SATA
ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: IT’S IMPOSSIBLE!
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.traceycorderoy.com/
CITY:
STATE:
COUNTRY: United Kingdom
NATIONALITY: British
LAST VOLUME: SATA 313
Married with two daughters; http://www.littletigerpress.com/lyndall/interviews.htm#Tracey
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born in Wales; married; children: two daughters.
EDUCATION:Degree (education; with first-class honours), 1987.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Children’s author. Former primary school teacher in Swindon and Cirencester, England; also implemented literacy programs.
AVOCATIONS:Interior design, craft activities, watching tennis and rugby.
AWARDS:Hillingdon Picture Book Award, 2011, for The Grunt and the Grouch; Hounslow Junior Fiction Award, 2014, and Lancashire Library Services Fantastic Book Award, 2015, both for Baddies, Beasties, and a Sprinkling of Crumbs!
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
A former primary school teacher, British author Tracy Corderoy has dozens of children’s books to her credit, including Monty and Milli: The Totally Amazing Magic Trick, The Christmas Extravaganza Hotel, and The One-Stop Story Shop. Corderoy has also found success with her popular “Hubble Bubble” series of picture books and chapter books about a young girl and her most unusual grandmother, a witch.
Many of Corderoy’s picture books feature animal protagonists. In Just Right for Two, for example, she chronicles the relationship between a solitary, independent-minded dog and the amiable mouse that enters his life. “This is a pleasant tale, enhanced by the endearing and expressive characters,” observed School Library Journal critic Roxanne Burg. Just One More! introduces Little Brown Bunny, a story-loving creature that decides to write a bedtime tale lasting all night long. “Corderoy may be on to something here—Little Brown Bunny’s transformation from listener to author could prove inspiring,” a writer explained in Kirkus Reviews.
In Monty and Milli, a mouse grows annoyed by his younger sister’s repeated attempts to mimic his behavior. Monty wishes that Milli would disappear after she fiddles with his new magic kit, but he worries when the mouseling cannot be found later. “Corderoy’s … storytelling has just enough gentle humor to keep it from feeling overly saccharine or earnest,” remarked a contributor in appraising the story for Publishers Weekly. A penguin with a green thumb devises a clever way to brighten the landscape in The Magical Snow Garden, and here the author “presents a positive message about pursuing one’s desires despite challenges,” according to School Library Journal reviewer Emily E. Lazio.
[NEW PROSE]
The Boy and the Bear presents “a sweet tale of unexpected pals,” in the words of a Publishers Weekly critic. Featuring mixed-media artwork by Sarah Massini, Corderoy’s story centers on a lonely youth and a shy bruin who find common ground by constructing a tree fort together. School Library Journal reviewer Kelly Roth offered praise for the work, calling The Boy and the Bear “a sweet, gentle story with the important message of being open to unexpected friendships.”
A misunderstanding is at the heart of The Christmas Extravaganza Hotel. As Bear settles in for a quiet, relaxing Christmas, an enthusiastic frog appears on his doorstep, hotel brochure in hand, ready for an action-packed holiday. Realizing that Frog is terribly lost and confused, Bear allows the amphibian to stay for a time, treating him to a host of sedate but satisfying activities. “Exuberant Frog and thoughtful Bear make an endearing odd couple,” observed a Publishers Weekly critic. Bear falls under the spell of a slick bird’s sales pitch in Sneaky Beak. London Sunday Times reviewer Nicolette Jones called the work “an anti-materialist romp about appreciating what you have,” and a Kirkus Reviews writer similarly described Sneaky Beak as “a cautionary tale for budding consumers.”
[END NEW PROSE]
A pair of incompetent canine burglars takes center stage in Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam. After a night of prowling leaves them empty-handed, Shifty and Sam concoct a scheme to invite their neighbors over for tea and cake and then slip out and rob their houses. When this plan goes horribly awry, the dogs realize that their newfound love of baking may lead them down a better career path. “The rhymed text is comfortable and has a certain melody,” a contributor reported in Kirkus Reviews, and School Library Journal critic Krista Welz described Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam as both “lively and expressive.” Shifty and Sam make return appearances in The Cat Burglar and The Diamond Chase.
Aimed at preschool audiences, Corderoy’s story in No! focuses on Otto, a cute young rhino who discovers a new favorite word as he enters his defiant stage. In Why? Otto’s parents take him to the museum, hoping that their offspring will find answers to his never-ending list of questions, and Now! centers on the rhino’s efforts to learn patience. A writer in Kirkus Reviews described No! as “an entertaining romp of a book that amusingly addresses this often difficult aspect of toddlerhood.” Critiquing Now!, Barbara Spiri wrote in School Library Journal that Corderoy’s “text is simple and provides an opportunity for adult readers to explain situations and relate them to real-life experiences.”
[NEW PROSE]
Otto makes a return appearance in It’s Christmas!, which finds the overeager young rhino attempting to supersize his family’s holiday. Unfortunately, Otto’s efforts to help result in a toppled tree, nearly inedible cookies, and mislabeled gifts. According to a Publishers Weekly contributor, audiences “will recognize the rhino’s inexhaustible, holiday-fueled energy,” and a writer in Kirkus Reviews described Corderoy’s work as “an amusing story that captures the intensity of the Christmas season from a little one’s perspective.”
