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I have a visitor. Jacqui Grantford, illustrator extraordinaire, has dropped by myblog today as part of her Book Blog Tour to celebrate the launch of her new picture book, Squeezy Cuddle Dangly Legs. 1. Jacqui, thanks for dropping by. A Book Blog Tour might be a new concept to some of my readers. Would you like to explain it a little? Are you enjoying the experience so far? This is my very

Oh goodness me! I am just SOOOO filled with trembling anticipation. Oh joy! Oh wonder! Yippee doo!

Phew. Let me take a deep breath (puff, pant, puff) and I'll explain myself. See, we don't get a lot of visitors here in the toyroom, but on Tuesday we are having a VERY SPECIAL visitor.

So, who is coming? My official portrait painter, that's who! See, Jacqui Grantford, the worlds' best illustrator, has illustrated a new book, Squeezy Cuddle Dangly Legs (written by Peter Whitfield) and she's on a book tour. On Tuesday, it's my turn - she's coming to visit with me. I've been busy thinking up some clever questions to ask her, and Primula and the other toys have all been busy dusting the shelves, clearing the floor and generally sprucing up the toyroom.

Jacqui is coming! Jacqui is coming!

If you can't wait until Tuesday, you can drop by today and see what Jacqui is doing as she hangs out with Bren MacDibble, and watch out in subsequent days as she pops up around the net.

Must go and rehearse my questions!

I'm excited, because I'm involved in a book blog tour. Fabulous illustrator, Jacqui Grantford (who illustrated my won book, Pemberthy Bear, among others) is on a virtual tour, visiting six blogs in six days. And tomorrow she'll be visiting here. This is a cool way of getting to know Jacqui and learning more about her new book, Squeezy Cuddle Dangly Legs. So, drop by tomorrow to see what Jacqui

The fifth day of my story sessions in honour of children’s book week. Today I thought I’d have a little fun and read my life story to the other toys. See, Pemberthy Bear isn’t just a story about me – it’s also about all the other toys as well, because they’re all there, in the beautiful pictures that my friend Jacqui painted of us. So, in a week where we are sharing and celebrating books, what better book than to share than one in which we all appear?

Anyway, I had a bit of fun with toys. They were all gathered for story time and I had hidden the book under a cushion before they got there. Then I made them guess which story I’d chosen. I gave them hints. ‘It’s a tale of a beautiful heroine overcoming overwhelming odds,’ I hinted. ‘It’s almost too sweet to bear,’ was the next hint. It took a while but eventually Robbie Robot guessed. Then I read them the story, and they all wondered anew at seeing themselves brought to life in the lovely illustrations.

It really was a lovely story session. It’s wonderful that we all have this book to share and remind us of how blessed we are to have each other. And of course I must admit that I love being the star of the book. How lucky am I to have a friend like Sally, willing to write my story down and share it with the world, and a friend like Jacqui who was able to portray me so beautifully in her illustrations.

I’m a lucky bear!