BOOKSTAGRAM TOUR

HUWIE THE APPLETREE BOOKSTAGRAM TOUR ON INSTAGRAM STARTING 31ST MAY…..STAY TUNED

A big thank you to Picture Book & Paper Back Snob for organising my very first ever Bookstagram Tour with Huwie the Appletree . This will start on 31st May and will run until 11th June. I am really looking forward to this because even though I have published 15 kids picture books I never had a book tour. Here are a list of fantastic people who are going to review my book.

If you are on Instagram I hope you will check these out.

PICTURE BOOK SNOB REVIEW

DAY 1
🍎 BOOKSTAGRAM TOUR 🍎

We’re delighted to kick off the tour for Huwie the Apple Tree by Dolores Keaveney. During lockdown, Dolores wrote & illustrated this gorgeous book, which demonstrates how hope can blossom even in challenging times. Inspired by real events, this is about Huwie, a little boy who sows a tiny seed & is amazed as it transforms into a magnificent tree. Huwie is based on Dolores’ grandson, who planted and nurtured his own apple tree.

Here are ten reasons why we love Huwie the Apple Tree:
1. It’s by an Irish author & illustrator.
2. It’s a simple story that will resonate with little readers.
3. It’s based on actual events & readers can see a picture of the real Huwie & his tree at the end of the book.
4. It encourages children to connect with nature.
5. It’s suitable from an early age as the rhyming text & use of black and white will appeal to babies & toddlers.
6. It’s illustrated with striking, hand-painted watercolours throughout.
7. As Huwie is represented by a matchstick man, he is an inclusive character to whom all children can relate, regardless of their ethnic background.
8. The use of a matchstick man promotes creativity by showing children that art doesn’t have to be complicated.
9. It’s an upflifting story which demonstrates how joy can spring from anything, & beauty can be found where we least expect it.
10. There are lots of potential for play-based activities & crafts inspired by the story. Children can make stamps, paper apple trees, coffee-filter apples (these are gorgeous), or plant a tree from a fruit, just like Huwie (go to blog to find links to all of these).

Go to link in bio to take a closer look & follow the tour to find out more about this fabulous new Irish picture book.

DAY 2

IRISH_BOOKFAIRY_REVIEW
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🍎 Huwie the apple tree 🍎

So honoured to be part of the book tour for “Huwie the apple tree”. It’s a gorgeous children’s book written and hand painted by Dolores Keaveney. The story is about a little boy sowing a tiny apple seed and witnessing the amazing transformation it goes through. It’s an uplifting story that teaches children that even the tiniest thing can become something great! (Which is great news for my tiny youngest 🤭).

As most of you know I love reading to my daughters and they love reading to me. Huwie the apple tree is perfect because of the rhyming text and the perfect sized font. The amazing drawings are just the cherry on top.

Dolores Keaveney has been painting most of her life and has written (and illustrated!) several children’s books. She draws her inspiration from her garden and her family and her drawings are full of life and colour.

I have added her website to my linktree in the bio, where you’ll find all her books and so much more. Be sure to check it and support an awesome Irish Indie writer!

DAY 3

CLARA MARIA FIORENTINI

Huwie The Apple Tree

The wonderful Dolores Keaveney recently sent me a copy of her latest publication, Huwie The Apple Tree. I’ve admired Dolores’ work for a while now but this is definitely my favourite text of hers, yet.

Dolores is undoubtedly an incredible artist and the illustrations in many of her previous texts are known for their detail and particular attention to nature and wildlife. Huwie The Apple Tree is no different, the attention to detail leaps off the page, but this time the illustrations are more minimalistic yet manage to be even more striking. The use of the the stick figure as the protagonist allows the eye to be drawn even closer to the subtle use of colour in portraying details of the fledgling seed and its journey towards becoming a tree.

Without spoiling the story, in a beautiful and sentimental nod to her grandson Huw, Dolores has created the perfect little rhyming companion to a plethora of learning units on topics like growth, change, plant lifecycles, wildlife, mini-beasts, problem solving, patience, kindness, care and love.

Learn more or purchase a copy of the text via Dolores’ website.

