Title: GERTRUDE AND TOBY MEET THE WOLF
Series: THE GERTRUDE AND TOBY FAIRY-TALE ADVENTURE SERIES
Author: SHARI THARP
Illustrator: JIM HEATH
Genre: CHILDREN’S FICTION
Target Readership: AGES 6 to 8
Number of Pages: 40 PAGES = 950 WORDS
ISBN (Hardcover): 9780996967976 Price: $16.99
ISBN (Softcover): 9781945033001 Price: $7.99
ISBN (eBook): 999781945032 Price: $4.99
Release Date (Hardcover): December 15, 2016
Release Date (Softcover & eBook): January 5, 2017
Publisher: ATLAS PUBLISHING
My Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
MY REVIEW:
“Gertrude and Toby are best friends and live at McFarland Farms. Every Friday when Farmer Sam goes shopping in town, Gertrude and Toby sneak off the farm for a fun adventure.”
This is the third book in the Gertrude and Toby Fairy-Tale Adventure Series and the first book that I have read. It is NOT necessary to have read the first book to enjoy the third. Each title works as a stand-alone story.
Gertrude is a goat and Toby is a tortoise. They seem to make an unlikely pair, but they work perfectly in the story. In each book the pair go on an adventure and they run into characters from other fairy tales.
At first I was skeptical that this concept would come across as fresh and unique, but it definitely does. I loved the fact that the pair head out to go fishing at Trout Lake and they decide that whoever catches the most fish will be the one to choose what adventure they will embark upon.
As they are walking a boy runs by on a few separate occasions yelling that a wolf is close by (from the fairy tale “The Boy Who Cried Wolf) and later in the story when a wolf actually does appear, readers meet the pigs from the fairy tale “The Three Little Pigs.”
The illustrations are simply gorgeous and a treat for the eye.
Parents (or Grandparents) will enjoy reading this story to their children just as much as the children will enjoy listening to the tale of the two best friends. I highly recommend this truly wonderful book and I believe that it will make a terrific Christmas gift. Since this book is due to be released in hardcover ten days before Christmas, the timing is perfect.
I rate this book as 5 out of 5 Stars and I look forward to reading the first two books in the series as well.
I received a free copy of this book from the Publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Shari Tharp is a graduate of San Diego State University and a former teacher. She currently lives in Southern California with her husband and son. Her debut book, GERTRUDE AND TOBY’S FRIDAY ADVENTURE, won a silver medal IPPY award for Best Illustrated Ebook.
The next two books in the series, GERTRUDE AND TOBY SAVE THE GINGERBREAD MAN and GERTRUDE AND TOBY MEET THE WOLF, are scheduled to be released in late 2016.
In addition to writing, Shari enjoys playing chess, hiking, biking, and reading (of course!).
To learn more about the author visit the following links:
SHARI THARP’S OFFICIAL AUTHOR WEBPAGE
PRESS RELEASE FROM ATLAS PUBLISHING:
BREAKING NEWS!
Gertrude and Toby’s Friday Adventure
Wins IPPY Silver Medal Award—Best Children’s Illustrated E-book
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Temecula Author Receives National Children’s Book Award
Shari Tharp receives an Independent Publisher Book Award (IPPY) Silver Medal in the Best Children’s Illustrated E-Book category for her fairy tale adaptation picture book, Gertrude and Toby’s Friday Adventure
(April 22, 2016—Temecula, CA) This year marked the 20th anniversary of the Independent Publisher Book Awards, also known as the IPPYs. It also marked a special occasion for Temecula, CA, children’s book author Shari Tharp—her debut children’s book, Gertrude and Toby’s Friday Adventure, won an IPPY silver medal in the category Best Children’s Illustrated E-Book.
“In the days leading up to the awards announcement, I convinced myself that I was not going to win an IPPY,” replied Ms. Tharp when asked about winning the award. “I know it’s the typical way many writers view their own work, but I also figured it would be easier to deal with the letdown if I didn’t get my hopes up in the first place. My publisher said my book was definitely good enough to win an IPPY, and this certainly validates that for me. After several months and a lot of sweat and rewriting to get this first one out, I’m really energized about the next two books in the series.”
Those “next two books” are Gertrude and Toby Save the Gingerbread Man and Gertrude and Toby Meet the Wolf, the second and third books in the fairy-tale adventure series, both scheduled for release during late 2016. The series follows protagonists Gertrude the goat and Toby the tortoise on Fridays as they sneak off the farm to embark on action-packed adventures, where they meet some of our favorite fairy tale characters.
Ms. Tharp has also nearly completed another children’s book that deals with grandparent–grandchild relationships and the fine (underappreciated?) art of telling tall tales.
The IPPY Awards were launched in 1996 and are conducted each year to honor the year’s best independently published books, offering an alternative to “the big five” media publishers. Its collection of small presses, university presses, and self-publishing services give experimental and entrepreneurial authors a platform—and adventurous readers an abundance of new choices.
The award-winning books will be celebrated on May 10 during the annual BookExpo America publishing convention in Chicago, with IPPY medallions awarded in 112 book categories (including 12 e-book categories). This year’s contest drew nearly 5,000 entries, with approximately 350 winning medalists coming from 42 US states, 6 Canadian provinces, and 9 foreign countries.
Complete awards results can be found at: http://www.independentpublisher.com/article.php?page=2045
Gertrude and Toby’s Friday Adventure is Book 1 in a fairy-tale adaptation adventure series for children.
For retail information, interviews, and other queries, please contact the publisher:
Brent Tharp, Managing Editor, Atlas Publishing
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