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Ruth Whenham began her career as a freelance writer a short time before reaching her 40th birthday. To say it was something of a mid-life crisis would be absolutely true! A graduate of Human Psychology and a former employee of the National Health Service, Ruth now splits her time between writing, looking after her family (she has two children) and volunteering at her local Citizens' Advice Bureau.
Ruth combines jaunty rhyming verse, humour and great characters to create stories that are entertaining for young children and for their parents alike!
To date, Ruth has published six children's picture books; all of which have been illustrated by talented artist, Emma K.L. Hunt.
Here is a brief summary of Ruth's six books:
My Crazy Purple Pen - featuring a crazy purple pen (funnily enough!) and a whole host of other fun characters who get caught up in the magic pen's cheeky mischief.
The Day My Teacher Came to Tea - a story about a cheeky boy whose mean teacher comes to tea, and the farce that ensues.
Birthday Cake Disaster - a tale about a girl baking a cake with her dad, or at least trying to. It's okay, the ending is a happy one, despite the title!
Captain Sillyvoice and his Pirate Band - a swashbuckling adventure featuring the very amiable Captain Sillyvoice and his rather unusual crew. In this tale these awesome pirates find a way to have fun, be themselves and become a success on the high seas.
Captain Sillyvoice Takes to the Stage - the Captain and his crew return for another fun-filled adventure during which they find themselves up against the big and mean Captain Scaryscar in a singing competition. How will they and the other pirate stars of the show get on, and who will be crowned the Sea Shanty King?
Captain Sillyvoice and the Sea Monster - Captain Sillyvoice is in a spot of bother once again! A hungry sea monster is heading towards his ship and there seems to be no way past. Join in the fun as the ever-so-nice Captain and his awesome crew try to reach their fans over on Blue Banana Beach. They have a pirate poptastic show to perform after all.
To find out more about Ruth Whenham and her books, you can visit her website at www.whenham.com or her Facebook page www.facebook.com/RuthWhenhamBooks. She is always keen to hear from readers.
Reviewed by Hilary Hawkes for Readers' Favorite
Birthday Cake Disaster by Ruth Whenham is a color illustrated rhyming story for children. It’s Mum’s birthday. Tess and her dad are making a special cake for her birthday tea. Dad claims to know exactly how to do this and the antics begin. Without a recipe to follow, he adds a host of ingredients and they mix, make a wonderful mess, and put the cake in the oven to bake. Tess isn’t so confident, and when a burning smell sends them running to the kitchen the results don’t look too good to her. But Gran is soon enlisted to help – or rather her mischievous hungry dog Dan saves the day. Dad’s feelings are spared and Mum gets a surprise birthday treat after all.
Ruth Whenham uses rhyme to tell the story which is full of fun and humor as Tess and her dad put their baking skills into action. The characters are very likable and believable – I could just imagine Dad’s belief in his ability to make a cake and Tess’s concern but, at the same time, not wanting to upset him. We know there is a disaster waiting to happen, and we are kept in suspense as the plot carefully unfolds and eventually reaches a surprising and delightful ending. Sometimes, as in all families, it really can take Gran to sort things out.
There is a lovely warmth to the story, and it portrays family love, togetherness and fun in an entertaining way. The cake recipe at the end of the book is a great idea, encouraging children and grown-ups to have a go together. Emma Hunt’s bright and cheerful illustrations complement the story perfectly, and really bring out the personalities of the characters and the humor in the story. I especially loved Tess’s imagined image of Gran coming to the rescue in “Supergran” costume! A warm and entertaining story to share with a child – a wonderful addition to any home or classroom library.