A delightful, new Irish publication that will no doubt earn a well-deserved spot in homes and classroom libraries in the coming months.

Congratulations Dolores!

(Suggested pitch: 3-7 year olds / preschool to 1st class! Though worth noting, the illustrations leave plenty of scope to explore the text at the senior end for a range of literacy learning elements across the strands; an ideal little mentor text for reading comprehension strategies like visualisation and inferencing or even an engaging stimulus for writing genres such as narrative, recount or persuasion! Definitely a handy little resource for a teacher’s picturebook armoury!)

DAY 4

@ALWAYS TIME FOR A STORY

HUWIE THE APPLETREE BOOKSAGRAM TOUR

Delighted to be taking part in my first Bookstagram Tour, sharing this gem of a book by Irish author and illustrator @dolores_kidsbooks_keaveney with you. ☘️

Explore the wonders of nature in this gorgeous book.
Huwie sows an apple seed, and is surprised at how quickly it begins to change and grow. Butterflies, bees and birds all make their way to the blossoming tree. Big fat apples grow and Huwie can’t wait to taste one. But whatever shall he call the apple tree? The best name of all…Huwie!

Children have the most wonderful innate fascination with nature. They take such joy in planting, caring for and watching things grow. Huwie the Apple Tree reminds to nurture this love and appreciation of nature.

I love the contrast Dolores Keaveney creates between the simplicity of Huwie represented by a stick figure and the intricate beauty and detail in her stunning hand painted watercolour illustrations.

The lyrical rhyming text is presented clearly on one side with the illustrations on the other. This layout is perfect for my little boy who is just learning to read. We took time to explore the images before allowing him time to look at the words without any distractions. I know this is one he will be ‘reading’ aloud in no time at all!

The information at the end of the book of the inspiration behind the story is a lovely personal touch.

Don’t forget to follow @readingwith2boys for the next stop in Huwie The Apple Tree’s tour! Swipe to see the rest of the stops.
A huge thank you to @picturebooksnob for organising this virtual tour.

Published 2021 by Dbee Press

DAY 5

HUWIE THE APPLETREE BOOKSAGRAM TOUR

@READINGWITH2BOYS

More and more amazing reviews of Huwie the Appletree..so happy.. thank you @readingwith2boys …Reposted from @readingwith2boys ❣️I am delighted to be a part of the bookstagram tour of this wonderful book-“Huwie The Apple Tree” written & illustrated by Dolores Keaveney.

🍎A beautiful short story about Huwie who planted an apple seed in an egg cup to see if it will grow into an apple tree. A gust of wind blows away the egg cup, but that little seed has the power to grow and survive. Huw takes care of its small plant and provides it optimal environment for its proper growth. As the time passes by, the tree is growing beautifully, surrounded by bees on its flowers and ultimately providing its fruit.

✍️🎨Dolores Keaveney has beautifully narrated this beautiful story in the simple and rich rhyming text which will appeal to all the younger kids. After reading a couple of times, kids will enjoy joining in for rhyming read-aloud narration of the story. I love the illustrations, those charming watercolour strokes give it a very enriching look, they are simple and very engaging.

❣️We loved reading this book together, my boy enjoyed it so much as it resonated with him as he love spending time in garden and sowing/planting with us. He was very intrigued by the stickman character of the book and he asked if he is a boy or a girl, why it doesn’t have eyes/nose or tummy. This is something I truly loved about the story that the character is not gender-specific and resonates with whoever will read it.

❣️This story will encourage kids to grow their own food and spend more time outdoors. I personally believe spending time in nature brings joy and healing to our mind & bodies, so it is very important to get our kids to spend more time outdoors especially in a world where we are surrounded by gadgets all the time.

❣️It will also allow you to talk about bees/butterflies and how they help in pollination. We are growing our own butterflies at the moment, they have just turned into Chrysalis and we can’t wait for them to grow into tiny butterflies and then let them free into our own garden.

❣️Thank you so much @picturebooksnob for inviting me to this blog tour and @dolores_kidsbooks_keaveney for sharing your beautiful book with us to review.

❣️Do check out @j_a_debrun who is next stop on tour.

