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waffleandbear

@waffleandbear

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#1 NYT-bestselling illustrator | Drawing lovely things | England | Represented by @the_bright_agency

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Are you looking for books about overcoming struggles and being brave? If so, you’re in the right place! Here are five of our favourites…

‘Don’t Feed The Troll’, the new book by Emily Gravett, is a brilliant story about the best way to deal with trolls. When a pesky troll feeds on negativity and gets bigger and bigger, a group of fairytale creatures learn that kind words and friendship are what’s needed to stamp out the troll for good! A wonderful message, and a useful introduction for young people about staying safe online.

‘Brave Little Bear’, by Steve Small, is the touching story of a nervous bear cub who finds himself in a perilous position, and needs to show courage to rescue himself and his sister. A beautiful reminder that even the trickiest situations can be overcome by keeping a clear head - and that even the smallest of us can be brave…

‘The Duck Who Didn’t Like Water’, also by Steve Small, is about a duck who needs to overcome his fears to help his friends. A quirky, fun story with a powerful message!

We love ‘The Polar Night Adventure’ by Cecilia Blomdahl, with art by @waffleandbear . This gorgeously-illustrated story is about a lost Finnish Lapphund who manages to find his way home. Along the way he finds hope in the world around him, following the stars and his enormous heart. It’s such a wonderful celebration of friendship, kindness and the natural world!

Last but not least, ‘My Name Is Samim’, by Fidan Meikle, is the prize-winning story of a 13-year-old boy who loves to play chess. When his life in Afghanistan is ripped apart by almost unimaginable horrors, Samim and his best friend Zayn brave the dangerous journey to the UK, where they discover that their search for safety and acceptance has only just begun. The story is grounded in reality and heartbreak, but shares a powerful message about compassion and hope. ‘My Name is Samim’ is a beautiful and important book.

For these stories and others that will inspire courage in children, visit us at Little Zap Books!

#kidsbooks #shoplocal #resilience #childrensbooks refugeestories

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MJ is a tough crowd when it comes to storytime. 😂📚

I often get a side-eye, but these books get his full attention, participation, and requests to read them again. And again. 🤣 And again? 😅

#bombasticsideeye #littlereaders #storytime #childrensbooks #littlehomie

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The Polar Night Adventure: Grim's Starlit Journey Across Svalbard 🌌

[Ad-Gifted]

As the last glimmers of light fade from the snow-covered peaks and polar night arrives, Grim the Finnish Lapphund finds himself lost in the vast Arctic. On this unexpected journey, he encounters mischievous arctic foxes, reindeer huddled in the snow, and bright white beluga whales rising from the fjord. Beneath a sky filled with stars and shimmering northern lights, Grim finds the courage to keep moving forward. To make his way home, and back to Cecilia, he must face his fears and follow his heart through the darkness.

A timeless tale of bravery, wonder, and resilience, brought to life with beautiful illustrations, The Polar Night Adventure is a contemporary classic for kids everywhere.

🖊 @sejsejlija
🎨 @waffleandbear
📚 @dkbooks

☆☆☆☆☆

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Pass me a blanket, a book & a cup of hot choc & I'm settling in until spring! Luckily I've got just the picture books to go with cosy vibes... (AD: PR Product).

🐶 The Polar Night Adventure. 📖 @sejsejlija ✏️ @waffleandbear
An absolute gem. Wonderfully atmospheric, with beautiful illustrations, & based on the true lives of writer Cecilia & her dog Grim. Set in Svalbard where the sun shines all night in summer & the moon all day in winter, it feels like being somewhere other worldly. When Grim wanders off after a playful arctic fox he begins an epic journey to get home, meeting the animals who live among the ice, & discovering the magic of the stars & the aurora. Beauty on every single page.

☕ A Cosy Winter Day. 📖 & ✏️ @wheelerstudio
Warm & atmospheric, this is a charming little book for the winter season. Filled with lush snowy landscapes, cosy nooks & talk of piping hot stew, it follows the Pinecone Wood Villagers as they go about a wintery day, including Hilda Hollow who might just find some inspiration for her writing...

