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Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Celebrating 100yrs of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie with a Gumnut Baby giveaway

When you think of iconic Australian children's authors, May Gibbs, is arguably one of the most recognised names. Originally born in England, she emigrated with her family at the age of 4 to Australia and spent her life living and studying between Australia and England. Much of her life was spent in the Australian bush so it's no surprise many of her characters and stories are inspired by and set amongst native Australian flora and fauna. Even though she passed away in 1969, her characters still grace the pages of many books and live on in the imaginations of many children young and old, myself included.

I was first introduced to her books in primary school and even though I've forgotten a lot of what I learned at school, Snugglepot and Cuddlepie are still very much ingrained in my childhood memories. I remember believing they were actually real and thinking the only reason I couldn't find them in the trees near our house was because they were so good at hiding from humans. Next year marks the centenary of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, who are without doubt the most famous of all May Gibbs literary characters.

100yrs of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie


Snugglepot and Cuddlepie are two inquisitive gumnut foster brothers who live in the Australian bush and go on many adventures with friends like Mr Lizard and Ragged Blossom. They featured in their own book The Tales Of Snugglepot annd Cuddlepie, first published in 1918, and have subsequently featured in many of Gibbs other stories. 

To celebrate 100yrs of Gumnut Babies, Scholastic have released 4 new Gumnut Babies books; Tales From The Bush, Tales From The Camp Fire, Tales From The Billabong and Tales From The Gum Tree. We received Tales From The Bush and Tales From The Camp Fire and have copies to giveaway to one of you too.


Tales From The Bush and Tales From The Camp Fire


The new gumnut babies books are collections of stories featuring classic May Gibbs characters Snugglepot and Cuddlepie and their friends Mr Lizard, Ragged Blossom and Mrs Snake. Other bush characters like banksia men, birds, frogs, bull ants and many bush folk make appearances in the tales as well. Each short story is based on a Snugglepot and Cuddlepie adventure, many of which don't turn out as planned. The stories all explore similar concepts about how to make the best of every situation, the importance of friendship and how to overcome adversity.



My favourite of all the short stories included in both books is The Mystery of the Humans. I loved this tale as it shows how the gumnut babies perceive humans, which was something I spent a lot of time wondering about as a child. It's also a perfect way to explain to children you shouldn't make judgement based on preconceived ideas.


The illustrations done by Caroline Keys are inspired by May Gibbs original illustrations and I think they capture the essence of the original characters really well. All of the stories give a greater insight into how the gumnut babies think and perceive the world around them. Reading these stories has transported me back to my childhood and I'm so glad that I have them so I can pass on my love of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie to my girls when they're a little older. The stories are slightly too long to keep bub's interest, but would be perfect for children aged 6+ who are moving on from picture books as they bridge the gap between picture books and chapter books quite well. If you have a budding bookworm, or just want to relive the nostalgia of your own childhood, make sure you enter the giveaway below.


Put some Gumnut Babies under your tree this Christmas



I have two of the new Gumnut Babies books Tales from The Bush and Tales From The Camp Fire up for grabs for one lucky winner. Simply fill in the rafflecopter form below and you're in with a chance. Be quick though, the giveaway ends soon so we can get the prize to you in time for Christmas.

Toni x

a Rafflecopter giveaway



TERMS & CONDITIONS
Competition commences upon publication and ends at 11:59pm December 18th 2017. One winner will receive a copy of Tales From The Bush and Tales From The Camp Fire RRP $39.98. We will send the prize prior to Christmas, but can not guarantee it will arrive before Christmas Day. Finding Myself Young will not be held liable should the prize be lost in transit. Competition is open to Australian residents, excluding ACT. This competition is a game of skill and will be judged as such. All mandatory entry steps must be completed to constitute a valid entry. Winner will have 48hrs to respond or prize will be redrawn. This competition is in no way endorsed, promoted or administered by Facebook or Instagram.

Disclosure - This is a sponsored review on behalf of Brand Meets Blog. 

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  1. I loved May Gibbs when I was a kid!

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  2. I'm embarrassed to say I hadn't heard of May Gibbs until I lived in Australia. They are such cute and beautifully done books! My girls would love to read about those sorts of adventures!

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