Reviews & Awards
Mandy’s work continues to receive praise and recognition from across the world. Readers, awarding bodies, critics and organisations alike have seen the positive impact her stories have on young people, providing reassurance and understanding during challenging times.
Awards
Mandy’s stories have been blessed with so much international recognition over the years. Below is just a small example. To find out more, simply click on the badges to be redirected.
Literary Reviews and Read Alongs
Below you will find reviews from a number of respected literary resources plus some excellent YouTube read alongs.
“Bertie And The Garden of Wonders is written by Mandy Woolf and illustrated by Elmira Georgieva. Bertie is a lonely ball who sits on a shelf. No one plays with him, and his once bright colors have faded. He rolls outside into the garden and finds a beautiful, white, puffy flower. Puff Ball is a dandelion who also feels alone. Puff Ball has been called a weed that no one is happy to have around, but she knows that her natural calling is much more than just being a pesky weed in the garden. While playing in the garden, who will protect them from the other things in nature that could pose a risk? Will Bertie ever feel like more than an old faded ball on the shelf? Can Puff Ball prove she is just as important to nature as the birds, bees, grass, and trees? Will either of them find friendship and happiness? Bertie And The Garden of Wonders is a wonderful story that I enjoyed from beginning to end. I love the way the author uses science and nature to make this story fun and educational. The characters are all the beautiful things you would find in a garden, and their personalities make the story entertaining and relatable. The illustrations by Georgieva are colorful and make this story as beautiful as it is interesting. I recommend Bertie And The Garden of Wonders by Mandy Woolf to anyone with young children who are ready to read and learn a little bit of science along the way.”
Readers’ Favorite5-star review of Bertie and the Garden of Wonders by Amy Raines
“Parents rejoice when their new bundle of joy arrives. Colors are brighter, sounds are clearer, and the world takes on an entirely different feel. Authors have tried for many years to create a narrative that sufficiently describes the intense love a parent has for a newborn. Author Mandy Woolf’s I Love the Sparkle in You offers parents a beautifully written and illustrated book parents will want to set aside as a touching keepsake for their children. Love permeates Woolf’s tale from cover to cover. It is obvious how much of both the author’s and illustrator’s hearts went into this precious book.”
Literary TitanReview of I Love the Sparkle in You
“Woolf definitely has her finger on the pulse of what children need to hear, and the messages parents and caring adults need to impart. She seems to really care about the story she is telling and the children she is writing for. We definitely need more authors like this one. The illustrations are just right for this story, colorful, happy, inviting–above all, adorable. This particular book, along with the others the author writes, would make a wonderful addition to your child’s library or classroom.”
Reader Reviews KidsReview of I Love the Sparkle in You
“I Love the Sparkle in You is a children’s picture book by Mandy Woolf that celebrates every child’s uniqueness and “sparkle.” The narrative describes the profound joy parents feel for their newborn and how the universe bestows all the gifts of nature on the newborn to grow and thrive in their special ways. Like the sun shines brighter and sends its warmth, the moon shares its wisdom and belief, the deer with their kindness provide courage for the young one, and the trees offer flexibility for all the challenges to overcome. In short, the book conveys the message of love, hard work, confidence, strength, empathy, friendship, and most importantly, self-worth, self-love, and recognizing the importance of being happy and celebrating one’s unique qualities and finding beauty everywhere. Mandy Woolf has done a commendable job with I Love the Sparkle in You. The illustrations by Elmira Georgieva are such a delight to the eyes, creating a world of captivating wonder and heartwarming messages. The expressive artwork and the use of soft tones and warm colours give a whimsical touch, bringing this lyrical text to life. Mandy’s writing style is very engaging and poetic. The language is simple yet convincing, which creates a warm and comforting atmosphere for young readers. I loved the choice of words to convey the powerful message of love, acceptance, and self-worth. The book is recommended for children aged 3 and above as it promotes good qualities and habits in young children.”
Readers’ Favorite5-star review of I Love the Sparkle in You by Ananya Hazarika
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All of Mandy’s books have been awarded the highest 5 star review by Literary Titan. If you’d like to read them, simply click the button below.
Read reviews
The Songbird and the Sunshine review
Mandy recently sat down with the Alzheimer’s Society to conduct an interview for their magazine.
This wonderful kids magazine has reviewed a number of Mandy’s books and also conducted “An Interview with the Author,” which can be viewed below.
Interview with the Author
My Big Feelings And Me! review
The Songbird and the Sunshine review
Bertie and The Garden of Wonders review
Janey Just In Case review
Just Janey’s Way review
Bertie The Bouncy Beachball review
Bertie’s Christmas Adventure review
Harmony Dances On review
I Love the Sparkle in You review
Finding Mummy’s Glow review
Alongside the Literary Titan reviews and awards, Reader Views Kids has also reviewed several of Mandy’s books. Simply click on the links below to find out more.
