Strawberry Jam Books promote good values for children

Children's reading: entertainment, enlightenment and education

Guest author Hilary Hawkes began writing books and poems when she was only 8 years old. She was 19 when a magazine published 12 of her short stories. Her 'Strawberry Jam' books are for pre-school to age 12 readers. The series includes a project called 'The Friendship Adventure', which highlights 'awareness of differences, disabilities, uniqueness in everyone to stories that link to fun activities and games'.

Hilary has a degree in publishing and English, together with qualifications in nursery and pre-school teaching. 'Little Chestnuts Pre-school' uses fun stories, games and rhymes 'to enhance alphabet knowledge, thinking and pre-literacy skills'. She's written non-fiction books about Aspberger's Syndrome, Autism and Pre-School Choices.

Here, she writes about how she sees the purpose of children's books, not just for their entertainment value but for educating and enlightening the minds of young children, to make them more aware of the need for kindness, compassion and acceptance of the differences among peoples in today's world.



Strawberry Jam Books

by Hilary Hawkes



 

 

Authors (and especially children’s authors) have been known to claim that creating books is one of the best jobs in the world! And book lovers, whatever age, know that reading is one of the most pleasurable and beneficial pastimes. “The more you read the more things you know. The more that you learn the more places you’ll go” said Dr Seuss. And “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies…the man who never reads lives only once” warns George Martin!

I’ve always loved the idea of children’s stories that don’t just entertain (or help with literacy skills) but that are on a bit of a secret mission too: Stories that spread the values of kindness, inclusion or understanding or that are gateways for children to explore things going on in their lives or that help them feel nurtured and valued.

Stories can  be used to help children understand that people and people’s lives are all different or that differences in likes, abilities, physical and cultural or racial differences are good things and not reasons to fear or exclude or bully. 

Difference is good too!

One of my really favourite quotes is this one from the well-known and much loved author AA Milne “The things that make me different are the things that make me”. How important it is to help children realise that their own uniqueness and individuality are things to nurture, value and celebrate – and that this is true for everyone. Difference is not only good but needed too.

I also believe there is such a thing as ‘story therapy’! And by this I mean stories written with the specific aim of nurturing, encouraging, comforting or directing so that they become a gateway for the reader or listener to feel and understand their own emotions or find answers or solutions to difficulties that may be going on in real life.

Strawberry Jam's aims

My aim with Strawberry Jam Books is to create exactly those type of ‘on a secret mission’ stories, from picture book stories that nurture self-worth, caring or friendship; to story-themed projects for schools or children’s groups to stories that are intended to be shared by an adult and child together that help children deal with emotional upheavals.

A lot of authors, parents and teachers prefer children’s books to steer away from what they see as “issues” – thinking stories should be just fun and an escape from real life. Actually, I think children’s stories should always be fun and entertaining and, as fiction, an escape from real life. But I also believe that children’s books have always had the extra purpose of influencing and expanding the minds of young readers or listeners. Stories are unobtrusive and non-threatening and when the natural influence that they have is enhanced they offer children so much more that can add benefit and richness to their minds and lives.

Hilary's website can be found at: www.hilaryhawkes.co.uk/ It contains a link to the Strawberry Jam books. She can be contacted at: hilarymayhawkes@hotmail.co.uk

Fun in store for young bookworms

Budleigh Salterton hosts 7th Annual Literary Festival

Always interested in bookfests but this is a special sort that sounds loads of fun. It's being planned for September in Budleigh Salterton, which is where? On the Jurassic Coast in East Devon and it sounds so picturesque, I can just imagine the Famous Five frolicking on the beaches and looking for smugglers.

Big names appearing

Now in its 7th year, this year's festival promises both adults and youngsters an impressive lineup of  events and authors for children, not to mention a host of big names in the writing world that will surely appeal to grownups. Man Booker Prizewinner Ben Okri, actress, comedian and writer Helen Lederer, writer and radio presenter Xinran and award-winning author Sarah Waters will all be appearing.

New York Times journalist and Sunday Times bestselling author, Liza Klaussman, enjoying much success for her debut novel 'Tigers in Red Weather', will discuss her latest book 'Villa America'. Of special interest to lovers of Scott Fitzgerald's work, the book is set on on the French Riviera in the 1920s and focuses on Gerald and Sara Murphy who inspired Fitzgerald's novel 'Tender is the Night' and their distinguished guests, such as Ernest Hemingway, Scott Fitzgerald and Pablo Picasso.

 

Hilary Mantel

The Festival's Honorary President, double Man Booker Prize winner and author of 'Wolf Hall', Dame Hilary Mantel DBE, will be in discussion at two events and Andrew Graham, son of Winston Graham, author of the 'Poldark' series, will appear with members of the cast and crew from the BBC TV adaptation.

What about the children?

But what about the children?  Judith Kerr, author and illustrator of the 'Mog' series and 'The Tiger Who Came to Tea, will celebrate her impressive 45-year career when she discusses her book 'Creatures', which details her life's work.

 Judith Kerr

 

 

If your child is a follower of the  'Diary for a Wimpy Kid' series, by Jeff Kinney, they're in luck for  Alastair Watson will host a range of fun activities including a draw-along session and the Wimp Wars! quiz.

St Peter's Primary School in Budleigh Salterton are hosting another interactive event based around the bestselling picture series, 'The Dinosaur That Pooped', written by pop stars Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter from McBusted. Included will be everything from dinosaur impressions to video clips of the book's creators. If you buy a book then and there, you can have it stamped by Dino himself.

Devon-based children's author Amy Sparkes will host a 'Writing for Children Workshop' at the Playhouse after award nominations for some of her books, including 'Do Not Enter the Monster Zoo', shortlisted for The Roald Dahl Funny Prize. Amy will give audiences a glimpse of what goes on in a writer's mind, from creating characters to crafting stories and lots of other things.

Tickets will be on sale from July but admission for 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' and 'The Dinosaur That Pooped' is available for local school pupils only. More info from www.budlitfest.org.uk/ Follow on Twitter @BudLitFest or Like their Facebook page, facebook.com/BudleighSaltertonLiteraryFestival.