A fanciful tale, The One-Stop Story Shop concerns a brave knight who ventures into dangerous territory to slay a dragon, only to discover that his antagonist has left on a two-week vacation. With his escapade lacking an exciting finish, the knight heads to the One-Stop Story Shop, whose owner pairs him with a feisty ferret that proves a worthwhile companion as they do battle in a variety of exotic locales. “Between the action-packed text and witty illustrations [by Tony Neal], this picture book delivers plenty of fun for young adventure fans,” Carolyn Phelan noted in Booklist.
[END NEW PROSE]
Corderoy relates the exploits of Pandora and Granny Crow in her “Hubble Bubble” series. In Hubble Bubble, Granny Trouble! the youngster convinces her grandma to adopt a more traditional lifestyle, which leads to unforeseen consequences. “This is a lovely, imaginative romp, with just a pinch of playful mischief thrown in,” commented Meg Smith in School Library Journal. A riotous birthday party is the focus of Whizz! Pop! Granny, Stop!, and in Corderoy’s The Super-Spooky Fright Night! she shares three tales relating Granny Crow’s mystical mishaps. According to a Kirkus Reviews writer, the “humorous series is full of gently amusing magical surprises.”
[NEW PROSE]
In The Great Granny Cake Contest!, Granny Crow engages in shenanigans while touring a gorgeous estate with Pandora’s family, produces magically enhanced carrots during a gardening competition, and wreaks havoc while appearing on a televised baking show. The Wacky Winter Wonderland! follows Granny Crow’s efforts to invigorate a boring Christmas carnival, help Cobweb the cat win a pet show, and bring history to life—literally—while chaperoning a museum field trip. “Readers will appreciate the book’s whimsical tone,” Roth noted of the latter title, and a Kirkus Reviews critic cited the “loving relationship” between Pandora and Granny Crow as a highlight of the former volume.
[END NEW PROSE]
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, December 1, 2010, Hazel Rochman, review of The Little White Owl, p. 66; August 1, 2016, Amy Seto Forrester, review of The Super-Spooky Fright Night!, p. 82; March 15, 2019, Carolyn Phelan, review of The One-Stop Story Shop, p. 75.
Horn Book Guide, spring, 2013, Patricia Riley, review of Hubble Bubble, Granny Trouble, p. 25; spring, 2014, Sethany Rancier Alongi, review of No!, p. 7; fall, 2014, Nell Beram, review of Lost Little Penguin, p. 8; spring, 2015, Shiela M. Geraty, review of I Can Do It!, p. 7, Rebecca Reed Whidden, review of Why?, p. 8, and Patricia Riley, review of Just Right for Two, p. 27; fall, 2015, Rachel L. Smith, review of I Want My Daddy!, p. 8.
Kirkus Reviews, September 15, 2010, review of The Little White Owl; April 15, 2012, review of Monty and Milli: The Totally Amazing Magic Trick; May 1, 2012, review of Just One More!; August 1, 2012, review of Hubble Bubble, Granny Trouble; August 15, 2012, review of It’s Mine; October 1, 2012, review of A Flower in the Snow; April 1, 2013, review of I Want My Mommy!; June, 2015, 2013, review of The Cat Burglars; August 1, 2013, review of Whizz! Pop! Granny, Stop!; September 1, 2013, review of No!; December 15, 2013, review of Lost Little Penguin; July 15, 2014, reviews of Why? and Just Right for Two; April 1, 2015, review of I Want My Daddy; May 1, 2015, review of More!; June 15, 2016, review of The Super-Spooky Fright Night!; April 1, 2017, review of The Great Granny Cake Contest!; July 15, 2017, review of Fairy Tale Pets; August 15, 2017, review of The Wacky Winter Wonderland!; September 1, 2017, review of It’s Christmas!; September 1, 2018, review of The Christmas Extravaganza Hotel; February 1, 2019, review of The One-Stop Story Shop; September 15, 2019, review of Sneaky Beak; February 1, 2020, review of It’s Impossible!
Publishers Weekly, April 23, 2012, review of Monty and Milli, p. 49; November 5, 2012, review of A Flower in the Snow, p. 67; June 10, 2013, review of Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam, p. 77; August 4, 2014, review of Just Right for Two, p. 48; September 4, 2017, review of It’s Christmas!, p. 96; September 24, 2018, review of The Christmas Extravaganza Hotel, p. 104; November 11, 2019, review of Bears! Bears! Bears!, p. 59.
School Librarian, winter, 2013, Angela Lepper, review of No!, p. 214; spring, 2014, Frances Breslin Davda, review of Spells-a-Popping Granny’s Shopping, p. 26; autumn, 2014, Margaret Pemberton, review of Boo!, p. 154; summer, 2019, Helen Thompson, review of The Boy and the Bear, p. 90.
