Tag Archives: family

I want to discuss this book with you!

We often tell kids how important it is to read books that open up new worlds—stories that reflect different lives, voices, and experiences. My absolute top pick so far this year is We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo (please read this!), and I enjoyed The Hair Dare by Faith Knight (see my interview with the author here). But I believe if we want young readers to explore beyond the familiar, we’ve got to lead the way. Plus of course reading diversely isn’t just good for children—it’s good for all of us. So although my blog usually focuses on kids books, every now and then I sneak in a grown up book. This is one of these times.

As well as being by a black author, The Marriage Monitoring Aunties Association by Ola Awonubi is also the first book positioned as a Christian read that I’ve picked up. I’m not particularly religious myself, so I wasn’t sure what to expect when a book has a faith-based back story but it is naturally woven into the themes about family and Nigerian culture. And the main character is older – what a treat to not be reading a romcom with a 30-year-old lead!

I remember being deeply frustrated by Tess of the d’Urbervilles which I read for one of my A-level English texts as she was so passive to “fate”, and I feel that the family pressures here are sort of similar in a way – actually I really want to debate this with my bookish buddies as I suspect it will split opinions, and it’s certainly not an obvious comparison. This need to discuss is the mark of a great book to my mind!

So what did I think? It’s interesting, well written, great characters, and thought provoking, and here is a competition (UK only) to win a copy for yourself. Good luck!

Giveaway to Win a Paperback copy of The Marriage Monitoring Aunties Association (Open to UK only)

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter link below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494619/?

Blurb

Friendships – fantastic. Family – getting better. Career – promotion on the cards.

Romance – *seriously delayed*

Sade Sodipo is ready to meet ‘the one’ and finally fulfil the Nigerian Dream. So far God hasn’t performed that little miracle quite yet, but it’ll happen this year for sure. Especially if her mother, two best friends, younger sister and all those in the unofficial Marriage Monitoring Aunties Association, have anything to say about it.

She might love her job, have great friends, and even own her own home, but according to the meddling aunties, this is why she’s still single at 50. Not wanting to turn into a bitter aunty herself, Sade knows it’s time to get serious, but the options aren’t looking great – zero potential at church, work or in her social life.

What if her prayers for the perfect man have got lost? Or maybe Sade’s happy-ever-after is right on time…

Author Bio

Ola Awonubi is an award-winning author, creative writing tutor, and speaker, known for her compelling storytelling that bridges cultures and histories. Born in London to Nigerian parents, she spent part of her childhood in Nigeria before returning to the UK, where she pursued her passion for writing.

At the age of 40, Ola rekindled her dream of becoming a writer and earned an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East London. Her talent quickly gained recognition—her short story The Pink House won first prize in the National Words of Colour competition (2008), and The Go-Slow Journey secured first prize in the fiction category of Queen Mary Wasafiri’s New Writing Prize (2009). She was also honored with the Best Author CA Award (2019).

Ola has authored eight books, including Love’s Persuasion, Love Me Unconditionally, and the anthology Naija Love Stories. Her historical fiction novel, A Nurse’s Tale, published by One More Chapter Books (HarperCollins) in July 2023, became a bestseller in Canada, earning a spot on The Globe and Mail’s historical fiction chart. It was also recognized by the Brown Girl Collective as a favorite historical fiction book of 2024.

Her upcoming romantic comedy, The Marriage Monitoring Aunties’ Association, is set for release in Summer 2025, as part of a two-book deal. She is also working on a Jane Austen adaptation set in Lagos, currently under consideration by publishers and agents.

Beyond her writing, Ola is a creative writing tutor and speaker, sharing her expertise at prestigious events such as the Black British Book Festival, Meet-Cute Romance Festival, and London Festival of Writing. She will also be speaking at The London Writers Festival, Jericho Writers Conference, inspiring aspiring authors with her insights on storytelling, publishing, and book marketing.

Ola’s work has been featured in Afreada, Brittle Paper, Story Time, Woven Tale Press, and NaijaStories.com, with over 15 short stories published across various literary platforms.

Through her Substack newsletter, “The Resilient Writer,” she provides actionable writing guidance, digital resources, and industry insights, helping fellow creatives refine their craft and build their author brands.

Through their eyes: Interview with the author of a picture book on Down Syndrome

Hey there. Today, I have the absolute pleasure of chatting with a powerhouse mother who has written a heartwarming picture book, Jana’s brightly coloured socks, pouring her heart and soul into raising awareness about Down syndrome.

