Easing the fears of starting school

Storrington author Natalie Sammons offers a new book all about starting secondary school and navigating an often daunting experience.
Natalie SammonsNatalie Sammons
Natalie Sammons

You Can Do It! is self-published at £6.99 and is available from Amazon and eBay

Natalie, aged 36, said: “Paige, the main character, is clumsy and nervous and in some ways is a reflection of how I felt starting a new school.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The story follows Paige as she builds new friendships, overcomes bullies and finds her place in the school, with a particular focus on the running club.

“Like me, Paige has a passion for running and finds that when she is running she is unhampered, and soon, she finds herself excelling in this, which becomes an underlying theme of the book.

“With some of my own school experiences woven into the story, it holds particular significance for me. I think that like most people, I have both fond memories from my time at school alongside those memories I would rather forget and I wanted to capture that in a fun way.

“I have never felt that there has been a more important time to release this book. Many children have been out of school for months now and for some, secondary school is looming. I appreciate that this can seem unnerving for some children. However I hope that this story demonstrates that if Paige can do it, then anyone can.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The book is funny and light-hearted. However, it touches on real concerns and situations which can arise at school.

Natalie added: “Having completed my previous book Kade and Bernhold, I wanted to explore a different theme and style of writing.

“Writing about school was something that I felt most people could relate too, although this identifies as a children’s/young adults book, I have been receiving reviews about how relatable this book is no matter the age, with characters that can be identified with. So really I would say that this book would appeal to children from nine years to those who have already left secondary school.

“Developing the story along with Paige’s character made the writing process enjoyable. At the beginning she is so unsure of herself which adds to her clumsy nature.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“However by the end of the book she has grown in confidence and found out what she is good at.

“I believe that for everyone school is like this and sometimes it is finding what you enjoy which makes the whole experience more memorable.

“Also for me, collaborating with Jennifer Rose from jenniferrose.gallery on the cover, really brought the book to life. The artwork represents Paige at her best, when she is running.

“The book begins with Paige getting ready for her first day; she puts on her stiff uniform and struggles to control her unruly hair. On the way to the bus stop, she rounds the corner to find all eyes quickly turn on her.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Then comes the pointing and laughing. Paige looks down to find her pink fluffy slippers staring back at her. Quickly she turns on her heels and makes a mad dash home, as fast as her slippers will allow, to get her school shoes before she misses the school bus.

“Before her first day is over, many more calamities occur making Paige question whether secondary school is for her. However with a new friend, things might just be looking up.”

Natalie’s first book Kade and Bernhold was a children’s/young adult’s fantasy book which focused on Kade, a young thief, who mysteriously finds himself in a world unlike any other. His presence in Marvillares stirs up old rifts and Kade soon finds himself fighting for not only his own life but the lives of those around him.

“I have always loved books. I love it when you start reading a story and it grips you instantly.”

to the point that you literally can’t put the book down.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Even now I have my favourite books which have stayed with me and I wanted to write something that I hoped would give my son that same feeling. I had toyed with ideas for a while. However once I had Kade in my mind, the story came easily. That was four years ago now and I have continued writing ever since, exploring different themes and styles with each book that I write.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

*************

A message from the Editor, Gary Shipton:

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news, I am asking you to please purchase a copy of our newspapers.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspapers.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

Stay safe, and best wishes.

Gary Shipton

Editorial Director

Related topics: