Title: The Tales of Charlie Wags: London | Author: Sofie Wells & Ali Barclay | Illustrator: Sanna Sjöström | Genre: Picture Book | Publisher: Kendam Press | Publication Date: March 3, 2025 | ISBN: 979-8990005020
Book Description:
Charlie Wags is a seemingly ordinary pup. He goes on daily walks, chases squirrels, and scours the kitchen floor for crumbs when no one’s looking.
But Charlie has an extraordinary secret. He loves to travel the world and has a special trick to do so: his wagging tail can whisk him away to far-off places!
This time, he’s off to London, England!
Embark on a panoramic tour of London led by ever-curious pup, Charlie Wags! From the grandeur of Buckingham Palace to an evening ride on the London Eye, Charlie explores the Big Smoke before returning home for bedtime.
Wherever you may be, The World Is Just a Wag Away ™
My Thoughts:
Charlie Wags is off on a new adventure in London — where I currently live! This lovable pup brings the sights and sounds of this fabulous city right into the hands of little readers inspiring curiosity, questions and a sense of wonder about the world we live in. The story brings the excitement about visiting a new place with a sense of security through a comforting character and lyrical text.
The adorable, digital watercolour illustrations portray calm, crowd-free scenes of famous sights around London. Fun details are scattered through the artwork making it an interactive read for adults and children. I especially appreciated the back matter that included details about the landmarks mentioned in the story.
From the pleasing rhyming text to the absolutely lovely illustrations, this is a picture book series perfectly suited to introducing young children to the greatest global cities. And in Charlie Wags, they have found the perfect ambassador!
I was thrilled to tour London with the adorable Charlie Wags on gorgeous sunny day. I got to see so many of his favourite sites from the London Eye to fish & chips and even a cheeky Beefeater while I walked along the Thames where we spotted Big Ben!
Sister-author duo Ali Barclay and Sofie Wells form the writing team behind The Tales of Charlie Wags picture book series. The series offers young explorers a conversational understanding of the world’s most famous cities.
As daughters of immigrants, their family heritage exposed the sisters to the importance of cultural diversity early on. Their parents prioritized showing them the world, even on a tight budget. This instilled in them the idea that travel is one of the best forms of education.
Recognizing that not all children had the chance to explore the world firsthand, Sofie and Ali saw an opportunity to share their travel experiences with other families and children through charming stories that make far-off places accessible.
Sanna Sjöström, also known as Sannadorable, is based in Sweden and creates stunning digital watercolor illustrations.
Sanna has loved art her whole life and has plenty of experience painting with watercolor. When she had children, she didn’t have the time or energy to pull out all the necessary supplies to paint. She found that her iPad was accessible in just seconds; so, she started mimicking watercolor digitally.
She now illustrates for children’s books, but also creates posters, cards, and digital illustration tools. Her biggest inspiration comes from flowers and nature. Sanna’s mission is to brighten your day and make you smile through her art.
Enter the Giveaway: Enter the giveaway for a chance to WIN a signed hardcover copy of The Tales of Charlie Wags: London, a collection of adorable Charlie Wags greeting cards, AND a $50 Amazon gift card to fuel your next reading spree! Good luck!
Wednesday, April 2, 2025 Cover Lover Book Review Book Review of The Tales of Charlie Wags: London
Thursday, April 3, 2025 Q&As with Deborah Kalb Author Interview with Ali Barclay and Sofie Wells
Friday, April 4, 2025 Writer with Wanderlust Book Review of The Tales of Charlie Wags: London
Tuesday, April 8, 2025 One More Exclamation Author Interview with Ali Barclay and Sofie Wells
A sincere thank you to the authors and publisher for a copy of this book. I reviewed this book in partnership with The Children’s Book Review. The opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view.
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Stephanie Ward 