Lucy and the Secret Room!’ has the most amazing of beginnings. It all started one night back in 2017, when Darren Charlton couldn’t sleep and decided to write a bedtime story for his then nine-year-old daughter, Lily. It rapidly became an obsession, with Charlton continuing to craft the story whenever he had a few spare minutes.
“My goal was to write something packed-full of fun, but also something that would compel and inspire Lily to take a greater interest in STEM; something I believe is vitally important,” he says.
But then, as an added twist, Charlton began to ask Lily to draw pictures, without telling her what they were for. This continued over the next couple of years, with Lily having no idea she was providing the illustrations to her father’s book.
In the summer of 2020, Charlton finally revealed what he’d been up to – unveiling the final book. To her complete shock, Lily now also found herself as a published children’s book illustrator!
And the final product is simply mind-blowing.
Synopsis:
After having her life turned upside down last year, Lucy finds a welcome distraction when she discovers a secret room in her new house.
Join Lucy and her BFF, Jamie, as they find out more about this mysterious secret.
“My over-riding goal with the book was to pen something that would promote an awareness and interest in STEM principles and engage children when they’re young enough to make these subjects a profound part of their childhood,” explains Charlton. “Of course, it started off as something just for Lily, until friends and family began to hear about the project and saw the value to children around the world.”
Continuing, “It was so much fun to see Lily pleasantly confused each time I asked her to draw something – and I can’t believe I managed to keep the secret for three years! She’s so thrilled now. As a family, we’re also excited to be using the book as a vital fundraising vehicle for a number of charities close to our heart – which are Children’s Air Ambulance, British Heart Foundation, Alzheimer’s Research UK and the British Dyslexia Association. We hope to raise as much money as possible, entertaining and inspiring children in the process.”
The book has received much praise. Sherrie Marsh writes, “We really enjoyed this book and it was so unique. Loved the glossary at the back which we could dip into to help understand some of the terms used and we definitely learned some STEM along the way. The story itself is really good and we’d definitely recommend!!”
Eleanor, aged nine, adds, “I really like this book, it was full of curiosity, suspense and mystery from chapter one. I enjoyed how it was written in a way that made me really feel like I was Lucy. I really liked the characters and I think I can relate to Lucy quite a lot. I found out a lot more about STEM than I already knew, especially the science parts as it taught me about air and gas. I give this book a 4 and a half star rating out of 5.”
Parents also love the book, as this Amazon review explains, “A lovely story, which our son, 8, loved. Once he started, he didn't want to stop reading as he wanted to find out what was happening. He liked the characters and the glossary is a nice touch to help with some of the vocabulary. A very good story that we would recommend!”
‘Lucy and the Secret Room!’ is available now: https://amzn.to/38KuK2K.
Official website: https://www.
About the Author:
An engineer by profession, Darren lives in Derbyshire with his wife and twelve year old daughter, Lily.
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