Day 6

HUWIE THE APPLETREE BOOKISTAGRAM TOUR

@ j_a_debrun

🍎Ta athas mor orm.🍎 Thank you so much @j_a_debrun for this fab review..I love both languages used..check it out below…Huwie is very lucky with all those fab reviews.❤️🍎Scéal álainn croíúil é “Huwie the Apple Tree” scríofa is maisithe go binn ag Dolores Keaveney.

🍎”Huwie the Apple Tree” is a beautiful, heartfelt story that would appeal to all. It has certainly brought great confidence in my youngest’s reading skills and we have had great fun reading the illustrations throughout the thought-provoking story. Pictures can give a deeper insight into a story and this has proved to be true here.

❤️🍎Téann muid ar thuras le Huwie tríd an leabhar. Léiríonn an scéal na téamaí éagsúla a mbíonn páistí óga ag an aois ghrúpa sin agus tugann sé misneach agus dóchas dóibh.

❤️🍎Thaitin na pictiúir and an carachtar Hewie go mór liom. Bheadh tú in ann ceachtanna mata, OSPS, aireachas, ealaíne, cóip oideachais agus dúlra leis na dtéamaí is friotal simplí le ríme gleoite ann, sna bunranganna bunscoile.

❤️🍎Tá aithne agam ar tuismitheoirí ar fud na tíre thar a bheith sásta an scéal seo a phlé is a léamh sa mbaile freisin.

❤️🍎Comhghairdeas leat a Dolores as ucht an scéal aoibhinn seo a scríobh is a mhaisigh. Éacht eile déanta aici 🙏

❤️🍎Míle buíochas do Ciara leis an #PictureBookSnob Agus na daoine go léir a bhfuil páirteach leis an #bookstagram i rith na seachtaine

❤️🍎Beidh @littlebookworms2021 libh amárach 😊🙏

DAY 7

🍎Huwie the Appletree Bookstagram🍎

@LITTLEBOOKWORKS2021

Another very lovely review from..@littlebookworms2021 I am blown away every day. So many wonderful reviews..what a great adventure for Huwie and me.

Reposted from @littlebookworms2021 This lovely book is written and illustrated by @dolores_kidsbooks_keaveney It tells the story of a little boy who plants an apple seed in an egg cup. He’s upset when the wind blows the egg cup over and he thinks the seed is gone. However, he finds the seed on the ground and it has grown two leaves so he plants it in a bigger pot and watches as it grows all summer. The bees and butterflies come to pollinate its flowers and by the end of the summer it has grown beautiful red apples. He decides to call the tree Huwie. This such a sweet nature story with really beautiful illustrations. My four year old loves it and has been looking at the pictures since we received our copy a couple of weeks ago.

DAY 8

🍎Huwie the Appletree Bookstagram 🍎

@mayas.bookshelf

Wonderful review @mayas.bookshelf ..I am blown away with all the amazing reviews for this book..it was the simplest and easiest of all my books..So less is more. Thank you so much @mayas.bookshelf and @picturebooksnob for all her help in organising tour.🍎

This new book by Irish author @dolores_kidsbooks_keaveney is so sweet! 🌱🌳🍎

We really enjoyed the beautiful illustrations and colours used to tell the story of Hew and his apple tree. The simple stick man character throughout the book takes the focus away from humans and back to nature.

I was really drawn to the lovely rhythm and rhyme of the text and the rich vocabulary used!

We’re going to take inspiration from this lovely book and plant our own apple seeds this afternoon ❤🍎 My Dad has gorgeous red devil apple trees so going to try find seeds for one of those!

This and many more beautiful nature books by Dolores are available on her website.

Delighted to be taking part in this #bookstagram tour of #HuwieTheAppleTree
Thanks so much @picturebooksnob for organising it and including us!

DAY 9

🍎Huwie the Appletree Bookstagram 🍎

@talkingbudies.ie

Thank you so much @talkingbuddies.ie for reviewing Huwie the Appletree….so happy with your wonderful review.