🌟 The Star Tree 📖 & ✏️ Luosha Liu
One day Ellie finds a star on her favourite tree. Soon the tree is blooming with stars but there are too many & the animals of the wood talk about cutting it down. Can Ellie & Owl discover the meaning of the stars before its too late & help everyone see the true magic of the tree? A star-filled woodland delight, brimming with glowing joy & community.

🏘️ Together Street: The Street We Call Home. 📖@clarehelenwelsh ✏️ @robynwilsonowen
When Nell moves into Together Street, Ash takes her on a walk of the neighbourhood. As we see homes of all shapes & sizes, from tower blocks to a canal boat, past the shelter & library, we meet lovely neighbours & discover new friends. There's a special surprise in store for Nell & her family too! A gorgeous story about the warmth of community.

💌 Henry and the Secret Letters. 📖 & ✏️ @ducasse.fanny
With the colours of Autumn & real recipes for potato leek soup & pumpkin cake, this is about as cosy as they come! When Henri gets a letter from a secret admirer he's unsure at first but as they swap recipes his heart warms to his new friend. But who could it be?

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‘The Polar Night Adventure’ by Cecilia Blomdahl, illustrated by Suzie Mason
(AD)

I’m fairly sure Beth and Elliot’s teachers are going to get fed up with me before long. Today, I sent Beth in with a fabulous non-fiction book about evolution as she’s exploring the topic in science, and Elliot told me that he is learning about magnetism and did I know that the Northern Lights are created when electrically charged particles from the Sun interact with the Earth’s magnetic field?

And so this beautiful, atmospheric book is going into school with him tomorrow!

It is a longer picture book, set on the Arctic island of Svalbard, and follows Grim, Cecilia’s real-life Finnish Lapphund, who wanders away from home as the polar night begins. On his journey back to Cecilia, he encounters Arctic foxes, reindeer and beluga whales, as well as experiencing the incredible Northern Lights. But most importantly, he finds the courage to keep going and find his way home.

What makes this even more special is knowing how much of it is inspired by real life. Cecilia lives on Svalbard with Grim and the story was inspired by an evening when he really did wander off! Cecilia imagined the adventures he might have had and the animals he might have met, and from there the story was born.

It is a gorgeous story and Suzie Mason’s accompanying illustrations capture the magic of the Arctic beautifully. This is a clever blend of fact and fiction that offers a glimpse into an extraordinary part of the world and has definitely left me wanting to know more. I can’t wait for Grim’s next adventure; I do hope he has another!

@sejsejlija @waffleandbear
@dkbooks

*publishes 29th September

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Our signed bookplated copies have arrived for the beautiful Polar Night Adventure by @sejsejlija and illustrated by @waffleandbear

It’s a gorgeous story following Grim, the Finnish Lapphund’s journey as he makes his way home through the vast Arctic.

#childrensbooks #polarnightadventure #ceciliablomdahl

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It's been twenty months since I began writing my cozy, middle-grade fantasy, BAKE ME A TALE, and I love it even more now. Hope you enjoy this little peek into the Voulevants’ Pâtisserie! Let me know if there's a detail or line in particular that you enjoyed.

Pâtisserie art: by NYT #1 Bestselling Illustrator: @waffleandbear

Mocha June’s art: by @_cloudiere

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Hi, I’m JT! I write whimsical stories stuffed with hope, heart, and humor. If you enjoy stories with...

🌷 Character-centered plots
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Strong family bonds
💜 Power of friendships
✨ Mild magic
✝️ Christian themes

...then you might like my work. Come along for the ride! 🍩

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#CozyFantasy #SneakPeek #Whimsy #MiddleGrade #MiddleGradeBookstagram

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Here are some random, out-of-context lines from my middle-grade, cozy fantasy story called BAKE ME A TALE. Which line or detail is your favorite?

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Hi, I'm JT! I write whimsical stories stuffed with hope, heart, and humor. If you enjoy stories with...

