Delighted to share this news about my very first children’s book!!

‘TOBY AND TABITHA’
By Alexander Bar
Illustrated by Emma Proctor

PUBLICATION INFO:

The Walker Books UK and Walker Books Australia hardback and paperback editions were first published in September 2017, closely followed by Danish and Portuguese co-editions published by Danish publisher, Turbine Forlaget, and Portuguese publisher, Minutos De Leitura.

STORY SUMMARY: With a tappety tap and a rat a tat tat ... bet you've never seen tortoises move quite like that!

From the creator of Mike the Knight, comes a warm-hearted picture book full of dancing animals, newfound friendship and a generous sprinkling of moonlight magic. To shy little Lucy, the very best thing about her grandpa’s pet shop is the two teeny-tiny tortoises – Toby and Tabitha. And Lucy knows something about Toby and Tabitha that no one else knows... When the sun goes down, the tortoises open their sleepy-snoozy eyes, wriggle their little legs … and dance! But, one Saturday, Lucy realizes that Tabitha is missing … she’s been sold! Did Lucy leave it too late to share her magical secret?

REVIEW:

The debut picture book from Alexander Bar, best known as the creator of Mike the Knight, is an adorable story about two turtles who are more than what they seem.

Our main character, Lucy, is a shy little girl who loves to help out at her grandpa’s pet shop. A multitude of different animals – “puppies and rabbits and kittens that hopped, gerbils and budgies and snakes that bopped!” – demonstrates very early on that this is by no means your average pet shop. However, Lucy’s favourite animals in the pet shop are the titular Toby and Tabitha, two small tortoises who seemingly do nothing but sleep. Lucy’s grandpa is confused by her fondness for them, going to far as to comment that “There’s more life in my old socks,” but only Lucy knows their secret – that after dark, when the shop is sleepy, Toby and Tabitha wake up and dance. “With a tappity-tap and a rat-a-tat-tat, bet you’ve NEVER seen tortoises quite like that!” she tells us. Toby and Tabitha do all sorts of dances, and brighten up the shop as they do so, but one day, Lucy arrives at the shop as usual to discover that Tabitha has been sold…

This is a heart-warming little story about friendship, magic and dancing. The key feature is a rhythmic and descriptive narrative, even when not employing a rhyme scheme, that will make it great fun to read aloud with your child. The story dovetails beautifully with Emma Proctor’s charming, funny and highly detailed illustrations, which she drew left hand to give a looser style. Not only is it a great bedtime read, but would most certainly be an ideal choice for nursery and early primary classes also.

For those who liked Frances Dean Who Loved to Dance and Dance or stories by Lauren Child, Emma Chichester Clark or Leigh Hodginkson.

An exciting debut from both animation star Alexander Bar and illustrator Emma Proctor, whose artwork we first discovered on a Christmas card!

A sweet story with reassuring themes of finding new friendship (through the joy of dance!) and the gift of giving and sharing.”

Images courtesy of Walker Books, who have published Toby and Tabitha by Alexander Bar and Emma Proctor.

Click here to buy Toby and Tabitha book Click Here

Click on the images below to see larger versions.