreams series...Come dressed as your favourite person from the series and have your polaroid picture taken and the best dressed will receive a prize.
There will be stories , puzzles and colouring all based around Little People Big Dreams Series. A writing activity based around who inspires you (to be posted in the letterbox) and again with a prize or two.
Oh, and a treasure hunt- find the character and get a fact. Free Event - let us know if you are planning to pop along and join the fun....
]]>It really is as simple as that. :-)
Our address is:
Running your own business can be a surprisingly lonely experience- the majority of us have no entrepreneurial background. Every now and then there are magic moments when you meet people and that sense of isolation disappears - Toni (who created Punk Me Up Cafe) is one of those special people for me. She understands the everyday graft that goes into running your own business- and neither of us are in it to make a fortune but just to support our families and earn a weekly wage- although I’m sure neither of us would say no to the fortune if it landed in our laps 😂
A big thank you goes out to fellow small independent business owner AND friend Punk me up ceramics cafe Toni. If you haven’t visited Punk Me Up then you should pop over there and get making over the holidays. Check them out HERE
]]>Having read Malamander it was wonderful to hear how Thomas Taylor had come to write this brilliant adventure. He spoke of how he'd explored various genres and age ranges before finding his voice for this middle-grade fiction. Having a large exuberant dog he has found himself walking on his nearby beach several times a day. And gradually a fascination with the flotsam and jetsam one finds as a beachcomber and a sea mist or two and he had the start of a story world as you'll be able to appreciate once you've read this wonderful adventure...
Thomas' 5 word synopsis of Malamander was - 'Eerie Sea-Side Beach-Combing Mechanical Mystery'
We were lucky enough to have a visit from Thomas the following morning- so we popped the kettle on, got a plate of cakes from @jadeboulangerie and asked him if he'd mind signing copies of his book for us. We also talked him through our competition and asked him to decide where Herbie Lemon's Lost & Founder hat had been misplaced but not to tell a soul. Thomas wrote the answer and placed it in an envelope which he sealed.....
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So I thought I'd share a few of their reviews....
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Then author/ illustrator John Bond visited Ottie and the bea and we were joined by 4 classes from a local school. John read to them and showed them how to draw Mini Rabbit and the results were wonderful.
We rounded World Book Day/ Week off with our very own #shareastory in the shop.Followed by a very sleepy Sunday spent reading proofs on the sofa- curled up in my fav blanket #seventhheaven.
I have spent this week at London Book Fair listening to some brilliant panel discussions about issues such as the future of the picture book. And my favourite event of the fair is always the #publishersassociation #bookassociation Publishers Pitch. Each Publishing house has 4 minutes to talk us Book Sellers through their upcoming titles. And it's a brilliant way to get an over-view of what books are coming out when and oh my goodness there are some corkers coming.
I am busy reading proofs as rapidly as I can but my stack of book proofs is teetering and tottering- I am hoping to share a few, if you are a keen book reviewer do let me know! I've just finished reading Malamander - a really exciting adventure story from Walker Books, written by Thomas Taylor who illustrated the Philosopher's Stone. Malamander is a gripping seaside adventure set in Eerie-on Sea with two brilliant central figures- Herbie Lemmon who is in charge of the lost and found at the towns hotel and Violet Parma who appears and is in need of Herbie's help to find her parents who disappeared 12 years ago. The community of Eerie-On Sea is wonderfully painted - we have a book depository with its very own book dispensing monkey- a community full of characters to rival any local high street- I can't wait to share it with you all.
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We are thrilled to have teamed up with Greenwich Kindness for their Art Competition.
"What does KINDNESS look like?"
"What does KINDNESS look like?"
This online competition invites your preschool and primary school aged children to share their vision of what kindness looks like to them. Please share using #GreenwichKindness, and enter to have a chance to win a vouchers from Ottie and the Bea for £20
See below for entry details.
This competition will be running as part Greenwich Kind Time's campaign #GreenwichKindness, which its essence is to celebrate local acts of kindness in Greenwich, and its surroundings. The purpose of the competition is to get a child's perspective on kindness, to raise awareness about kindness in our community and inspire people to be kind.
The really important stuff- COMPETITION DETAILS:
BRIEF: “What does kindness look like?”, with a title and short explanation, from the parent or child herself/himself about their work. This can be a depiction a little act of kindness that they have received or have witnessed; or a more general quality or code of behaviour.