🌟 Huwie The Apple Tree🌟

♥️ Here we have a gorgeous little book illustrated and written by a local book author and illustrator Dolores Keaveney

💚Have a look at our post to see all the ways this book can be used to support language development.

🧡 Her beautiful illustrations offer lots of language learning opportunities.

💛Check out tomorrow’s post by Shivani @playisachildswork

💕Well done Dolores, a delightful book 😊

To celebrate a local achievement we want to have two of Dolores’s books to GIVE AWAY!

Day 10

🍎 Huwie the Appletree Bookstagram 🍎

@playisachildswork

From India to Ireland☘ what a fabulous review from @playisachildswork …Have a read and check the fab project with the children..reading, eating apples, planting seeds, learning about pollination…So happy..
This started with a seed.

Actually it started with a book about a seed and a boy.

🍎 Bookstagram Tour 🍎

Huwie the Apple Tree written & illustrated by Dolores Keaveney, an Irish author, is a simple, beautiful delight.

This book is inspired by real life events. It all starts with a seed. A little boy, Huwie (based on Dolores’s grandson), sows a tiny seed and is amazed by its transformation into a tree.

It’s beautifully illustrated using watercolours and the the rhyming text makes for an easy read. It is a simple story which encourages so many conversations and a connect with nature.

Samaira was first super excited to eat an apple. Then she wanted us to plant our own apple tree. After some work in the garden, we used the apple core for our art and craftwork.

The book also introduces the concept of pollination. Shaurya wanted to know more about pollination and pollinators so I put together a quick unit for him.

I love how one book can lead to so many bigger things!

Do check @booksb4bedtime , who is the next stop on this tour, tomorrow 🙂

Thanks to Ciara @picturebooksnob for organising this virtual tour and to Dolores @dolores_kidsbooks_keaveney for sending us a copy for review.

dolores_kidsbooks_keaveney

Day 10

🍎 Huwie the Appletree Bookstagram 🍎

@booksb4bedtime

Another wonderful review from @booksb4bedtime ….I am absolutely delighted with this review. So many wonderful people reviewing Huwie.

⭐️BLOG TOUR⭐️ ‘Huwie The Apple Tree’ by @dolores_kidsbooks_keaveney
What a delightful, enjoyable book based on the true story of Huw (the grandson of the author) who wrote this book during lockdown to demonstrate that some positive things can survive against the odds and that there is beauty and positivity even in the most desperate of times.

When Huwie plants an apple seed out of curiosity to see if it will grow, he plants it in an egg cup which sadly much to Huwie’s disappointment is blown over, however Huwie perseveres and plants it in a bigger pot and much to Huwie’s delight he witnesses the growth of the apple tree and how bees and butterflies fulfil their natural duty by pollenating the tree’s flowers and the fruit begins to appear and ripen.

Written in a simple rhyming text but a story that has vast significance about nature’s strength against adversity. I really like the fact that Huwie is a stickman as he really sticks out against the beautiful and bright illustrations of the scenes of nature, I felt personally that this could be read as a way of highlighting the sheer majestical existence of nature and it’s cleverness and making sure the reader focusses on that and not on Huwie – it interested me that my kids did not note that Huwie was a ‘stick boy’ but instead were engaged with the survival and growth of the apple tree.

Last lockdown my kids loved growing their own veg and fruit (for the first time) I think COVID has heightened most people’s enjoyment of nature and the feeling of respect for all our worlds natural wonder – it is a beautiful tale of strength against adversity.

Thanks to @picturebooksnob for asking me to be part of the tour.

DAY 11

@fromjennifersdesk

HUWIE THE APPLETREE B o o k s t a g r a m T o u r 🍎🌳
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This week we have really enjoyed exploring #huwietheappletree by @dolores_kidsbooks_keaveney – we have been following the #bookstagramtour and been inspired to create some lovely art work.
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The book is beautifully written with pleasant rhymes and enhanced by Dolores’ stunning illustrations. The juxtaposition of the stick figure and the detailed images makes each element stand out in its own way.
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Here we have shared some of our activities and there are so many more that can be explored.
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For more reviews and inspiration from the book, follow the hashtag #huwietheappletree and visit the other accounts tagged on the last slide.