Bella and the Lonely Puddle was written by Grace Bastable when she was eleven. She wanted to create a story that would address the problem of bullying.
Grace’s sister Eleanor, who was fourteen, thought the story would appeal to small children as a picture book, and she began to work on illustrations.
There was no intention to publish. But parents of small children who saw the pictures and read the story were very encouraging, and urged the girls to make Bella available.
What with schoolwork and the general stuff of family life, it took three years to complete the illustrations and to design the book. But here it is at last. Eleanor and Grace – in their late teens now (2020) – are delighted that their story is out there in the world being enjoyed.
For every copy sold in November, the girls will donate 50p to Kidscape, the anti-bullying charity. The book is availanbe on Amazon now.