School Library Journal, November, 2012, Sharon Grover, review of A Flower in the Snow, p. 71; March, 2013, Meg Smith, review of Hubble Bubble, Granny Trouble, p. 109; July, 2013, Jennifer Miskec, review of I Want My Mommy!, p. 58; August, 2013, Melissa Smith, review of Whizz! Pop! Granny, Stop!, p. 70; November, 2013, Heidi Estrin, review of No!, p. 74; December, 2013, Krista Welz, review of Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam, p. 90; September, 2014, Roxanne Burg, review of Just Right for Two, p. 101; November, 2014, Emily E. Lazio, review of The Magical Snow Garden, and Laura Stanfield, review of Why?, both p. 78; July, 2015, review of No!, p. 54; September, 2016, Barbara Spiri, review of Now!, p. 113; February, 2017, Shana Morales, review of The Great Granny Cake Contest!, p. 78; August, 2017, Kelly Roth, review of The Wacky Winter Wonderland!, p. 78; October, 2017, Sara Rebman, review of It’s Christmas!, p. 64; November, 2019, Kelly Roth, review of The Boy and the Bear, p. 48.
Sunday Times (London, England), July 21, 2019, Nicolette Jones, review of Sneaky Beak, p. 32.
ONLINE
Tracey Corderoy website, http://www.traceycorderoy.com (July 1, 2020).
A smile ... a cuddle ... a shared memory...
a story is much more than words.
Think back. Remember that special book - the one that you always chose. The one that made you laugh, the one that made you cry. The characters, so real, they are still in your heart and will be always alive...
I started writing a few years ago and I love the job that I do. I want my stories to be those special ones; the ones that will be remembered forever
I was born and grew up in industrial South Wales where factory chimneys outnumbered the sheep on the hills! When I was eighteen I moved to Bath where I trained to be a primary school teacher, graduating in 1987.
When my eldest daughter was born, I decided to leave teaching to spend time at home being a mum. When I returned to work I supported children in primary schools, where I implemented literacy programmes and re-integrated children back into school following periods of long-term illness.
It was during this time that I became passionate about writing for children - convinced that language, expressed through wonderful literature, is the key that stimulates learning and imagination.
I live in a hidden valley, surrounded by sheep, wild deer and cows with big fluffy ears! Along with my husband and two daughters, I share an ancient cottage with a huge Golden Retriever called Dylan (from Pontypool), a cats and a teeny mini-lop eared rabbit who makes loud ducky noises!
View my author page on:
Amazon...
ChildrensBookStore
Welcome to my website! I hope that you enjoy looking around...
IMG_0580.jpg
It’s nearly Christmas!
I’m delighted to present my latest book, ‘Mouse’s Night Before Christmas’ (beautifully illustrated by Sarah Massini, and published by Nosy Crow).
In 1826 Clement Clark Moore published his famous poem, ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas’; a real Christmas favourite with its well-known opening line…
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.’
Well, I decided that there WAS one little creature stirring that night, and this is Mouse’s story…
Merry Christmas!
Latest...
SUMMER READING CHALLENGE…
Read More →
Nov 24, 2019
A STARRED KIRKUS REVIEW!
Read More →
Oct 6, 2018
WORLD BOOK DAY 2018
Read More →
Mar 1, 2018
SHIFTY MCGIFTY CHRISTMAS DECORATION
Read More →
Nov 25, 2017
SLIPPERY SAM CHRISTMAS DECORATION
Read More →
Nov 25, 2017
'Fairy Tale Pets!'
'FAIRY TALE PETS!'
Read More →
Jul 14, 2017
Writing for Children.
I write books for children aged 3 to 11.
This is such an important stage in a child's development. I hope that I am able to contribute in some way as they grow - to help fire their imagination, develop life skills, think about other people and foster a love of books and storytelling.
On this website you can learn more about me and what I’ve published, and also get an insight into the life of a children's author.
Tracey Corderoy
UK flag
Tracey is the author of Hubble Bubble, Granny Trouble. She was born and grew up in industrial South Wales and now lives in a hidden valley in Gloucestershire with her husband, two children and an ever-increasing menagerie of devilishly-cute-but-sometimes-rather-naughty pets.
A trained teacher, Tracey has always had a passion for wonderful literature and began writing for children in 2006. Her books for other publishers include The Grunt and The Grouch series about two riotous trolls, and numerous picture books including The Little White Owl.
Traceys head is happily crammed with countless ideas and stories and shes loving the adventures that her characters insist they share
Genres: Children's Fiction
New Books
November 2019
(paperback)
Snowflake, Silver and Secrets
(Seaview Stables, book 3)September 2020
(hardback)
It's Only One!
