Sherford's Lost Valley: 1 Bertrum's Story

Nineteen tiny, wild bears called Dinkers, have lived for many generations within a small wood in an English valley. They have never been seen by humans before, but now find themselves in a difficult situation; their valley & the woods they live in are about to become a new town. They must move or be destroyed, but they are faced with a terrible dilema as they are land locked on all sides and there isn't anywhere to go. Bertrum, a young cub, comes up with the idea of contacting the human child he's seen at a nearby farmhouse for help, but not all like the idea! However, he sets out on his adventure and finally finds her by climbing the wall of the house and jumping into her bedroom. At first she is quite scared at this tiny bear, who's able to talk, and throws him accross the bed, but eventually becomes his friend and together, they make a plan to save the Sherford Valley Bears. Excited about the plan, Bertrum races back to tell the others and is attacked by the farm cat who takes him in her mouth to the far side of the wood to eat him. Something frightens the cat and she runs off leaving Bertrum alone. Taking his chance, he runs back to the others to tell them the plan. Some go along with it, but some choose a different path but not everything goes the way they expect and soon the plans is forgotten as they must run for their lives. They all end up at the farmhouse and although they have been saved, their world is now very different. One Dinker however, refused to go with them!

About the Author :
Dee H. Dodgson follows a long family line of artists and authors, including Yates Wilson, who wrote 'More Alice', after Lewis Carroll back in 1959. Her books have been well accepted and enjoyed by children all over the world. She lives with her husband in the Sherford Valley near Plymouth, which has had planning passed for a new town. Accepted into the famous artists school in Belgium when she was just 16, she declined wishing to keep her art as a hobby, then later trained as a nurse and has had a very interesting and varied medical career, interspersed with youth work and bringing up three sons of her own, often telling exciting adventure stories made up on the spur of the moment, but never writing them down. Dee has always enjoyed fantasy novels and loves the look on children's faces when being told a good story. She prefers younger children's books not to contain violence and believes young minds need stimulation that is healthy and safe yet exciting and works their imagination. Her real name being Debbie Cullen, she chooses to write under the pen name of Dee H. Dodgson, being a mixture of her childhood nick name & her maiden name.

Review :
'No child should be without a bear to share their secrets. I loved the Sherford Valley Bears...Oh and children will too!' Judi Spiers, BBC Radio Presenter.