Where did those two weeks go? It's time for The Silver Surfer Blog number two by yours truly (although you can't see the white hair under all those layers). If you hadn't guessed, I'm passionate about trees - they inspired my children's book and hopefully, inspires kids to love trees and wildlife too. I loved the synchronicity of it being 'Earth Month' so thought I'd chat about trees and include my meeting with a very bright spark and aspiring author, called Katie.
Photos: The Silver Surfer (Jenni Robson) looking like Michelin Man in oodles of waterproof layers, planting trees (it rained a lot that day). Little Bowden Park in Market Harborough, UK, lined with Chestnut Trees that inspired my book. Katie, aged five, looking at Jenni's rhyming picture book 'The Chestnut Tree'.
I mentioned about hoping my book would inspire children and I do receive great reviews about it, but rarely hear about any impact the book might have on the reader. For example, a lady whose son was approximately twelve or thirteen years old, had immeasurable learning difficulties and was just learning to read and he could read a line from my book so she purchased it for him. Sadly, I never heard whether the book helped him. So, it came as a wonderful surprise when I heard about little Katie.
Katie is only five years old, cannot yet write and has created her own story picture book complete with cover! Her Mum Vicky had bought her my book which she so loved that she decided she wanted to become an author. WOW, I was blown away, especially as she’s a little rocket that doesn’t sit still for five minutes yet managed to draw and colour pictures, with strict instructions to her parents on what to write on the pages for her. Katie included Charlie Chestnut in her story which was so sweet. As she was local, I just had to meet her - she could become the next Enid Blyton or Beatrix Potter! Katie was an absolute delight, full of beans with a huge imagination. I took my original watercolour illustrations with me, including the ones I didn't use in the book and Katie knew all the pictures off by heart and promptly told me which ones were not in the book! I felt so humbled that Charlie Chestnut had such an impact on her. I now realise that it is a big responsibility that an author has in storytelling as it can have such an effect on a child.
Photos: Jenni Robson meeting Katie - sharing book notes. Katie's first book (there's since been a second one). A picture of Charlie Chestnut included in her story.
The Silver Surfer Plants Trees
I grew up in the Oxfordshire countryside, surrounded by woodland, fields and wildlife. I loved to read, particularly the adventures of Enid Blyton, and lived my own adventures climbing trees (not adverse to climbing them now actually) and making woodland camps. My passion for nature begun early and I recently found my first tree planting certificate. I've since planted many saplings along with donating 10% of 'The Chestnut Tree' book profits to tree planting.
Photos: Jenni's first ever tree planting certificate. The Silver Surfer, Jenni Robson tree planting in Derby (many years later). A certificate of donation to plant 50 trees in the Amazon Forest via the not for profit organisation 'One Tree Planted'.
We cannot fix all the problems of the world yet if we each do something positive towards improving the earth, whether it's the climate, reducing pollution, feeding the hungry, helping the homeless, ending war and so much more, then that must be a great thing. Trees are not a quick fix so the sooner we plant the better and if you're joined by friends (with a picnic of course) it's a brilliant experience!
This Week's Message Or Two
A favourite quote of mine by Rabindranath Tagore, a poet, who was the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize for Literature:
"The one who plants trees knowing that he or she will never sit in their shade, has at lasted started to understand the meaning of life".
And then there's that wise little bear, Pooh:
"Supposing a tree fell down, Pooh, when we were underneath It?"
"Supposing it didn't," said Pooh. After careful thought Piglet was comforted by this."
I think we all need to be more like Pooh!
And on that note, I'll say farewell for now, whilst I go practice my Pooh-ness x
www.jennirobson.com (there are also links to the relevant shops on each product page)
I'm also on social media: @jennirobsonart
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