Series
The Grunt and the Grouch
Beastly Feast (2010)
The Grunt and the Grouch (2010)
Pick 'n' Mix (2010)
Big Splash (2010)
Freaky Funfair! (2011)
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Hubble Bubble (with Joe Berger)
Hubble Bubble, Granny Trouble (2011)
The Glorious Granny Bake Off (2013)
The Pesky Pirate Prank (2014)
The Super Spooky Fright Night (2014)
The Messy Monkey Business (2015)
The Wacky Winter Wonderland (2015)
The Great Granny Cake Contest! (2017)
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Willow Valley
The Big Bike Race (2012)
Birthday Fun (2012)
Hide and Seek (2012)
Spooky Sleepover (2012)
One Snowy Day (2012)
A Seaside Rescue (2013)
Toffee Apple Night (2013)
The Great Egg Hunt (2014)
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Baddies and Beasties
Baddies, Beasties and a Sprinkling of Crumbs (2013)
Monsters, Mayhem and a Sprinkling of Crumbs! (2013)
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Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam
Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam (2013)
The Cat Burglar (2015)
The Diamond Chase (2016)
Up, Up and Away! (2017)
Jingle Bells (2017)
The Missing Masterpiece (2018)
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Seaview Stables
1. The Pony With No Name (2018)
2. The Mystery at Stormy Point (2019)
3. Snowflake, Silver and Secrets (2019)
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Picture Books
Star Friends (2010)
The Little White Owl (2010)
Oh Dylan! (2011)
It's Potty Time! (2011)
Brave Little Penguin (2011)
Little Duckling Lost (2011)
Just One More! (2012)
Frog and Mouse (2012)
Never Say No To A Princess! (2012)
Monty and Milli (2012)
It's Mine! (2012)
Little Penguin Lost (2012)
A Flower in the Snow (2012)
Wakey Wakey Big Brown Bear! (2012)
The Very Messy Mermaid (2012)
Boo! (2013)
I Want My Mommy! (2013)
No! (2013)
Just Right for Two (2013)
Spells-a-Popping! Granny's Shopping (2013)
Lost Little Penguin (2014)
I Can Do It! (2014)
New Friends (2014)
The Magical Snow Garden (2014)
Why? (2014)
I Want My Daddy! (2015)
I Want My Mummy! (2015)
More (2015)
Squish Squash Squeeze! (2016)
Now! (2016)
Fairy Tale Pets (2017)
It's Christmas! (2017)
The Boy and the Bear (2018)
The Christmas Extravaganza Hotel (2018)
The One-Stop Story Shop (2019)
Sneaky Beak (2019)
Mouse's Night Before Christmas (2019)
Impossible! (2020)
It's Only One! (2020)
Shifty Christmas (2020)
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Tracey Corderoy
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Tracey Corderoy
Tracey Corderoy.jpg
Born Tracey Hopkins
12 April 1965 (age 54)
Neath, West Glamorgan, Wales
Occupation Children's Writer
Nationality British
Education Bachelor of Education
Alma mater Bath Spa University
Genre Children's Literature
Spouse Mark (1987-present)
Children 2 daughters
Website
www.traceycorderoy.com
Tracey Corderoy is an award-winning[1][2] children's writer. She has published over 45 books since 2010, and works with publishers; Little Tiger Press,[3][4][5] Nosy Crow,[6] Scholastic Children's Books,[7] Alison Green Books,[8] Meadowside Children's Book, Egmont and Stripes.
Contents
1 Awards
2 Background
3 Books
3.1 Picture Books
3.2 Young Fiction
3.3 Fiction 8yr+
3.4 Audio Books
4 References
5 External links
Awards
Winner of the Hounslow Junior Book Award 2014[9] for Baddies Beasties and a Sprinkling of Crumbs (published by Stripes).
Winner of the Hillingdon Picture Book of the Year in 2011[1] for her book The Grunt and The Grouch (published by Little Tiger Press).
Shortlisted for the second year running for the 2012 Hillingdon Picture Book of the Year[10] for her picture book Hubble Bubble Granny Trouble [6] (published by Nosy Crow).
Shortlisted for the 2012 Independent Booksellers Week Award[11] for her picture book, Never Say No to a Princess! (published by Alison Green Books).
Nominated for the 2012 People's Book Prize [12] for her picture book, Whizz Pop, Granny STOP! (published by Nosy Crow).
Background
Corderoy grew up in Sandfields, Port Talbot in South Wales.
When Corderoy was eighteen she moved to Bath to study at Bath College of Higher Education (later known as Bath Spa University) to be a primary school teacher, graduating in 1987. After teaching positions in Swindon and Cirencester, she left the teaching profession to start a family. Several years later, Corderoy started working with children in primary schools; where she implemented literacy programmes and re-integrated children returning to school following periods of long-term illness. It was during this time that she became passionate about writing for children – convinced that language, expressed through wonderful literature, is the key that stimulates learning and imagination.