🌷 Character-centered plots
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Strong family bonds
💜 Power of friendships
✨ Mild magic
✝️ Christian themes

...then you might like my work. Come along for the ride! 🍩

🎨 Pâtisserie art done by @waffleandbear

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#CozyFantasy #MiddleGrade #RandomLines #Whimsical #ChristianAuthor

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September marks the start of autumn, it’s time to soak up the cosy vibes with a new book. Here are a few incredible titles hitting the shelves this month!

Swipe to see out latest collection of books publishing in the UK this September!

#ChildrensIllustration #BrightArtist #KidLitArt

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As I continue to work on BAKE ME A TALE, it is so fun to think on actors I would cast for my adult characters. Enjoy these slides featuring a little synopsis of each character as well as the song I repeatedly listened to whilst creating them.

🍩 Ewan McGregor as Jürven/Father, the business operator and affectionate patriarch. Song: “Once Upon a Time…in Storybrooke” by Mark Knopfler.

🍩 Miranda Otto as Ketty/Mother, the counselor and tender matriarch. Song: “Jessica’s Theme” by Bruce Rowland.

🍩 Giuseppe Dell'Anno as Uncle Geppi, the jovial server and gardener. Song: “Moonlit Beach” by George Fenton.

🍩 Jodie Foster as Aunt Fi, the feisty farmer and baker. Song: “The Execution” by George Fention.

🍩 Bill Nighy as Brûler, the complicated owner of a chimney sweep operation. Song: "Heartbreak" by Martin Czerny.

🍩 Matthias Schoenaerts as Sedgwick, the mysterious stonemason. Song: "Nostalgy" by AShamaluevMusic

🍩 Rebecca Hall as Rozálie, the eccentric theatre actress. Song: "Free" by Florence + the Machine

Which character do you think you would want to spend the day with? Please let me know in the comments! 👇

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#bookstagram #MiddlegradeAuthor #CozyFantasy #DreamCast

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Boy oh boy I was tired when I filmed this but this special delivery BROUGHT ME BACK TO LIFE!!! Big shoutout to the incredible @waffleandbear for this amazing artwork once again. I will never get tired of staring at it.

If you want to snag a couple of these, hang tight! Preorders for signed copies of Lady of Pelts will be up on my Etsy store in the next day or two, and the book comes out NEXT WEEK!! I can’t even believe it 🥹

Lady of Pelts is book two in the Hunter of Seals series, an adult contemporary fantasy series with action movie energy and a dash of romance, featuring…

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scottish folklore
💞 Enemies to lovers, with a nice slow burn
🌊 High seas action-adventure
👩‍🔬 Women in STEM
💝 Found family
📚 A nice long series with oodles of backstory and drama
🦭Completely Normal Seals That Definitely Don’t Turn Into People Or Sabotage Oil Rigs

You can find book 1 now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or my Etsy store, and book 2 comes out AUGUST 18!!!

#bookmarks #fantasybooks #upcomingbooks #enemiestoloversbooks #selkiebooks

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🍩 MEET MY WIP: Bake Me a Tale 🍩

Here’s a glimpse of my favorite novel I’ve been working on since February of 2025. My hope is that, like the pâtisserie's Aura Hedge Powder, it will enchant families to enjoy this story together. I want it to inspire young readers to be more self-confident, to not be afraid of sharing their voices and ideas.

PITCH:
When not one but two mysteries threaten the Voulevants’ magical pâtisserie, Mocha Juna must summon all her nose-shivering curiosity to keep them from ruining the perfect reputation her family has earned.

📖 Genre: Middle-grade, Cozy Fantasy

🎭 Tropes: Power of Friendship, Ray of Hope, and Dramatic Reveal

✨ Vibes: Cozy warmth, crisp whimsy, and hard-earned confidence

Who Readers have Compared Me To: Studio Ghibli, A.A. Milne, Roald Dahl, Lemony Snicket

Pâtisserie art: by NYT #1 Bestselling Illustrator: @waffleandbear

Mocha June’s art: by @_cloudiere

Book readers, does this sound like something you’d be interested in reading?

Writers, what project are you working on? I'd love to hear in the comments below! 👇

#Bookstagram #MiddleGrade #MGBooks #WorkInProgress

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