Ben and the Bug by Natalie Reeves Billing #Review

Today's picture book is aimed at children who are aged 2 and above and deals with the current pandemic in a child centred way. Published in May 2020, it has 24 pages and many colourful illustrations.

When Ben meets Bug at the swing park, they instantly become the best of friends. But when everyone around them gets sick, Ben wonders about the identity of his new playmate.Ben and the Bug is written for families looking for a friendly approach to discussions around Coronavirus.

This is a book which will be a great source for discussion of
the current effects of Coronavirus and how children can protect themselves from it. Told in simple terms, with bold illustrations, the bug is seen in everyday settings which a child can identify with. The text is written in rhyme. The message behind the book can be applied to a range of 'bugs' and there is a hopeful tone at the end. There are also some useful facts at the end of the book for further discussion and for those who prefer a non-fiction approach.

Cat and Mouse say: Wash your hands!

About the Author

Natalie Reeves Billing is a Liverpool lass with a dark sense of humour, which often spills onto the page. She loves to write spooky, fantastical stories for young audiences, and dabbles in poetry, contemporary fiction.

Natalie spent most of her early career in the music industry as a performer and professional songwriter. This lead, almost inevitably, to storytelling.

 

Natalie is an Arvon Foundation friend and is a student of the Golden Egg Academy. She is mentored under the Lloyds Bank SSE program, with her Bubs Literacy project. She is published in several anthologies with her poetry and flash fiction, including the Writing on the Wall, Read Now, Write Now, and is involved in several collaborations with fellow writers across poetry, song, and scriptwriting.

Her new book, My Mummy is a Monster (part of the Monstrous Me collection) will be available in March 2020 and Carry Love in June 2020.

Connect with Natalie on Twitter @BillingReeves

Thanks to Natalie Reeves Billing and Anne Cater of Random Things Tours for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.

 

Check out the rest of the tour!