Wizzy and the Seaside Adventure – book launch

On 14th July 2018, a huge crowd gathered at The Point, Eastleigh, for the launch of Wizzy and the Seaside Adventure by author, Anthony Ridgway, and artist, Suzan Houching. 

Among those attending were Sheila and David Suchet, Ros Holness and Tina Fanshawe. 

Anthony gave a speech full of humour, praising his mother, Grethe, as his ‘harshest critic’, and thanking Barbara Large for helping him hone his writing skills. 

David and Sheila Suchet read a section from Wizzy and the Seaside Adventure, and Wizzy the wheelchair, of course got a look in, making a phone call half way through the reading!

Tina Fanshawe’s horse, Nellie, was the inspiration for the plot in Anthony’s first book, Wizzy the Animal Whisperer. In Wizzy and the Seaside Adventure, Honey, the dog, shows the same empathy, helping the children bring to justice some rascally thieves.

Wizzy and the Seaside Adventure – book launch photos

02---group-listening-to-Ant

More than 90 people attended the launch of 'Wizzy and the Seaside Adventure' on July 14th 2018, at The Point, Eastleigh.

01---Ant's-speech

Anthony announces his new book 'Wizzy and the Seaside Adventure'. From left to right - Sheila and David Suchet, Ros Holness, Jane Ridgway, Anthony Ridgway, Grethe Ridgway, Suzan Houching.

03---Ant-giving-speech

Anthony praises his 'harshest critic' - Grethe Ridgway.

04---David-&-Sheila-read-to

A rapt audience as David and Sheila Suchet read a section from 'Wizzy and the Seaside Adventure'.

05---Wizzy-rings-David-S

Wizzy the irascible wheelchair! Wizzy interrupts the reading.

06---D-&-S-reading-Ant-smil

Wizzy creates an amazing diversion in 'Wizzy and the Seaside Adventure'.

07---Ant-meets-fans

Anthony Ridgway meets fans.

08---Ant-puts-sticker-in-bo

Anthony signs a book with his sticker 'EVERYWHERE WITH WIZZY'.

09---Suzan-signs-book

Suzan Houching, artist and illustrator of 'Wizzy and the Seaside Adventure', signs books.

10---Jordan-&-Tim-selling

Jordan and Tim - the fantastic volunteer book selling team.

12---boy-colouring

Suzan Houching's wonderful pictures were printed in black and white for colouring.

11---Oscar's-colouring

A young fan with his colouring of a scene from the book.

13---Ant-with-young-fan

Children love the Wizzy books. They can be read again and again and enjoyed for the adventure story, the fabulous illustrations and the funny moments created by Wizzy the hi-tech wheelchair not understanding the idiom of human speech.

14---Ddavid-signs-Ant's-boo

David Suchet signs Anthony's copy of 'Wizzy and the Seaside Adventure'.

15b---David-signing-book

David Suchet signing books for young fans.

15a---David-signing-colourin

... and David Suchet signing colouring pages too!

Sheila,-David-and-Phaedra

Time for selfies!

16---Tina,-Ant-&-Grethe

Tina Fanshawe, the owner of Nellie the horse who took Anthony for a ride when on holiday and inspired his first book, 'Wizzy the Animal Whisperer', posing with Anthony and Grethe Ridgway.

17---Oscar,-Ant-&-Oscar's-m

One of Anthony's keenest young fans poses with his mum and Anthony.

18---Suzan-shows-portfolio-

Suzan Houching shows her portfolio of original watercolour paintings for 'Wizzy and the Seaside Adventure'.

19---Suzan-shows-portfolio-

Suzan showing her portfolios of work - one for each Wizzy book, to David Suchet, Ros Holness, Sheila Suchet and Emma Scott of Calibre Audio Library. The audio book of 'Wizzy the Animal Whisperer' will be available shortly.

The beautifully illustrated large format Wizzy books can be read again and again and enjoyed at many levels – for the adventure story, for the fabulous pictures, to read out loud or to read in your head … although it’s hard not to laugh out loud at the funny moments created by Wizzy the hi-tech wheelchair, who takes everything literally and cannot understand the idiom of human speech.

Click here to buy Wizzy and the Seaside Adventure  ISBN: 9780993507878 

Click here to find out how Anthony writes.

If you are from a school or retail outlet and would like to know more, please contact Jenny on mail@littleknollpress.co.uk