You know, as an author we’re always told to “write what you know,” and Sally’s personal experience is what makes this book special. So over to Sally Fetouh for the inspiring story behind her book.

Two years ago, I visited my daughter’s preschool to read a book about Down syndrome to her classroom, as a way to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day. Little did I know that the whole experience would spark the idea for my picture book, which is based on my daughter, Jana, who has Down syndrome. 

‘Jana’s Brightly Coloured Socks’ is a story that celebrates friendship, differences, inclusivity, acceptance, and kindness, all emphasising the importance of having a sense of fun. When young Jana learns a new milestone – how to put on her socks on her own – her parents gift her a drawer full of brightly coloured socks. She wears them everywhere she goes, and when she shows her favourite pair to her friends at school, everyone wants a pair too. Jana gets an idea of sharing a pair with one of her friends every day until she has none left. This calls for a sock parade at school, that culminates with a beautiful surprise of a big box filled with balloons and socks just for Jana, gifted to her by her school friends. The message at the end in the midst of the carnival-like atmosphere is that it is okay to be different because that is what makes the world a fun and fantastic place to be.

Jana’s condition and diagnosis came as a complete surprise to us at birth. Down syndrome is a condition that happens at conception when an extra chromosome forms in the 21st chromosome in every cell in the baby’s body. There is no rhyme or reason to it and no one knows why this happens, but it is a naturally occurring phenomenon that has occurred for thousands of years. I read a post on social media recently that likened the condition to a four-leaf clover that is found in nature amongst other three-leaf clovers. No one knows why these four-leaf clovers exist, but some people consider them lucky! In a way that is how we think of Jana. We are lucky to have her in our lives. We had not had much exposure into the world of disabilities before Jana was born. There was much fear and ignorance at the time for us. We did not know what to expect nor what it all meant. We feared how society and the community would receive her, apprehensive about what school would be like for her. Six years later, we cannot imagine life being any other way, despite the challenges. The positives far outweigh any of the fears, most of which we found to be baseless.

Thinking back to that day when I visited the preschool, I remember the children being so engaged, interested, and curious. My heart was overflowing with emotion when I left, and that feeling stayed with me for days after. I was extremely touched by how open the children were, not just to something they knew nothing about in the condition called Down syndrome, but mostly to how they saw my daughter as a person. They saw past her label, past her diagnosis, and were genuinely trying to understand why she was a little different to them. They wanted to know how to be her friend. It was like a warm embrace, and a ray of hope for the future. 

There were several factors that motivated me to write the story. One was to provide a snapshot into what living with Down syndrome is like, showcasing the fun, quirky and carefree elements. I wanted children with Down syndrome to be able to see themselves represented in literature, but Down syndrome was deliberately not explicitly mentioned in the story to allow for anyone, whether they have a disability or not, to connect with the character. The message is that it is okay to be different and that all children want is to be treated the same as their peers, to have friends, learn and have fun. Finally, I wanted to convey a positive experience in the importance of celebrating milestones and achievements, no matter how small, because despite the nature of the journey, there is always something to celebrate.

Blurb

Cheerful text and whimsical illustrations bring alive this heart-warming story of kindness and inclusion featuring a character with Down syndrome.

When young Jana receives heaps of beautiful socks from her parents after learning how to put on socks all by herself, she can’t wait to show her friends at school. They are always kind and patient with Jana when they play together. Jana decides to share a pair of her new socks with each and every friend. This calls for a school sock parade! All of the children had so much fun showing off their colourful socks together that they gave a very special and huge gift for their kind and generous friend, Jana, a box of more socks!

Author Sally Fetouh was inspired to write this touching story by her own daughter who has Down syndrome, feeling it was important for her and other children like her to be able to see themselves in literature. Two years ago, after reading a different story about a girl with Down syndrome to her daughter’s preschool class, Sally says, “The children were so engaged in the story and asked questions. They were very accepting and loving of their friend—my daughter. I left with a heart overflowing with emotion and that inspired me to write my story.”

About the author

Writing is very much a part of who author Sally Fetouh is as a human being. As a child, writing was a way for her to express herself and all of the stories and ideas she had in her head. Now, as an adult, she has been inspired to write a beautiful story of kindness and friendship, Jana’s Brightly Coloured Socks, a heart-warming picture book loosely based on her daughter who has Down syndrome.