Books
Picture Books
Spells-A-Popping! Granny's Shopping! [13] ( Illustrator – Joe Berger )( Nosy Crow 2013 ) (ISBN 978-0-85763-221-0)
Just Right For Two ( Illustrator – Ros Beardshaw )( Nosy Crow 2013 ) (ISBN 978-0-85763-176-3)
The Very Messy Mermaid ( Illustrator – Kate Leake) ( Alison Green Books 2013 ) (ISBN 978-1-4071-3542-7)
No! (Illustrator – Tim Warnes) (Little Tiger Press 2013) (ISBN 978-1-84895-652-0)
Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam ( Illustrator – Steven Lenton )( Nosy Crow 2013 ) (ISBN 978-0-85763-146-6)
I Want My Mummy! ( Illustrator – Alison Edgson )( Little Tiger Press 2013 ) (ISBN 978-1-84895-537-0)
Boo! ( Illustrator – Caroline Pedler )( Little Tiger Press 2013 ) (ISBN 978-1-84895-539-4)
A Flower in the Snow [14][15][16] ( Illustrator – Sophie Allsopp )( Egmont 2012 ) (ISBN 978-1-4052-4945-4)
Wakey Wakey, Big Brown Bear ! ( Illustrator – Rachel Swirles )( Meadowside 2012) (ISBN 978-1-84539-612-1)
Whizz, Pop, Granny, Stop! ( Illustrator – Joe Berger )( Nosy Crow 2012 ) (ISBN 978-0-85763-131-2)
It's Mine! ( Illustrator – Caroline Peddler ) (Little Tiger Press 2012) (ISBN 978-1-56148-766-0)
Monty and Milli (Illustrator – Tim Warnes) (Little Tiger Press 2012) (ISBN 978-1-84895-307-9)
Frog and Mouse (Illustrator – Anna Popescu) (Meadowside Children's Books 2012) (ISBN 978-1-84539-503-2)
Never say NO to a Princess! [17] ( Illustrator – Kate Leake) ( Alison Green Books 2012 ) (ISBN 978-1-4071-1558-0)
Just One More! ( Illustrator – Alison Edgson) ( Little Tiger Press 2012 )(ISBN 978-1-84895-312-3)
Brave Little Penguin... [3] ( Illustrator – Gavin Scott ) ( Little Tiger Press 2011 ) (ISBN 978-1-84895-243-0)
Hubble Bubble, Granny Trouble! [6] ( Illustrator – Joe Berger )( Nosy Crow 2011 ) (ISBN 978-0-85763-028-5)
It's Potty Time! ( Illustrator – Caroline Pedler )( Little Tiger Press 2011 ) (ISBN 978-1-84895-138-9)
Oh Dylan! ( Illustrator – Tina Macnaughton )( Little Tiger Press 2011 ) (ISBN 978-1-84895-137-2)
Star Friends ( Illustrator – Alison Edgson )( Little Tiger Press 2010 ) (ISBN 978-1-84895-096-2)
The Grunt and The Grouch ( Illustrator – Lee Wildish )( Little Tiger Press 2010 ) (ISBN 978-1-84895-051-1)
The Little White Owl [18] ( Illustrator – Jane Chapman )( Little Tiger Press 2010 ) (ISBN 978-1-84895-086-3)
The Magic Christmas Star ( Illustrator – Simon Taylor-Kielty )( Hallmark 2008 )
Young Fiction
Hubble Bubble Series ( Nosy Crow )
The Glorious Granny Bake Off (2013) (ISBN 978-0-85763-222-7)[19]
The Willow Valley Series ( Scholastic )[7]
One Snowy Day (2012) (ISBN 978-1-4071-3483-3)
Birthday Fun (2012) (ISBN 978-1-4071-2474-2)
Spooky Sleepover (2012) (ISBN 978-1-4071-2475-9)
The Big Bike Race (2012) (ISBN 978-1-4071-2476-6)
Hide and Seek (2012) (ISBN 978-1-4071-2477-3)
A Seaside Rescue (2013) (ISBN 978-1-4071-3489-5)
Toffee Apple Night (2013) (ISBN 978-1-4071-3761-2)
The Grunt and The Grouch Series ( Little Tiger Press )
Pick 'n' Mix! (2010) (ISBN 978-1-84715-122-3)
Freaky Funfair! (2010) (ISBN 978-1-84715-161-2)
Beastly Feast! (2010) (ISBN 978-1-84715-123-0)
Big Splash! (2010) (ISBN 978-1-84715-134-6)
Fiction 8yr+
The Crumbs Detective Series ( Stripes )
Monsters, Mayhem and a Sprinkling of Crumbs! (2013) (ISBN 978-1-84715-380-7)
Baddies, Beasties and a Sprinkling of Crumbs! (2013) (ISBN 978-1-84715-245-9)
Audio Books
Willow Valley: Birthday Fun & Spooky Sleepover (Unabridged) (AudiGo 2012) (ASIN: B00A2735EE)
Willow Valley: The Big Bike Race & Hide and Seek (Unabridged) (AudiGo 2012) (ASIN: B00A2732Z6)
Tracey grew up in South Wales, on a council estate firmly sandwiched between the steel and chemical works. Here you were born, you worked, and you generally stayed.
She’s a trained teacher but now writes full-time in an old damp cottage on the Gloucestershire hills. A multi award-winning author, her first book was published in 2010, and in December 2019, her 70th.
As a young child, Tracey owned few books. But thanks to an ancient set of encyclopaedias she happened upon, and a Ladybird copy of Cinderella, her passion for nosing into other people’s ‘stories’ began early on!
