Review: The Blustery Day by Caroline Thornton

THE BLUSTERY DAY

by Caroline Thornton

Illustrated by Alena Karabach

Picture Book

30 pages

ages 4 to 8

A windy, winding, wonderful adventure. Grab your wellington boots and join the fun of The Blustery Day in this charming picture book for children.

 MY TIDBITS

A blast of wind can be so frustrating yet adventurous in this cute tale, whichTh draws so many unexpected things together.

It's a windy, blustery day. So much so that an umbrella goes flying from the hand and off to a great adventure, which draws in a variety of fun characters and situations.

Every page is bright, cheerful and full of excitement as readers/listeners follow a red umbrella on its adventures as it's blown across the land. The creatures it meets are interesting as well as add the right touch to the story. There's something unexpected on each page, which is sure to keep listeners glued to the book until the very end. 

The story is written in four-line rhymes, most flowing beautifully. The vocabulary reflects the author's Scottish origins and will especially be fun for American readers as they explore and learn a few new terms and words. In any case, the entire book leaves a smile on the face and is sure to be read again and again.

And here she is. . .

I am originally from Carnoustie on the east coast of Scotland and now live in Glasgow.  I have a degree in History and an HND in Animal Care.  I love animals, movies and everything vintage.

I used to write all the time when I was young but I hadn't written for years. In 2014 when I was out of work due to illness I wrote a poem called Appeal For Calm for the British charity OCD:UK's Awareness Week. It was the first time I had written in years and following on from that I started writing my children's books.

Initially I sent my manuscripts to agents and publishers. At the time I knew very little of the publishing industry and children's books. I naturally write in rhyme but I didn't realise that it was so technical and it took me a long time to learn about rhythm and metre.  After redrafting one of my manuscripts I decided that I didn't want to try again with traditional publishing. Self publishing allowed me to choose the illustrations and create exactly what I wanted and to maintain the rights to my work. As I have health issues I also wanted to avoid the stress that may come from deadlines and contracts associated with traditional publishing. As an indie author I am able to do my work when I can and without compromising my health.  Self publishing gives me a sense of accomplishment and provides countless opportunities to learn new things.