Children’s author Cathy Watts will be visiting the Bathing Beauties Festival 2010 again with her two delightful children’s books about the sandies, those small enchanting characters who live underneath the beach huts and come out at night to put the beaches to rights! Incorporating many aspects of sea life found when rockpooling or walking across the sands, Cathy’s books certainly bring the seaside to life and are filled with a magical sense of humour. The books are aimed at children aged between 5 and 12 (and anyone else who likes the seaside!). There are even some sandy finger-puppets this year too (priced £3 each) so you can take your own sandy home with you and use him or her to help you read the stories aloud at bedtime!

This is Cathy’s third visit to the Bathing Beauties festival, an event she looks forward to every September. “I really love coming to Mablethorpe and Sutton-on-Sea,” says Cathy. “The area is so beautiful with its endless golden beaches and everyone is so very friendly. The festival itself is such fun and there is always something interesting going on around each corner. Each year I return to Sussex where I live with good feelings that set me up for the winter ahead!”

Cathy’s first book, “Sandies in the Beach Huts” has been very well-received since its launch in 2008 and is now on sale with The National Trust (coastal) among many other outlets. Cathy has become a well-known speaker in local schools and frequently takes part in writing workshops and craft-making events, all with a seaside theme of course! Her second book, “Hello again sandies!!” has proved equally popular with teachers, children, parents and grandparents alike and is again based around seaside happenings on the beach and promenade where the sandies live. Both books have been beautifully illustrated by Emma Ball and will be on sale at this year’s festival priced £5.99 from Cathy herself who will be available to sign books and talk about the seashore.

Sandies in the Beach Huts and Hello again sandies!! are both published by Pomegranate Press, illustrated by Emma Ball and available from the following web addresses (with the finger puppets) after the festival priced £5.99:

www.beachhutbooks.co.uk
www.emmaball.co.uk
www.pomegranate-press.co.uk

>>> Sandy finger puppets!