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I am a teacher. I love telling, and sharing stories with children.
When my children were little, they attended a Playbus, this was a play project based on a double-decker bus. We had many adventures and lots of fun on the bus. My story books have links to this involvement as well as adventures from my teaching career.
Unlike most of my other books, Barty Barton, is not about a bus! (Shhh! There is a bus included!)
Barty was my son’s favourite teddy bear and was always there to listen to his fears and to give him a hug. But my son grew up and forgot all about Barty. Just like my own old bear, I knew you could not get rid of such a cherished toy, it just needed a bit of loving repairs.
You cannot love a teddy bear too much I thought, my daughter agreed, she encouraged me to write the story.
You should never throw something away because it is old, tatty and no longer perfect. Being loved is so much more important.
That would be the message for my bus stories too.
'Jay-Jay the Supersonic Bus,' the first of my picture story books, was old and always breaking down but the real bus gave children a lot of loving memories to cherish.
This story has been followed by a few more stories.
'A Spooky Tale' and 'The Christmas Play Rehearsal' have links to my teaching journey. A bus is always included somewhere.
Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite
We all remember those special stuffed animals we cherished as a child, especially the most loved of all: the teddy bear. I know mine was loved and hugged and dragged everywhere. My grandmother had to do multiple repairs over the years, as I grew up and hugged him all the more. Barty Barton is a much-loved teddy bear. So much so, he’s been flattened and his nose is crooked. Thomas just loved Barty Barton too much; he dragged him everywhere. That is until Thomas grew up and moved away, leaving Barty Barton behind. When Thomas returns home to announce he’s going to be a father, his mother asks if he wants Barty Barton. Thomas turns down the offer which really hurts the teddy bear, but Mum didn’t let up. She rescued all of Thomas's stuffed animals and gave them a good cleaning and mending, so they were almost like new. Good enough for the new baby to enjoy when visiting.
Sue Wickstead’s picture book story, Barty Barton: The Bear That Was Loved Too Much, brings back many fond memories of treasured teddy bears. The story will open the eyes of young readers to the possibility that stuffed animals have feelings too, and they love to be loved. And, what’s more, these treasured teddy bears, like Barty Barton, are great at keeping secrets. You can tell them anything and even cry your eyes out into their worn-out fur and they’ll never tell a soul. This is a warm-hearted story told with compassion that will make readers young and old smile.