It was important to Sally that her daughter and other children like her were able to see themselves represented in literature. The idea came to Sally when she visited her daughter’s preschool to read a story about a girl with Down syndrome. The loving, accepting, and inquisitive responses from her daughter’s classmates inspired her to write a story reflecting these caring friendships.

Sally believes a great book is one that has impactful characters and a story that provides a new experience or perspective to the reader that stays with them long after the book is closed. She hopes that her young readers with disabilities or those who are different in some way will be able to relate to the main character and see a little bit of themselves, while also aiming for other readers to gain insight into the world of Down syndrome and the importance and impact of kindness and friendship. 

When she isn’t writing thought-provoking children’s books, Sally works as a lawyer and a photographer. She enjoys being in nature, hiking, and horse riding. She lives with her family in Sydney, Australia. Jana’s Brightly Coloured Socks is her debut picture book.

The Heart Warriors ❤️

Generally I review kids books, but every now and then a book covering a topic aimed at parents is too important not to share, and this is one. So please do read my in depth interview on Congenital Heart Disease with the author of The Heart Warrior’s mother. I think you’ll agree.

Did you know that one in 100 children is born with a congenital heart defect? Or that Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) is approximately 60 times more prevalent than childhood cancer and about 25 times more common than cystic fibrosis?

I certainly didn’t – not until I started doing research for The Heart Warrior’s Mother. 

So why do we hear so little about it? Hopefully, my new book will help to change that.

My journey into the world of heart warriors – children with CHD fighting the odds to survive – when a young man came to my home to buy my late mother’s portable oxygen concentrator which I’d advertised for sale online. I was in the throes of researching a book based on my mother’s experience at the hands of hugely caring medical professionals in the last few months of her life. But when the young man told me about his baby daughter, everything changed. I just knew I had to write this story.

What he told me about his baby, when I met the baby herself – and her incredible mother – it all made me reassess my deepest values about life itself. It made me question my fundamental beliefs about when, in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles and a human life seemingly consumed by immense pain and suffering, it is time to say “enough”, to stop medical treatment and let nature take its course. For someone like my mother who had a full and productive life for nearly 90 years, the question (for me, at least) is relatively easy to answer. But when it’s a child – a baby? When there is even the slightest chance that that baby can overcome the obstacles to be well, to be happy, to be grow up… how can parents deny their child that opportunity? But at what cost? How do parents make such decisions?When is it time to simply say “enough”?

I asked the young man and his wife if I could write the story of their little heart warrior. They agreed, hoping that my efforts would help raise awareness of CHD. 

I had intended this to be a non-fiction book. The mother welcomed me into their home and bravely shared herexperiences with me, despite this being terribly painful at time. And I met the little heart warrior herself – and fell in love with her incredible spirit, sparkling eyes and booming laugh. But, unsurprisingly, there were enormous gaps in the mother’s memory of events. Would you remember the doctor’s precise words when he tells you that if your eight-day-old baby doesn’t have immediate open-heart surgery she will die in weeks, if not days? Of course not.

As a journalist, I am passionate about accuracy and authenticity in my writing. If a book is presented as non-fiction, there cannot, for example, be “made up” conversations and dialogues presented in direct speech. There can’t be a fudging of important facts. I’ve never subscribed to the “don’t-let-the-facts-interfere-with-a-good-story” school of journalism. And to me, a non-fiction book is no more or less than another form of journalist. Facts matter. And, the simply truth of the matter was that I didn’t have all the facts. 

If all that sounds incredibly self-righteous, I’m sorry. That’s just the way I am. However, I must also acknowledge that I was wrestling with another problemas well. The mother and father are amazing human beings:  they are hugely supportive of each other, loving, generous, welcoming. In a nutshell (and the mother roared with laughter when I told her this), they are pretty “boring” characters. Where’s the conflict? Where’s the drama that would keep readers enthralled rather than drowning in an unrelenting liturgy of medical procedures?

So – with the parents’ blessing – I swivelled to fictionalising a great deal of the story. The medical aspects are as accurate I could make them, and – except for her changed name – I tried to portray the little heart warrior as accurately as I could. But all the other characters have been changed, as has the story’s timeframe. I’ve also included some totally fictitious events and, of course, introduced several emotionally fraught relationships. I was delighted when the mother said she thoroughly enjoyed reading about her altered persona.

I was also thrilled when Professor Rob Kinsley, a founder member of the World Society of Paediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery and the South African doyen of paediatric cardiac surgery sent me an email after reading The Heart Warrior’s Mother.