AGE: This competition is aimed at preschoolers and primary school children (broad age range: from 2 to 11 years). Entrants are welcome to enter from beyond the Royal Borough of Greenwich. UK entries only.
ENTRY FORMATS: Mixed formats. For example, drawings, painting, collage, photos, sculptures, or LEGO creations etc.
HOW TO ENTER: Parent or guardian will have to like/follow 'Greenwich Kind Time' AND 'Ottie and the Bea’ social platforms, and post a good quality photo of their entry on their social platform of choice using hashtag: #GreenwichKindness.
If an applicant enters across social media platforms, this entry will only count as one.
DATES OF COMPETITION: The competition closes at 12 noon on Monday 25th February 2019. (UK only).
HOW THE WINNER/WINNERS WILL BE SELECTED AND ANNOUNCED:
The entrants will be judged by 'Ottie and the Bea’ shop owner (Julia Marsen)- ooh that's me! And a another judge, to be announced shortly. The winner/joint winners will be selected based on the quality of their artwork within the parameters of the brief.
The winner/joint winners will be announced within 10 days of the closing date of the competition. If the winner/joint winners cannot be contacted or does/do not claim the prize within 14 days of notification, we reserve the right to withdraw the prize from the winner and pick a replacement winner/joint winner.
DETAIL OF PRIZE: The prize for winning the competition is a £20 voucher to spend in store at ‘Ottie and the Bea’ (SE3). The prize is stated and can not be exchanged for cash. The prize is not transferable and must be accepted by the winner.
As many of you might well know January is packed with trade shows from Maison et Objet, to Playtime, to Top Drawer , Spielwarenmesse, Dot to Dot , Toy Fair etc...
My trip to Maison was as wonderful as ever. I spent several hours with the magnificent Djeco seeing their new creations and playing games that I hadn't played- seventh heaven for me. Frederick who took the company over from his mother is always on hand to greet all. And as always I was amazed at the quality of the artwork from amazing illustrators that they commission for their puzzles, toys and games from Herve Tullet, Beatrice Alemagna to Sébastien Féraut aka Niark1... They have some fabulous new ideas which I really can't wait to share with you all a little later this year but for now, we have received 3 palletes of boxes from Djeco and are busy sorting our way through them and the shop is full of Djeco 'magic'.
I also made a point of popping by Wobbel's stand to catch up with their creator Hannelore Blaauw who is truly inspirational. The organic growth of their company is a wonderful tale and their approach to business is one i really respect. The Wobbel was created because Hannelore wanted to find something to help one of her sons with his motor skills and through this need Wobbel was developed with the help of designer Wouter Haine. They then saw that children enjoyed exploring them and playing with it in a multitude of different ways and from there they haven't looked back. And we are extending the range of Wobbel boards that we are stocking and they'll start arriving very soon.
Maileg's stand was stunning this year - for those of you unfamiliar with the name, they are the Danish creators of mice and rabbits of various sizes; some of whom live in matchboxes and have their own worlds- kitchens, ironing boards, skate boards....and they lend themselves to hours of imaginative play. This year I had a list of requests that folk had asked me for and I am pleased to announce that the delivery is due to arrive any day.
I've ordered lots of new goodies and they will all start arriving over the next few months - the ooh so gorgeous Mustard Shorty lockers, Skinny Lockers and baskets have arrived- more colours to follow... And they look great in Ottie and the Bea- do pop in and check them out in person, (they are gorgeous).
There have been lots of book events with various publishers introducing authors, illustrators who haev new books coming out but more of that over the weekend.
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Thank you to everyone who took part in our Independent Bookshop Day Competition recently. The challenge was to look at this picture of Sally Jones and tell us what they thought she would type on her freshly oiled typewriter.
The postcard shows Sally Jones from 'The Murderer's Ape' by Jakob Wegelius published by Pushkin Press- now one of our all time favourite books here at Ottie and the Bea. However, we were clear to stress that no knowledge was needed of the book and that people were just to look at the picture and be inspired!
We opened up our shop post box yesterday to reveal all the entries- we were lucky enough to be able to ask author/ illustrator Francesca Sanna to help us select a winner. Francesca had popped in to sign copies of her two fabulous picture books 'The Journey' and 'Me and My Fear' published by Flying Eye Books. Having thoroughly enjoyed reading all the entries we did eventually come to a unanimous decision.