Some years later, one very special Secondary School teacher and many great librarians, fed Tracey more and more books. Between their pages real magic then started to happen. Impossible adventures became do-able. Characters became friends. Boundaries became gates as her world, very slowly, opened up. Books made her laugh and cry and think.
They made her feel that – maybe she could do things.
Corderoy, Tracey IT'S IMPOSSIBLE! Tiger Tales (Children's Fiction) $17.99 4, 7 ISBN: 978-1-68010-191-1
Nothing's impossible unless you say it is.
Dog runs a laundry business in the city, and he longs to see the ocean. Then he finds a box of new detergent called Ocean Magic, not only promising "seaside freshness with every wash!" but also, apparently, bearing a passenger. After Dog uses the detergent, what should emerge from the washing machine but a dizzy crab? Crab must return home--but how? Bicycling and mailing aren't options. Consulting a map, Dog realizes "it's impossible" to drive to the ocean, but Crab coaxes him into making the trip together. Even though he keeps repeating "it's impossible," Dog sets out with Crab. They explore varied terrain, visit natural wonders, take selfies, and meet other travelers overcoming personal impossible challenges. Finally arriving at their destination, Dog's in ocean heaven. Dejectedly acknowledging staying is not, well, possible, Dog backtracks when he realizes remaining in seaside paradise is "only impossible if I SAY it is." The satisfying conclusion shows Dog and Crab operating a bustling beach cafe. This lighthearted but single-purpose tale posits that goals one thinks are impossible may not be. This is a good message for youngsters, and Crab's gusto might encourage kids to work to make their dreams real. The colorful, lively illustrations lend humor and feature plenty of details for children to savor. Endpapers depict colorful, smiling fish.
It's not at all impossible for readers to enjoy this perky story. (Picture book. 4-7)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 8th Edition APA 6th Edition Chicago 17th Edition
"Corderoy, Tracey: IT'S IMPOSSIBLE!" Kirkus Reviews, 1 Feb. 2020, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A612619206/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=740c1ea5. Accessed 22 Feb. 2020.
Corderoy, Tracey and Massini, Sarah
The Boy and the Bear
Nosy Crow, 2018, pp32, [pounds sterling]11.99 978 1 78800 309 4
From the smooth, matt cover liberally sprinkled with foil snowflakes, to the very last page, this is a book to treasure. Sarah Massini uses a seasonal colour palette throughout the book, with the boy's red hat an unmistakable feature of every page. We meet the boy as he runs down a hill, throwing a paper aeroplane. The depiction of nature is beautifully done, and you can almost feel the fresh breeze that stirs the leaves on the nearby tree. Space is used to great effect to demonstrate how lonely he feels. All the best games need two. Bear passes by, but he's too shy to speak to the boy, and anyway, the boy dismisses him as being just a bear. Before long a tentative form of communication begins in the form of paper boats floated to one another. The boy is disappointed when he sees it was Bear all along, but when he sees how dejected Bear is he calls him back and asks him to play. They try all of Boy's games, but Bear is too big, or too heavy, or just doesn't understand the game. They realise that they need to try something else. One Autumn morning Bear has an idea. Soon they have a treehouse in the glorious autumnal branches of an oak tree, built together. There they stay until Winter begins, and Bear leaves. Boy waits, drawing and thinking about his friend. When Spring thaws the water, boats reappear with messages from Bear and soon they are together again.
This tale of unlikely friendship, and of making space in your life for someone who may seem very different, is brought to life by the illustrations. The body language of both bear and boy speak volumes--in one image the boy stands with his hand on his hip very clearly thinking 'What on earth are you doing?!' as he watches Bear, bent backwards under the weight of logs, hurrying across the grass clearly intent on a mission. The sense of wide-open spaces and of nature taking its course make the landscape a third character.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 The School Library Association
http://www.sla.org.uk/school-librarian.php
Source Citation
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Thompson, Helen. "The Boy and the Bear." School Librarian, vol. 67, no. 2, Summer 2019, p. 90. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A594924712/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=47b5ab11. Accessed 22 Feb. 2020.
Corderoy, Tracey THE GREAT GRANNY CAKE CONTEST! Nosy Crow/Candlewick (Children's Fiction) $14.99 6, 13 ISBN: 978-0-7636-9503-3
Pandora and her granny return in a new set of stories about witches who cannot refrain from using magic.In "The Ghosts of Creakington Hall," the chapter book's first story, Pandora, a white, English, half-witch, half-human child, is being punished for casting spells. (She and her granny had "magicked the three little pigs out of their fairy-tale book.") No brooms or wands are allowed on the family visit to an estate, but Granny can't last long without fun and witchcraft. The title story involves three granny witches with their helpers, Pandora, "meanie Merlin," and "snooty Opal" (both also white). The witches participate in a TV baking contest, but they are told: "NO MAGIC ALLOWED!" The three grannies cannot help themselves; the taping erupts into a magic-fueled food fight. The angry producer dismisses them, but the viewers can't get enough. In the last story, Pandora's school is disqualified from a gardening competition because Granny creates some gigantic carrots. Black ink and gray wash drawings on every page are full of humor, but there's little sign of diversity, save for Chef Edwardo and a student, the only evident characters of color. Light doses of innocent sorcery, a loving relationship between a grandmother and her granddaughter, and some occasional British slang ("tickity-boo") add up to a funny introduction to the magic arts. This accessible series should lead young readers to the groaning shelves of middle-grade fantasy that await. (Fantasy. 6-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Corderoy, Tracey: THE GREAT GRANNY CAKE CONTEST!" Kirkus Reviews, 1 Apr. 2017. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A487668513/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=5bf2d79d. Accessed 22 Feb. 2020.