He wrote: “As doctors, we tend to overlook the extraordinary stress and hardship families are subjected to when a child is born with a congenital heart defect and embarks on the often long and tortuous road of correction, with an uncertain outcome… This well-written and enjoyable book should be read by every trainee (and trained) paediatric cardiac surgeon, cardiologist, paediatrician and others (to) give them a better understanding of the ‘complete’ picture, rather than simply ‘the patient’.” 

And then he added: “The description of all medical aspects is amazingly accurate.” My journalist heart swelled with pride, gratitude …and relief!

Prof Kinsley also pointed out that most African children with CHD are denied life-saving corrective surgery because of limited state facilities across the continent as well as a desperate lack of funds. He was being generous – most public health facilities in South Africa (and Africa) are horrendous. 

In 2019, Prof Kinsley set up a new organisation, The Children’s Cardiac Foundation of Africa (TCCFA), to “save the lives and improve the health of children born with congenital heart disease in Africa by raising funds for heart surgeries and by training specialists and support staff in the field of paediatric cardiac care”.

To thank and honour my little heart warrior and her parents, I am donating a portion of my royalities from The Heart Warrior’s Mother to the TCCFA. You can also contribute to saving the lives of little heart warriors by donating directly to TCCFA. Details are available on their website https://tccfa.org/

Blurb

Kerry-Anne Aarons is over the moon. She and her husband, Imran Patel, are about to become the parents of a baby daughter, and give their son, Leo, an adored little sister.  It wasn’t planned, but Kerry knows that Lily’s arrival will complete the perfect little family she has always wanted. She, Imran and their two children are going to live happily ever after…

Then life intervenes. 

Lily is born with a serious congenital heart defect and Kerry’s battle to save her daughter commences. It’s a battle that takes her from the operating theatres and Intensive Care Units of local hospitals to the High Court of South Africa. It’s a battle that strains her relationships with her friends, her parents, and – ultimately – her husband.  It’s a battle she is determined to win.

But how much will Kerry have to sacrifice to give Lily the future she deserves?  

“A true, cross-generational story of the eternal link between love and pain… the greater the love, the more inevitable the pain. Marilyn Cohen de Villiers once again – with amazing skill – depicts the common humanity that transcends differing cultures.” 

James Mitchell – former Book Editor, The Star, Johannesburg

A  percentage of the proceeds of this novel will be donated to the Children’s Cardiac Foundation of Africa, an organisation that funds lifesaving heart surgery for children across the continent. 

Purchase Links – 

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Heart-Warriors-Mother-Marilyn-Villiers-ebook/dp/B09YV4JDJZ/

US – https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Warriors-Mother-Marilyn-Villiers-ebook/dp/B09YV4JDJZ/

Author Bio

I was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, the youngest daughter of an extraordinarily ordinary, happy, stable, traditional (rather than observant) Jewish family. After matriculating at Northview High School, I went to Rhodes University in Grahamstown where I served on the Student’s Representative Council (SRC), competed (badly) in synchronised swimming and completed a B. Journalism degree. This was followed by a “totally useless” – according to my parents – English Honours degree (first class), also at Rhodes.

With the dawning of the turbulent 1980s, I started my career as a reporter on a daily newspaper, working first in the news and later, the finance departments. During this period, I interviewed, among others, Frank Sinatra, Jeffrey Archer, Eugene Terre’blanche and Desmond Tutu. I caught crocodiles; avoided rocks and tear smoke canisters in various South African townships as protests and unrest against the Apartheid government intensified; stayed awake through interminable city council meetings and criminal and civil court cases – and learned to interpret balance sheets.

I also married my news editor, Poen de Villiers. Despite all the odds against us coming as we did from totally different backgrounds, we remained happily married for 32 years and three days. Poen passed away as a result of diabetes complications on 15 March, 2015.

After the birth of our two daughters, I ‘crossed over’ into Public Relations with its regular hours and predictability. My writing – articles, media releases, opinion and thought leadership pieces and so on – was published regularly in newspapers and other media, usually under someone else’s by-line. I returned to my roots as a journalist in a freelance capacity some six years ago, writing mainly business and IT articles.

So why, after a lifetime of writing non-fiction, did I decide to try my hand at fiction?

The catalyst was the unexpected death of a childhood friend and colleague in 2012. This spurred me to take stock of my life, to think about what I had achieved. A few months later, I decided to try and write a novel. This turned out to be A Beautiful Family which was published in July 2014. The fiction bug had bitten, and my second novel, When Time Fails, was launched in September 2015, followed by  Deceive and Defend, in 2018. Although this was not intended when I first started writing fiction, the three novels together constitute The Silverman Saga trilogy

Unlike my earlier novels, my latest book, The Heart Warrior’s Mother, was inspired by a true story.

