Lena has been a music producer, writer and Personal Manager; a photographer and journalist and, over thirty years ago, got together with Caroline Scattergood to create the Caring & Sharing Trust to bring music, hope and love into the lives of people with learning disabilities and their families from throughout Northamptonshire
With the sales of books rising and new book shops opening it is great for the likes of you and me to know that we are not alone. Some books are just born to be handled, admired and loved – so how do Carlton Books and their Imprints manage to keep producing them at such low prices?
For example – “What Would She Do?” by Kay Woodward (published by Carlton Books) not only contains real-life stories of twenty-five rebel women who changed the world, it is also a heart-stopping piece of artwork illustrated by a team of eight geniuses who have come together from all over the world. And the cost? Just £9.99!
True, it is aimed at readers younger than us – but so what? Don’t we all need to enjoy the exquisite packaging illustrating the stories of such a varied group of heroines including Cleopatra, Rosa Parks and even Emma Watson?
Now, for those of us who haven’t quite got the hang of being a grown-up – help is at hand. “GET SH*T DONE” by Caro Handley (published by Carlton Books) is a hefty volume to guide you step-by-step to the highest level of “empowerment” and all for just £14.99!
Once again, a beautifully presented volume but this time the aim is, put simply, to motivate us to become the best we can possibly be. If only a book had this power! Still at only £14.99 it’s worth a try.
Now, the big question. How many of us feel that we are growing generations of children who simply do not read books? Of course, there are the big successes like the output from David Walliams and whoever writes books on behalf of Katie Price. (By the way, this is not me criticising Katie as she is the first to admit to hiring people to write her many books on her behalf. What’s more, I consider her wonderful and probably the best Personal Manager in the business.)
However the big question is – as lots and lots of children’s books are bought as presents so – do the children actually read them?
A good way of encouraging children has always been reading to them from babyhood. If you are looking for support to your night-time storytelling look no further than “An A – Z Collection of Behaviour Tales” by Susan Perrow (Hawthorn Press £19.99).
Susan runs Therapeutic Story/Writing seminars all over the world and I can do no better than to quote her when she says “Stories may not be magic pills that have powers to fix or heal all difficulties.
However, they can be a wonderful alternative to nagging and lecturing. And sometimes ‘magic’ does happen and a story does make a difference!”.
Hawthorn Press produces splendid children’s books and I sometimes daydream about running away to their office in Gloucestershire which must be a wonderful place to work – and read.