And the winner is Mia's aged 8 and here is her entry:
"Dear Aunt Marjorie, Pear Tree Farm, Please send pears ASAP and make sure they're ripe" from Sally
And here's the back story that made us all giggle:
Once there was a monkey called Sally, now Sally was a very odd monkey because she hated bananas. She thought they were right old sloppy, disgusting, yellow pieces of stuff! Sooooo...she decided to eat pears. Although, the only pears she had were brown and old. This was because she lived at sea and couldn't get anything fresh. So, she wrote to her aunt.
Congratulations Mia you had us all laughing. And I'll make sure we pop a fresh pear in your bag of books.
x
]]>And we now have two wonderful new Saturday staff - Scarlett used to come to our book club when it first started- i mean years ago and the other is Dicky Bird's wonderful daughter Meg -and I have known since she hit double figures.
Back to the how to celebrate....hmmm tricky...
And then the perfect solution just fell into place- Sparkle Child running a charity workshop to raise funds for Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital. So, on Saturday 22nd September we were totally covered in sumptuous sparkle courtesy of Sparkle Child.
A stack load of sparkly mini meringues seemed like the perfect solution to a Birthday cake this year- so a big thank you to @ChristinaReynolds- they were / are delicious!!
Krystal who runs Sparkle Child is most definitely the Queen of Sparkle and was definitely very busy at our making table this afternoon. And we love her creations at Ottie and the Bea.
So, what do I wish for the year ahead.....well now that'd be telling but....
As I am sure you are all aware it isn't easy on the High Street at the moment. I didn't ever set Ottie and the Bea up to make a fortune - the intention has always been to become a part of our local community and to take home a weekly wage.
The big guys seem to just get bigger these days and as Amazon and Waterstones continue to grow I have to say that I feel really privileged to be a part of your lives and if we can provide a little bit of magic, well, I am a very happy lady.
Over the past couple of days I have suddenly become aware of the number of conversations in the shop that have centred around what is important in life. And I have to say that every day on leaving my home or dropping Ottie at school as I bump into folk on my way to work and say good morning, hello, how are you... I have to say I feel so lucky to live and work where I do!
Thank you all yet again for all your support
Julia x
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Okido Magazine Colour Workshop 1:30pm - 2:30pm
Okido are a children's art and science magazine they are also behind Messy Monster on CBeebies. Come along to their workshop to have some fun exploring colours. They'll be running lots of crafting activities such as making your own coloured glasses and some experiments with different colours
- Suitable for 3+
Alom Shaha's Recipes of Wonder Workshop Sat 3pm - 4pm Come along and meet Alom Shaha, the author of the brilliant book Mr Shaha’s Recipe for Wonder, and watch him doing his kitchen science show; then make some balloon powered cars, paper helicopters, and straw oboes. - Suitable for ages to 10 |
Super Hero Workshop with Jason Ford 4:30pm - 5:30pm Learn how to design your very own superheroes, villains their homes and their fantastic super vehicles with the fantastic author and illustrator of the best-selling; Superhero Comic Kit, Superbook for Superheroes and the Superhero Handbook- Jason Ford. - Suitable for 6+ |
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It is often said that when a child puts themselves into the story it helps them to develop empathy. Through identifying with the character/s, they feel what the individuala are feeling as a result of the situation that they are in- and children begin to understand and relate to emotions. Reading books is a wonderful way to encourage understanding of the human condition- to read a book like Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin, or Refugee Boy by Benjamin Zephania or Boy 87 by Ele Fountain or The Journey by Francesca Sanna can really personalise and humanize the plight of refugees who we might see footage of on the news or on the cover of a newspaper. The central figure is suddenly shown to be no different to ourselves - it might be through their love of football or family and friendships and so we are encouraged to engage in their journey and to start to get an insight into their reality and when we then see the footage on the news or pictures in the newspaper we start to see them as individuals who need our support and hand of friendship.
In two recently published 'picture books' children are shown to lead the way in offering a hand of friendship - they are the innocents who show no prejudice. In The Old Man, a young girl wants to understand why the man is sleeping on the pavement - and through an innocent act of kindness she reminds him of his own self worth. And in our favourite book at the moment, the breathtakingly beautiful and heartbreaking 'When The War Came', the simple generosity of one child to another finally begins to dispel the psychological trauma of warfare
Happy reading.x
]]>Year 4 and our Year 5&6 Book Clubs take place on Thursday afternoons from 4.15-5.15pm around 3 times a term. We read a mix of new and classic books and from time to time the odd proof. This term we had a visit from wonderful author Abi Elphinstone who spoke to us about her latest book SkySong, published by Simon and Schuster (and Mino our shop dog even managed to get a cuddle). Abi is always such an inspirational speaker and her enthusiasm for life and books and adventure is like a burst of sunshine.