Corderoy, Tracey FAIRY TALE PETS Tiger Tales (Children's Fiction) $16.99 9, 1 ISBN: 978-1-68010-064-8
A bevy of fairy-tale creatures descend on a newly minted and totally unprepared petsitter.Young Bob, who wears a Peruvian hat and has freckled, light-brown skin, and his purple dog, Rex, live "on a nice neat hill, in a nice neat house, with neat roses." But Bob and Rex are "very, very poor." Since their neighborhood is overrun with pets, they decide to become petsitters. They advertise: "NO PET TOO BIG." Mistake. With the morning comes their first customer, a little golden-haired, white girl who wants them to look after her baby bear. The bear is a complainer: someone's been into his porridge, sat in his chair, and slept in his bed--but that's Rex's bed, which he breaks. "Ding Dong!" Jack's goose needs tending, and so do the troll's three billy goats. Mayhem ensues as Bob and Rex lose--or never gain--control over the lot when three pigs drop by to hand off "Our--um--puppy." Or wolf, which huffs and puffs and "BLEW THE HOUSE DOWN!!!!" Bob is now homeless as well as poor. He keeps his cool, for he still has the beans. " 'I'll be a gardener!'...What could possibly go wrong?" Corderoy's thin narrative rests on an appreciation of upside-down slapstick and a knowledge of the tales, and it is fully fueled by the rumbustious illustrations. The story cries out for an overpowered reading, which is as likely to provoke a brawl as laughter. (Picture book. 4-6)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Corderoy, Tracey: FAIRY TALE PETS." Kirkus Reviews, 15 July 2017. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A498345153/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=8dab3981. Accessed 22 Feb. 2020.
Corderoy, Tracey THE WACKY WINTER WONDERLAND! Nosy Crow (Children's Fiction) $14.99 10, 10 ISBN: 978-0-7636-9624-5
Pandora and Granny continue their magical partnership in this chapter book that presents three discrete stories.In the first, Granny creates lots of Christmas fun at a disappointing Winter Wonderland. When they arrive, the promised snow is made of shaving foam; the ice rink is "just dirty sheets of bubble wrap stuck together." There are no reindeer, just dogs with antlers, and the sleigh is a pig trough. With several flicks of her wand, Granny transforms everything into the "most wacky and wonderful" Winter Wonderland for Pandora and her friends Jake and Nellie. Pandora is white and so is Jake, but Nellie is darker-skinned in the illustrations. In "Best in Show," Cobweb the cat easily wins first prize with his beautiful grooming, courtesy of Pandora's hard work, and his tightrope and trapeze act, thanks to Granny. In "Museum Mayhem!" Granny acts as the chaperon at a class sleepover at the history museum. Using her magic to bring history to life, she introduces the class to Vikings, Egyptians, Tudors, and Stone Age animals. She even turns Mr. Bibble, the teacher, into Henry VIII. Amusing line-and-wash drawings enhanced with red appear on almost every page, making this beginning chapter book very attractive for newly proficient readers. Funny and light but with enough of a plot to keep readers interested. (Fantasy. 6-9)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Corderoy, Tracey: THE WACKY WINTER WONDERLAND!" Kirkus Reviews, 15 Aug. 2017. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A500364726/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=ace96688. Accessed 22 Feb. 2020.
Corderoy, Tracey IT'S CHRISTMAS! Tiger Tales (Children's Fiction) $16.99 9, 1 ISBN: 978-1-68010-067-9
A young rhinoceros named Otto prepares for Christmas with his family, getting into mischief by trying to make everything extra "Christmassy." In this fifth adventure about obstreperous Otto, he is excited to participate in all the Christmas preparations at his house. He enjoys baking cookies, decorating the tree, and creating his own special Christmas sweater. At every turn, Otto takes things over the top, adding more frosting and sprinkles to his cookies, putting extra ornaments on the tree, and making a reindeer face with extra-long antlers to attach to his sweater. After Otto knocks over the tree, his mom stations him at the window on a big pillow to watch for snow. The pillow rips open, covering everything in the room with tiny, white pellets, "snow" in Otto's opinion. During the cleanup process, Otto switches the tags on the Christmas packages, leading to humorous mix-ups on Christmas morning. The presents are sorted out, and the whole family goes out into the snow so Otto can use his new sled. The simple plot has just the right amount of excitement, minor conflict, and satisfying resolution to appeal to younger preschoolers who are beginning to listen to longer stories. Large-format illustrations help create appealing personalities for the rhinoceros family, charming in their detailed Christmas sweaters. An amusing story that captures the intensity of the Christmas season from a little one's perspective. (Picture book. 2-5)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Corderoy, Tracey: IT'S CHRISTMAS!" Kirkus Reviews, 1 Sept. 2017. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A502192175/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=f5af6f6b. Accessed 22 Feb. 2020.
