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Local author Francis Russell has written a new children’s adventure story 'Callum and the Giant Clam' about a local diver who has a narrow escape.
This charming new book is an adventure story set in Guernsey featuring two boys; Leo and his older friend Callum, who spend most of their summer days by the sea.
The action starts under the waves when a scuba diving trip suddenly becomes a perilous race against time. Following a close encounter with a very big mollusc, a disaster is averted with some quick thinking and a cool head. The action moves onto the seashore where Leo makes a wonderful discovery while playing in the rockpools. The happy ending is only made possible by a sharp pair of eyes and the curiosity to notice something that looks strangely different in the sands.
What started off as a modest project and a bit of fun during the last Covid 19 lockdown has turned into the first published story book for both of the contributors. What makes the book extra special are the beautiful original water colour illustrations that capture the magic of living by the sea and the joy of what Guernsey offers to its young people; as it features coastal scenes, marine life, children at play and underwater action.
The book is available at local book shops and online at www.blueormer.co.uk. All profits from the sales will go directly to Climb LBG, a locally registered charity who are Guernsey’s only provider offering dedicated rock-climbing opportunities for underrepresented groups across the Bailiwick.
Francis Russell, author, said: "The idea for writing this book came out of the second lockdown when I had a lot of time on my hands and we were missing our friends and their young son who is now three. My youngest son completed his open water diving course with Donkey Divers a year ago and really got me into snorkelling. I decided to write a short rhyming story that would feature the two boys and maybe connect our families during lockdown.
"I gave the story to my niece who’s in England and asked her if she could provide me with some images to bring it to life. A couple of days later she had worked up some rapid pencil sketches which formed the basis of everything you see in the finished work.
"When I saw what she had created I had a strong feeling that there was a book crying out to be made so I approached a designer friend who really embraced our vision and made it happen. We are so impressed with the delicate touch and attention to detail taken by Matt at Rock & Small to ensure its transformation to the finished article. Also, a massive thanks to Blue Ormer publishing and our two sponsors, Liberum Wealth and Sunshine Nursery & Preschool without which it would not have been possible."
