WIZZY and Slime – books by Anthony Ridgway and David Walliams

Dan, WIZZY and Nellie

The WIZZY books by Anthony Ridgway and

Slime by David Walliams

both about a boy in a wheelchair.

David Walliams broadcast from home during lockdown

Slime started as an idea planted by 11-year-old Dante Marvin, who asked David Walliams to write a book about a boy in a wheelchair. David Walliams has dedicated the book, ‘For Dante, the coolest kid on wheels’. . ….. (To buy Slime go to the end of this post.)

Click on the picture to watch the video, ‘How I Write’ by Anthony Ridgway

Anthony Ridgway started writing about his own wheelchair, WIZZY, when he was himself ‘the coolest kid on wheels’.

Anthony has cerebral palsy with sight impairment. When he was a boy, his dad would transcribe his stories to paper while he dictated. But since his dad passed away, Anthony uses a special computer programme to write the stories himself.

This was the start of Anthony’s wonderfully imaginative stories about Dan, James, Sophie and WIZZY, the irascible, funny and amazingly clever wheelchair.

Anthony’s first published story, WIZZY’s Worm, is available as an audiobook from Calibre Audio, a national charity lending free audiobooks for anyone who is print disabled.

To buy this book click on the picture

Author Anthony Ridgway’s next published story, WIZZY the Animal Whisperer, followed as a large paperback book. The beautiful illustrations by Suzan Houching tell the story too, allowing children who can’t read or who are learning to read to enjoy all the exciting twists and turns of the plot.

Click on the picture for video

At the book launch for WIZZY the Animal Whisperer, actor David Suchet had the guests in fits of laughter when he read a passage from the book.

To buy the audiobook click on the picture

A few months later, David Suchet and his wife, Sheila Suchet, recorded the whole story, giving voices to all the characters and inimitable timing to Anthony’s amusing dialogue.

The audiobook of WIZZY the Animal Whisperer faithfully follows the words in the paperback books so that early readers can use the audio alongside the book when learning to read.

To buy this book click on the picture

WIZZY and the Seaside Adventure, Anthony’s second paperback book takes Dan, James, Sophie and WIZZY to the coast, along with their dog, Honey, and as you can guess, an ordinary day becomes another crime busting adventure.

Listen to Dante’s version of his meeting with David Walliams:

Click on picture for video

Where disability is no bar – Maria Giulia Cotini

In the town of Narni, Italy, lives the author, Maria Giulia Cotini, who this summer was directing I Ragazzi Pon Pon (The Cheerleaders) in their performance of her play Giullarino Mingherlino (The Skinny Jester).

This was part of the children’s holiday activities, where they got together to learn more about their town’s history and link it with places around the world.

Maria Giulia Cotini directs the play, Guillarino Mingherlino

Maria Giulia is also the author of the book, Shotaro – the child who wanted to become a Samurai.

Anthony Ridgway, author of the WIZZY books

Just like Little Knoll Press author, Anthony Ridgway, Maria Giulia has been disabled from birth, but for both of them this has been no bar to imagination and achievement.

Shotaro is written in Italian and is available as a hardback book (ISBN: 9788804674610) and e-book.

Here is a translation of the blurb:

‘Shotaro is intelligent and stubborn, and he refuses to accept that his greatest dream (to become a Samurai like his father) is unattainable. Shotaro is disabled from birth and his father decided he would become a monk.

The rōnin, Kenya, arrives at the monastery and declares he is willing to train even him.

But when the terrible Daimyō destroy Shotaro’s home village and his father disappears, Shotaro’s life is turned upside down and everything seems lost.

In ancient Japan, a country marred by war and corruption, Shotaro is able to demonstrate, with courage and determination, that you don’t need a perfect body to make a man into a warrior.’

And here is some more about Maria Giulia:

Maria Giulia Cotini was born in 1980; disabled from birth, she does not walk and has problems with her hands, sight and hearing.

Maria Giulia has been in love with the martial arts since a child, and at the age of ten she was the first child with a disability to practice karate in the gym with the able-bodied.

Working on her knees, she adapted the techniques up to competition standards, which was previously considered impossible.

Always passionate about myths and legends, Maria Giulia graduated with honours in History of Religions.

You can see Maria Giulia at a Karate event by clicking on her picture here –

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

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

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.

Anthony praises his 'harshest critic' - Grethe Ridgway.

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

Wizzy the irascible wheelchair! Wizzy interrupts the reading.

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

Anthony Ridgway meets fans.

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

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

Jordan and Tim - the fantastic volunteer book selling team.

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

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

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.

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

David Suchet signing books for young fans.

... and David Suchet signing colouring pages too!

Time for selfies!

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.

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

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

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

Owl at Midnight – BOOK LAUNCH at Waterstones Llandudno

Owl at Midnight
a story of Gwenllian, the lost Princess of Wales

Thursday, 16th November 2017, on the promenade at Llandudno, North Wales, was the first time that author, Patricia Lennan, held in her hand a copy of her historical novel,
Owl at Midnight – a story of Gwenllian, the lost Princess of Wales.

It was a big day . . . the culmination of six years of writing and research of the 13th century events that shaped the life of the last native Princess of Wales, Gwenllian, the only child of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd and Eleanor de Montfort.

In foreground members of the Copper Writers, Wales. http://www.literaturewales.org/writer-group/copper-writers/

The BOOK LAUNCH at Waterstones, Llandudno, brought together a large crowd to celebrate with Patricia.

It was a long awaited day for members of The Princess Gwenllian Society.

Members of The Princess Gwenllian Society. http://www.princessgwenllian.co.uk/

Patricia spent time talking with the guests.

Patricia gave a short speech about how she had come to write Owl at Midnight.

Her inspiration was a visit to the birthplace of Gwenllian, at Abergwyngregyn, near Llandudno.

Pen y Bryn, formerly Garth Celyn, Abergwyngregyn, the birthplace of Princess Gwenllian.

Patricia explained, “I was shown the room where it is thought Eleanor de Montfort gave birth to Gwenllian, the tunnel which led to the sea and other tunnels which once led to the mountains above.

It was here where my story was born.”

Owl at Midnight tells Gwenllian’s known story; the last native Princess of Wales, she was taken as a baby by King Edward’s men and shut away in Sempringham Priory at his command.

There, in the Lincolnshire nunnery, she grew up and took her vows, never knowing her real identity.

Patricia brings to life a young woman pushing at the boundaries and questioning the rules that confine her. But she doesn’t leave her there. Outside the Priory, hopes rise to restore the rightful Princess to the Principality of Wales . . . and here possibilities open up that could have changed the course of history.

Owl at Midnight
a story of Gwenllian, the lost Princess of Wales
ISBN: 978-0-9935078-3-0

Paperback book, 364 pages, with map, Welsh royal family tree, plus pen illustrations heading each chapter.

Purchase from bookshops and Welsh castles and tourist outlets

OR order from this website
Book price – £9.99
P&p by country.

If your country is not listed in the postal prices, please email Jenny on mail@littleknollpress.co.uk