Corderoy, Tracey THE CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA HOTEL Tiger Tales (Children's Fiction) $16.99 9, 1 ISBN: 978-1-68010-102-7
A mistake and a chance encounter lead to an unlikely friendship.
Bear is settling down for a quiet, cozy Christmas reading by the fire, happy to be alone, when he hears a car horn outside. He opens the door to find an exuberant frog with luggage piled high, expecting a "Christmas EXTRAVAGANZA!" complete with a "supersonic sleigh ride." A quick look at Frog's upside-down map reveals that he's on the opposite side of the world from his vacation destination. Bear kindly offers to let Frog stay with him, but the next day he realizes that he'll have to think of creative alternatives to the activities in Frog's brochure. They bake iced cookies to replace an "all-you-can-eat North Pole breakfast bar." Who needs a singing Christmas tree when there's a gigantic outdoor tree sparkling with real snow, its height emphasized by a vertical two-page spread. Best of all, viewing the northern lights from a hillside more than makes up for missing the gaudy light display at the hotel. The two characters, temperamental opposites, end up appreciating each other's gift of friendship. The book's large, square format gives ample room for cheery, expressive illustrations. Bear and Frog so obviously enjoy each other's company that their differences fall away as they find the joy of newfound friendship.
A fresh, sweet way to explore the true meaning of Christmas and unexpected encounters. (Picture book. 3-6)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Corderoy, Tracey: THE CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA HOTEL." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Sept. 2018. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A552175078/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=61ac7008. Accessed 22 Feb. 2020.
Corderoy, Tracey THE ONE-STOP STORY SHOP Tiger Tales (Children's Fiction) $17.99 3, 1 ISBN: 978-1-68010-133-1
A knight struggles with no dragon to slay.
The title suggests something other than a knight tale, but his search for a suitable story in the absence of a dragon is a clever device. The fearless knight has set out to slay a terrible dragon, pink in this case, but the dragon has left a note saying he's gone on vacation, which leaves the knight without a story. So begins the search for a suitable tale of danger. A neighbor takes him to the titular shop, but the shopkeeper is all out of dragons and instead offers him a feisty ferret who becomes the foil for the mishaps across story genres: a space opera, a cowboy tale, a jungle-exploration adventure, and a journey to the bottom of the sea. Other characters join the hunt, particularly a space robot. In each case, the ferret saves the day. In the humorous illustrations, the knight's depiction echoes the style of Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story. The double-page spreads are filled with fun details such as the characters riding sea horses and wearing space suits. Key words are highlighted to build tension. The only human characters depicted are the knight, the neighbor, and the shopkeeper; all are white.
It's hard not to like a story with a flustered knight, a ferret friend, a bounty of adventures, and a poop joke. (Picture book. 5-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Corderoy, Tracey: THE ONE-STOP STORY SHOP." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Feb. 2019. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A571549167/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=7453842e. Accessed 22 Feb. 2020.
Corderoy, Tracey SNEAKY BEAK Tiger Tales (Children's Fiction) $17.99 10, 1 ISBN: 978-1-68010-175-1
A susceptible bear falls under the spell of a slick salesbird.
A glib TV ad questioning whether his bed is bouncy enough has Bear signing up for a "bounce test," which leads to the installation of a "Snores-Galore Mega Bed" so huge that it crowds Bear's silent co-habitant Hamster right out of the bedroom. In a classic round of upselling, the eponymous avian huckster then cozens Bear into springing for a "Super-Whirl Turbo Tub" that floods the house, a "Crunch-O-Matic Granola Maker" that likewise explodes, and even a rocket to an outer-space vacation. Realizing at last that glamorous goods are no substitute for his tiny, treasured friend, Bear returns to Earth determined to chuck the lot--and responds to Sneaky Beak's offer of a "Trash-tastic Trash Can" with: "No, thanks! Hamster and I will recycle!" Though Corderoy and Neal rather flub the ending by equating "recycle" with just pitching all the appliances out on the sidewalk with a "Free Stuff" sign, their hearts and values are more or less in the right place. Bear's new stuff comes positively festooned with retro-futuristic gauges, dials, and robot arms that play amusingly with the pastel refrigerator, lava lamp, and other domestic period details in the cartoon illustrations.
A cautionary tale for budding consumers. (Picture book. 6-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Kirkus Media LLC
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MLA 8th Edition APA 6th Edition Chicago 17th Edition
"Corderoy, Tracey: SNEAKY BEAK." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Sept. 2019. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A599964448/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=8f6cc72f. Accessed 22 Feb. 2020.