E: 30/12 WIN A COPY OF HELLO LITTLE SQUIRT! BY LOCAL AUTHOR DOUGLAS THOW (GU, KT & RH POSTCODES)

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https://vantagepointmag.co.uk/competitions/win-a-copy-of-hello-little-squirt-by-local-author-douglas-thow/

Do you know that flowers as living things can talk to one another in their own secret language? No, well this is a story about one such garden where the various flowers and shrubs do just that and not only to each other but to small creatures, like worms and beetles, that also inhabit this special place. And it’s a language that human beings, like ourselves, cannot hear or understand.

Read first how a small snowdrop is the first plant to peek its head out at the start of the year and to be greeted cheekily by Holly as a little squirt, from which the book get its name.  They soon become friends and as the seasons unfold other flowers then pop up in the garden making their own friendships during their lives. As the reader gets to know them they will realise they are all different not only in shape and size but also in how they behave. For instance, Daffodil is annoyed at being called “Daffy” by a tiny crocus while Climbing Rose boasts of its own beauty in the form of poem. Each month different encounters take place including with small creatures such as Willie the worm and Bertie the beetle and all the while the gardener and his dog Stanley who look after the garden can’t hear or understand a thing. Finally, we reach the end of the year when most of the plants have either gone or are asleep and the garden goes quiet again.

As author the idea of writing this book for young children came one day when wandering in my garden and observing the many different flowers and shrubs on show. Marvelling at how they all have different life cycles a story formed in my mind of writing a story to help children learn and appreciate the wonder of flowers and the wider world of nature. Thus although the dialogue in the book is imaginary I have taken the trouble to describe the flowers authentically in order that it be both educational and (hopefully) entertaining for children and indeed for adults who read to their family.  The book is also illustrated with some quirky pictures of flowers and creatures and has a poem at the end to recite.

The book is entitled “Hello Little Squirt!” and the author is Douglas Thow, who lives locally in Hindhead.

To win a copy, please answer the following question:

Q: What is the name of the worm?

ANSWER: Willie