And during the session we had a surprise visit from Robin Stevens who popped in to sign copies of her latest book in the Murder Most Unladylike series, 'A Spoonful of Murder' and Mino had another lovely cuddle...#twoforone !
If you have are interested in joining one of our book clubs- either pop into the shop and ask for an application form or send us an email and we will gladly email one out to you.
Here are a few of our book club thoughts and reviews on some of the titles we have read recently and a couple of poof copies that two book clabbers reviewed for us...
The Bird, The Boy and the Coffin Maker by Matilda Woods - published by Penguin Random House
'It’s a heart gripping adventure that holds you in the magical world of Isola. It’s emotional and I couldn't put it down for a second.'
'Fantastical, magical and mysterious. This book is jam packed with wonder and amazement.'
'A beautiful book to read. You will want to read on!'
'This breath-taking book will make you cry, laugh and wonder as you delve into pages of love and death.'
'This is a mystical, magical book full of awe and wonder.'
First Light by Rebecca Stead - published by Penguin
'This is a brilliant book. It is told from the perspectives of Peter and Thea. It is about life above and under the ice and. It is a magical tale about when both sides meet. It is a mix of science and action! Overall a brilliant book!'
'A very adventurous and mystical book full of tension and fun. I would definitely recommend this book to people who love adventure.'
Tin by Pádraig Kenny - published by Chicken House
'Tin is a heartwarming book about family, friendship and loyalty. When Christopher is taken away by the ‘Agency’, his mechanical friends embark on a dangerous journey to find out who took him, where he was taken, and most importantly why.
Perfect for fans of The Invention of Hugo Cabret and Cogheart.'
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ice Garden by Guy Jones - published by Chicken House
'A girl called Jess, who is allergic to sunlight, stumbles across a hidden land made of ice, a place of excitement and adventure. A place where hearts of ice can be melted. Jess was my favourite character because she was very adventurous and never let her allergy hold her back in doing the things she loves, even if sometimes she has to do it a different way. Because of this, my favourite part was when she first found the ice garden and decided to explore it. Jones writes very descriptively and the level of description caused me confusion at times and I found some parts towards the end predictable, but over all the Ice Garden was a full time page turner and an exciting novel.'
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Although the primary reason for my visit was work, I also managed to squeeze in a quick visit to the Picasso Gallery on Sunday morning – it’s wonderful! My only advice to anyone would be to arrive early if you can; I was one of the first visitors and I had a wonderful time wandering from room to room freely. The Hotel Sale, the building that the Picasso Gallery resides in, underwent an amazing transformation in the 1980’s by architect Roland Simounet, a brilliant marriage of contemporary architecture in an exceedingly traditional space. And I was lucky enough to see the Picasso-Giacometti exhibition.
Another interesting gallery that I would recommend a visit to is the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature, a private museum of hunting and nature. I got the top tip from Liz, aka the brilliant locally based Dicky Bird, so I had no idea what to expect… what a find. It reopened in 2007, it had kept the basic layout and proportions of the two adjoining 17th-century mansions that it is in, but it feels more like an art gallery than a museum. The history of hunting and man’s larger relationship with the natural world are presented in quirky exhibits like a series of wooden cabinets devoted to the wolf, the stag…. each containing a bleached skull, small drawers that you can open to reveal droppings and footprint casts, and a binocular eyepiece you can peer into for footage of the animal in the wild. A stuffed fox is set curled up on a Louis XVI chair looking very at home! The entire exhibition was both macabre and theatrical; each marvellously opulent room explored the relationship between humans and animals in a wonderfully playful way.
Travelling on your own is always an adventure but I find it’s far more pleasurable to do it with company, and when I had to return to Paris the following weekend I thought I’d make a weekend of it and take my two girls. So on a slightly dreary Friday afternoon we three girls set off for Paris. As always seems to happen, I had overestimated the number of hours in a day and ended up with just 30 minutes to pack. Needless to say I spent most of that time ensuring that Ottie had everything she needed in her suitcase and I later discovered that I’d brought an interesting collection of clothes for myself…Ottie quite rightly asking why I’d brought the clothes I never wear at home, as I struggled to find an outfit I wanted to wear on Saturday morning. I’d booked an Airbnb in my favourite part of Paris – Le Marais. The flat was perfect for our weekend – large, homely and with just enough French charm. Ottie got dreadful giggles when she noticed that several of the walls contained posters in which bottoms were a rather prominent feature- oh to be 8!
