The Pond Book Tour
Cover Blurb
Meet Sammi the squirrel who is unlucky in whatever he does.
After a game of chase with his brother, Bobby, Sammi is thirsty and goes in search of a drink. He finds a pond in the same garden but gets more water than expected. A shout makes him jump and SPLASH! He goes home, wet and dirty, to face his mother’s anger and his family’s laughter. He is hurt until his mother tells him that he wouldn’t be who he is if he didn’t get into mischief, and she loves him no matter what.
Other Titles By the Author
Julie Day
Author Bio
Julie Day has Asperger's Syndrome. She is an indie author of children's books where 'Autism meets magical realism'. She also writes for adults about helpful ghosts and cozy mysteries, short stories and magazine fillers, along with her memoir about having endocarditis. She is an autism advocate through her books, articles for SEN magazines and videos on her YouTube channel.
The Book Tour
Day 1 - Favourite Quotes
Day 2 - Character Summaries
Sammi: As the main character, Sammi Bushtail is also the one that stands out the most. He loves adventure and, while he tries to ‘behave’ and fit into the norm, it’s not something he can do! But he learns that this doesn’t matter, and it is important to be yourself. Those who love you the most will love you for who you are. (Phoebe Wilby)
Sammi: My favorite character is Sammi, the rambunctious young squirrel who seems unable to stay out of trouble. Sammi is a charming character who does his best to not get into mischief but appears unable to avoid it as he finds himself falling into the pond. Although Sammi seems like a clumsy character, his charming personality shines through as he tries his best to clean himself off before going home to “face his mum’s anger”. Julie Day creates a lovable character you cannot help but adore as you follow him on his adventure though the garden as he does his best to make up for his mistake. Throughout the story, Sammi becomes a character you can resonate with as his feelings mimic those of our own. Sammi shows us that we shouldn’t feel ashamed of our mistakes and instead embrace them as we will always be loved by those who care about us. (Scarlet Shorttle)
Sammi: My favorite character is Sammi, the rambunctious young squirrel who seems unable to stay out of trouble. Sammi is a charming character who does his best to not get into mischief but appears unable to avoid it as he finds himself falling into the pond. Although Sammi seems like a clumsy character, his charming personality shines through as he tries his best to clean himself off before going home to “face his mum’s anger”. Julie Day creates a lovable character you cannot help but adore as you follow him on his adventure though the garden as he does his best to make up for his mistake. Throughout the story, Sammi becomes a character you can resonate with as his feelings mimic those of our own. Sammi shows us that we shouldn’t feel ashamed of our mistakes and instead embrace them as we will always be loved by those who care about us. (Sophie Jupillat Posey)
Sammi: Oh Sammi without a doubt. I do like a good disaster prone character! I like how we get to see his thought process of how to get out of the scrape he is in. Unsuccessfully, mind! (Eryn McConnell)
Day 3 - Favourite Excerpts
Sammi skipped down the garden. On his way he started to chase his own tail, unaware that he was being watched from inside the house! Like most people, I enjoy watching squirrels foraging and playing in the wild. I could clearly visualise this comical, rather sweet scene although I was worried that the person inside the house might try to capture him. (Jane Clack)
He was so intent on his drinking that he didn’t hear the door of the house open or the sound of running feet until it was too late. There was an almighty noise like a clap of thunder, and a voice bellowed, “Shoo!” The noise scared him so much that he leapt up in the air from fright and straight down into… the pond. (Phoebe Wilby)
Sammi looked up then and saw his mum’s face – full of warmth and love. She opened her arms to him. “I know what you must think of us laughing at you, but we love you all the same,” she said. “You wouldn’t be you if you didn’t have these things happen. Isn’t that right, children?” (Scarlet Shorttle)
The part where Sammi is mad that his siblings and mom are laughing at him. That is a relatable thing, being someone who gets in trouble often. One can feel ostracized as such, but the fact that the laughter was in good nature and doesn’t impact the care and love that he gets was heartwarming. (Sophie Jupillat Posey)
He’d thought that the pond water would’ve washed away some of the mess, but it had only made his fur even dirtier, and his fur was sticking out in spikes. Somehow he’d managed to collect yet more twigs and leaves, and he was sure he was even filthier than before. (Eryn McConnell)
Day 4 - Video Interview
Day 5 - Reviews
Overall Star Rating: 4 Stars. Author Julie Day, who has Asperger’s, writes stories which capture the ‘voices’ and behaviours of autistic children (and adults). In this, her latest delightfully illustrated book, which is aimed at younger children, Day reflects these nuances through the character of Sammi the squirrel who is always getting into trouble. On this occasion, after playing with his brother, Sammi is thirsty and ends up splashing into a pond. Whatever will happen next? An important message is given in the blurb - that it is Sammi’s mischievous nature and the very fact that he always gets into lots of scrapes that makes him the lovable character that he is. His family will support him whatever. This story reminds me of a modern day Peter Rabbit. Could the person watching him from the house be a modern day Farmer McGregor? (Jane Clack)
Overall Star Rating: 4 Stars. Sammi Bushtail is a squirrel who is always getting into one sort of mischief or another and today is no different. Instead of going straight home after a strenuous game of catch with his brother, he is distracted by his thirst. Once he spies a pond, he knows his needs will be satisfied. Unaware of the danger, he happily laps up the water, only to be frightened by a loud noise and into the pond he goes! Now he’s dirtier than before and his mother will be cross. There follows his frantic return home as he tries to dry off and undo all the damage of his day outside before he comes home. It is all in vain, though, and when he steps inside, he has to face his mum’s wrath and his brothers’ and sisters’ mirth. Julie Day’s story of Sammi Bushtail teaches children that it’s okay to be different. After all, we all are! Her subtle nod to ADHD and particular sensitivities will help children to understand that being different doesn’t mean you are unlovable. Larraine Rowney’s delightful illustrations capture the playfulness of the squirrels, adding depth and colour to the story. This simple story will delight the child reader as it will instill in themselves a sense of their own self-worth, no matter how different they are to their peers. (Phoebe Wilby)
Overall Star Rating: 4 Stars. Julie Day creates a charming story about a loveable young squirrel called Sammi who can’t keep out of trouble. As you follow Sammi on his adventure through the garden you cannot help but fall in love with him and his charming and mischievous personality. Day’s story resonates and teaches her audience that despite our mistakes we can learn from them. Towards the end of the story, Sammi’s mum consoles her son as well as the audience as she reassures us that no matter what we are loved and accepted, including our mistakes. ‘The Pond’ is also accompanied by adorable illustrations by Larraine Rowney which truly bring the story and its characters to life as they emphasize their unique personalities. (Scarlet Shorttle)
Overall Star Rating: 4 Stars. This is a charming little story about a squirrel called Sammi, who has a propensity for getting in trouble. The story begins with him playing with his brother Bobby, and getting dirty. Nearby is a pond and he inadvertently falls into it. The cast consists of Sammi and his siblings and his mom. We get a good feeling of who Sammi is, as we follow him throughout, and his mom after he gets home. The banter and dialogue feels mostly natural and is endearing. The dialogue helps flesh out some of the characters. The story moves quickly, and the pacing for me felt rushed. The plot feels threadbare here and there, it would have been nice to see more scenes of Sammi’s past adventures or have more happen to him than just falling into a pond. All in all, this is a cute read and is relatable to the more mischievous children out there. (Sophie Jupillat Posey)
Overall Star Rating: 4 Stars. This is so sweet, and the illustrations are just fantastic. I like the language and the simple characters portrayed. Very nice book (Eryn McConnell)
Book Tour Reviewers
