Lily, Sam & Bertie
Lily, Sam & Bertie by Victoria Stonehouse is a charming story published by Moosehead Publishing on June 11, 2021. This 38-page book, written in English, follows the relationship between Lily and her Uncle Sam, who has Motor Neurone Disease and uses a wheelchair. When Uncle Sam and Aunty Emma introduce a new puppy named Bertie, Lily faces her fear of dogs while navigating her uncle’s condition. The narrative explores themes of family life and the bond between them as they work together to foster friendship and understanding.
Readers will find that the story highlights the importance of overcoming fears and the joy of companionship. As Uncle Sam helps Lily with tasks involving Bertie, the dynamics between the characters, including Mia the protective cat, add depth to the tale. This book is part of a series that follows Lily’s adventures, with all profits supporting the charity Stand Against MND, which funds research and palliative care for those affected by Motor Neurone Disease. The engaging illustrations and relatable themes make this book suitable for young readers, particularly those aged 5 to 7.
Official synopsis Publisher
Lily has a great relationship with her favourite Uncle, Sam, who has Motor Neurone Disease. Sam is in a wheelchair and needs a ventilator to breathe. But to Lily he is just fun Uncle Sam.
One day Uncle Sam and Aunty Emma bring home a new puppy called Bertie. Bertie is great for Sam and is as cute as can be, but Lily is a bit nervous around dogs. Uncle Sam sets about helping Lily overcome her fear by setting tasks for Bertie. However, Mia the cat is very protective of Lily. She doesn’t trust Bertie at all and doesn’t want Lily upset. Will they ever all become friends?
All profits from the book will go to charity, Stand Against MND. The charity was founded by Sam Perkins who was diagnosed with MND at the age of 37. Stand Against MND raises money to fund research towards finding a cure and developing treatments for MND, also funs palliative care for those affected by MND.
Lily, Sam and Bertie is one in a series of books following Lily on her adventures. One of the previous books, Lily and Sam also raised money for Stand Against MND. Praise for Lily and Sam:
‘A sweetly illustrated story of a girl and her uncle and the adventure they have fixing up the park. Highly recommended’ The Wishing Shelf
REVIEW
I very much enjoyed this story of a little girl called Lily and her adventure with her Uncle Sam. Firstly, it’s important to know that Sam is disabled and is in a wheelchair. And it is this element which is the book’s biggest strength. Yes, it’s superbly illustrated; yes, the plot is cleverly crafted and the rhyming and rhythm is, for the most part, spot on. But it’s the way Sam, despite his disability, can be such a wonderful uncle – and do so much to fix up the playpark – that’s so very good.
In terms of readership, I suspect this book would go down very well with 5 – 7 year olds. And I would happily recommend it to a school library. Also, parents/teachers looking for a book which highlights ‘respect for people with a disability’ will find this book fits the bill perfectly. Not only that, but it’s also fun to see how excited Lily is when her playpark is all fixed up. And it’s all down to Sam, his incredible wheelchair, and the help of Grandad Stash – who has the longest moustache ever!
As it says on the final page of the book:
There’s always a way, don’t give up, ever,
We can do anything when we work together.
A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Rev
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