Got a messy sibling problem?

It’s my stop on this fabulous book tour today and I’m really excited! Why? My favourite poem to read when I do school visits is “Messy Room” by Shel Silverstein. I act it out and it’s always a huge hit. So this new picture book, How Messy, by Clare Helen Welsh and Olivier Tallec really appealed.

When I read it, what caught my attention was how the situation with the two characters, Dot and Duck, could be used to help siblings sharing a room with each other when one is very messy, and the other is not. This reminded me of sharing with my sister – I’m not going to tell you which one is me, but I bet you can guess!

It is a super simple story with very few words, so ideal for the youngest of pictures book readers – perhaps the older sibling could even read it to the younger sibling? I would have definitely read it to my sister (yes, I’m the older one, but I’m still not telling if I was the messier one!)

I have to comment on the lovely colours used in the illustrations – very traditional English beach holiday. And having rediscovered the staycation – I approve!

Blurb

Dot and Duck are best friends, but Dot hates mess and Duck hates tidy. Duck leaves the bed unmade, the cupboards open and breakfast everywhere. How messy!

In the morning, Duck makes Dot pancakes for breakfast, how kind! But Duck leaves a BIG mess! At the beach, Dot carefully lays out her towel and picnic… and Duck digs a big hole covering everything with sand! SO messy!

Characterful watercolour illustrations bring this story to life, and big font makes the story easy for young readers. How Messy! is a simple yet hilarious story with a touching ending and an important message about accepting differences and learning to compromise.

About the author and illustrator

Clare Helen Welsh is a children’s book author who lives in Devon with her husband and two children. In 2013 Clare won the The Margaret Carey Scholarship for Picture book Writers and in 2014 she received the silver medal at The Greenhouse Funny Prize for her debut picture book Aerodynamics of Biscuits. She teaches primary school and has over ten year’s experience in Early Years and Key Stage One education.

Olivier Tallec’s work has been called “sensitive”, “stunning”, “breathtaking”, and “beautiful”. Tallec was born in Brittany, France, in 1970. After graduating from the École Supérieure D’arts Graphiques in Paris, he worked in advertising as a graphic designer, after which he devoted himself to illustration. Since then he has illustrated more than sixty books

Looking for a new family cookbook

I’ve been looking forward to sharing this with you. And the middle of the school holidays seems the perfect time for a family cookbook. I’m really old school with my family cookbooks – i.e. Delia – and most of my books are more Ottolenghi-esque with 18 million ingredients and big flavours, so my nosy instinct kicked in to see what another family eat on a daily basis.

So any book that starts with pictures of Scotland and a section on casseroles is off to a good start in my opinion. Then the recipes dot around all over the place – we go straight from stews to noodles. I guess your taste buds will either love the variety or get very confused. It’s like one of those “pot luck” dinner parties that were all the rage in the 1970s – “do you want a bit of beef stroganoff to go with that greek salad?” Anyway, considering it is a hotch-potch of recipes, there isn’t a single one that I wouldn’t happily serve, and my family happily devour.

Blurb

Cook it Eat it Live it is written by Jo Kenny, food writer and owner of GirlEatsWorld.co.uk.
In this first publication, Jo offers readers a vibrant and varied collection of recipes inspired by both travel and family ties to the UK, Japan, Guyana, the Caribbean.

This delicious collection of every day recipes satisfies appetites for light bites, indulgent dinners, fresh sides and delicious desserts.You’ll find a spectrum of dishes from rich, earthy flavours to fresh aromatics giving you meals to enjoy year round. All recipes are firm favourites in Jo’s own household and cooked regularly. This is family style, every day inspiration to ensure no more boring dinners.

Recipes are punctuated with stories of travel, food inspirations and a personal philosophy of enjoying food unapologetically. Cook it Eat it Live it is about finding happiness in the little things and injecting some joy into every day life through wholesome, exciting meals.

About the author

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Jo is a food writer from Bedford, living with her husband Alex, newborn son and Kimchi the cat. Her website GirlEatsWorld.co.uk was founded in 2012. Starting out as a personal space to capture cooking and food adventures, it has evolved into a public hub for recipes, cooking guides and food inspiration. Jo is passionate about fresh ingredients eaten joyfully, intuitively and adventurously.