As it was Ottie’s first time in Paris we spent the whole of the Saturday seeing some of the typical tourist sights, both by Batobus and on foot. We stopped to refuel at a quaint Italian restaurant and to meet up with an old French friend of mine – Jessica. Over lunch she
suggested we take a visit to the Natural History Museum, and what a good recommendation it proved to be. The Grande Galerie de l’Evolution, similarly to the Mussee du Nature and Chasse, was filled with stuffed animals – however it had the added benefit of an interactive exhibition downstairs, and amazing lighting. After finishing our wander around the museum we took a stroll through the gardens at the back, and stumbled across an outdoor exhibition of polar bear photographs by Vincent Munier which were breathtaking. We rounded off an amazing day with a wonderful meal in the evening. Well, it took us an age to find a restaurant, the issue was finding somewhere that a) had a table (it was really quite late by this point on a Saturday evening), and b) they needed to have both steak and frites for Ottie
and a good vegetarian option for Bea. The search most certainly paid off and we found a great restaurant down one of the side streets in La Marais. As serendipity will often have it, we found ourselves sitting next to a large party of people who were exhibiting or attending Playtime! We donated half of our table to the ever growing number of their party and got chatting- if you’re looking for a cool Instagram to follow, check out this one lafete_nl – really lovely people and we are loving their pictures. After leaving the restaurant we walked round the corner to get the girls their ‘night cap’ …crepes – OMG the amount of Nutella that went into their crepes can only be described as OTT – needless to say they loved them.
On Sunday it was time for work – Playtime Paris – an international children’s & maternity trade show. It really didn’t feel like ‘work’ as we had great fun walking around the show checking out all that was on offer. It was great to have both of the girls’ ‘eyes’ with me, even if Ottie was somewhat distracted by all the amazing clothes! As well as having some chats with old friends – Lara and Ollie, Olli Ella, Petra Boase, whose stands all looked great, and where there were lots of new and exciting additions to their ranges – we also met lots of new brands that we can’t wait to stock. Some of the night wear we saw had both Bea and I wishing we could bag ourselves a bottle of Alice’s ’drink me’ potion and shrink back to under 8 child’s size. Ottie’s favourite brands were Indee, a new clothing label, and a lovely British company called Chapter 2 who make and design ‘uber cool’ (in Ottie’s words) shoes.
Monday was our last day in Paris – our first stop of the day was Season for breakfast: I can safely say that we would all definitely recommend the hot chocolate, the avocado on toast
and the hazelnut chocolate spread which came with the baguette. After stopping ourselves from ordering a second round of breakfast, yes it was that good, we walked over to the Djeco offices. After visiting the Djeco stand at Maison et Objet the prior weekend I decided it was time to take up their offer to visit their offices in Paris. Djeco, as anyone who’s been to the shop will know, is one of our favourite brands. Visiting Djeco’s offices was a real reminder of why they are such a special company. The company was founded by Frederic’s mother just after the 2nd World War – the fact that she started her own company in a post war society was a miracle in itself. We were really fortunate to catch some of the Djeco team before they headed off to the Nuremberg Toy Fair (sadly I’m not going this year- I have rather a lot of work to catch up on after all these trade shows); Frederic, who now runs his mother’s company, very generously took the time to show us around the offices. We were introduced to all the different departments and met some of the creative individuals who work so very hard to make sure that each product Djeco produce is of the best quality. Part of the charm of the offices is the original art work that features on almost every wall. It was wonderful to see where they sit to decide which games they will produce and also discuss which artists to approach for which project – Frederic pointed out that once the discussions are over they have their own bar located in the adjacent room with the all important table football.
Travelling back to London we were all exhausted and were desperate for a teleportation device which could whizz us home. We’d had a wonderful adventure but were over the moon to see both Pete and our gorgeous smelly 14yr old French Basset hound- we’d missed them loads.
Everyday Magic for the Family Kitchen is a marvellous book full of ingenious ideas on how to add a little magic into everyday life. It features everything from recipes to crafting actives.
On the day of the launch Charlotte charmed everyone who came along, signing books and chatting with ease. It was a pleasure to host such a lovely event!
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