Mum celebrates as book triumphs in Prima Baby/Sainsbury’s Awards
When mum, Jenny Album, originally wrote the children’s picture book, Tell Me About Heaven, Grandpa Rabbbit! she submitted the story to children’s publishers in the UK – but it was rejected.
Yet she recently triumphed over the established publishers, when her book was awarded the Gold in the Children’s Book section of the Prima Baby/Sainsbury’s Awards on 26th March.
Jenny Album, mother of two said: “I was shocked when I heard the results. When I first took a look at the awards shortlist, I baulked. My little title was up against those from the major players in children’s publishing. Ironically, some of the publishers on the list had originally been offered my story in the first place, but rejected it.”
Tell Me About Heaven, Grandpa Rabbit! is a title aimed at helping children who have encountered a bereavement. Jenny admits, “I wrote this story after facing anxious questions from my little girl, following the death of a family friend. It is a book that is very close to my heart, as it includes certain details and memories that are relevant to my own childhood.”
Jenny tells us that coincidentally, Annabel Karmel, one of the judges of the Prima Baby/Sainsbury's Awards, had been one of the people to inspire her along the way. “A while ago I had read that Annabel Karmel’s (now famous) children’s recipe book had originally been turned down by 15 publishers, but that she persisted. I recall she held the view that that she was ‘closer to her target audience than the people who were writing to tell her that her book wouldn't sell’. It gave me faith that maybe I should keep believing in the appeal of my own books aimed at parents like myself and their children.”
Jenny Album originally set up Little Boo Publishing to publish her first story, Bea Gives Up Her Dummy. This fairy story, aimed at helping children who are dependent on dummies, has become one of Amazon's top 20 best selling picture books main books used by UK parents with dummy dependency issues.
We have a signed copy of each of Jenny's exquisitely illustrated books 'Tell me about Heaven, Grandpa Rabbit' and 'Bea gives up her dummy' to give away. All you need to do is email [email protected] and tell me why you deserve to be a winner. Competition closes at noon on 12 April 2015.
Find Bea Gives Up Her Dummy on Amazon.
Find Tell Me About Heaven, Grandpa Rabbit! on Amazon.