The Songbird and the Sunshine review
I Love the Sparkle in You review
Just Janey’s Way review
Bertie The Bouncy Beachball review
Bertie’s Christmas Adventure review
“I Love the Sparkle in You” reviewed by Ananya Hazarika
I Love the Sparkle in You 5-star review by Ananya Hazarika
Mandy’s books have been read by many people on YouTube. To view all of the wonderful read along videos, from people such as Fun Story Playground, Dr Uche and Book Reality Experience, simply click on the buttons below.
Fun Story Fairground read alongs
Dr Uche Books read alongs
Book Reality Experience read alongs
Australian Storytime Anytime read alongs
Reader Reviews
Mandy has received numerous 5 star reviews of her books over the years, from readers across the world. Below you will find just a small selection.
“This is the perfect story for parents or teachers to read to their children. The author and illustrator have captured the worries of little people on their first day at school. I would highly recommend this book!”
SuzanneReview of Janey Just in Case on Amazon
“Janey Just in Case is a sweet story about a young girl who struggles with anxiety about her first day of school and her decisions on how to cope with the feelings that it causes for her. In the end, she learns to work with her unique approach to not only gain confidence for herself, but also to help others. A great story and an opportunity to discuss mental health with early readers in relatable terms.”
TimReview of Janey Just in Case
“My son loves this book. Like many children, he’s found going back to school after the pandemic rather challenging and has often said he feels anxious. Reading this book together has helped him massively, and he often chooses it as his bedtime story. Gorgeous illustrations too. Can’t wait for more in the Janey series!”
AmyReview of Janey Just in Case on Amazon
“A beautifully illustrated and well written children’s story with a character that children will resonate with and learn from. This book is a must have to add to your child’s collection of favourite stories and one that will help prepare children for their first experience of school.”
KirstyReview of Janey Just in Case
“Mandy’s best book yet! A beautiful, sweet, and well-illustrated story about Bertie who is an old deflated beach ball and far from perfect. He just wants to be picked and played with by the children. Finally, he is chosen and encouraged by his toy library friends to bounce and do his very best to bounce higher and higher! A wonderful story of believing in yourself and having the confidence to be resilient and try with amazing results! As an early years teacher, I loved this story, especially the discussion questions at the end of the book. A great story to read at circle time and for more experienced readers. Something for everyone!”
MichaelReview of Bertie the Bouncy Beachball on Amazon
“The illustrations for Janey’s first day at school are superb – colourful, clear and bright. The storyline is very important for every child of Janey’s age, and well written. I’d say this is a book which is a must read for any parent with a child starting school soon. I hope there are more books by this author and illustrator!”
YvonneReview of Janey Just in Case
“Woolf’s delightful story, “Janey Just in Case”, perfectly captures the essence of a little girl’s anticipation, excitement and even fear about her first day at school. Janey’s interaction with her parents and her new classmates is believable and cute, and shows young children how it can be done, without dismissing their very real fears of facing the unknown. Elmira Georgieva’s colourfully eye-catching illustrations complement the story and will capture the imagination of the young child. This book should be in every home to help parents prepare their children for that transition from home life to school life. I only wish this had been around when my own children and grandchildren were starting out at school.”
PhoebeReview of Janey Just in Case
“‘Janey Just in Case’ is a wonderful children’s story that shows a very charming young girl who is about to embark on an exciting yet nerve-wracking journey, her first day of school! This title is filled with warmth and sensitivity and young readers are taken on an emotional ride as they join Janey in navigating the anxieties and preparations that come with an important milestone, like starting school. The author captures the mixture of excitement and nervousness that often accompanies these life events, which makes Janey a character of which children of all backgrounds can truly resonate with. The underlying message of embracing change and being prepared for new experiences shines through.”
BronwynReview of Janey Just in Case
“A delightful children’s story that all children young and old will be able to relate to. The horror of that first day at school is a feeling that most people will have experienced at some point and the author captures this emotion wonderfully.”
AnneReview of Janey Just in Case
“I absolutely loved this book from start to finish. Everything about it works perfectly for me. The main character is appealing and relatable, the author expresses an important issue without ever preaching and the illustrations that accompany the story are beautifully orchestrated. I would recommend this book to parents and children to help them understand issues of childhood anxiety and that whilst this can be challenging, it also can be a trait related to sensitivity, which has its upsides too.”
MichelleReview of Janey Just in Case
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