New book about "cherishing the beauty of imagination and storytelling"

As Wenny, aged 35, explains: “Sandy Castle is a heartwarming tale inspired by my adorable four-year-old twin daughters and my rich heritage as an island girl from Java Island, Indonesia. My journey led me to marry a wonderful British man who co owns a seaside amusement park with his brother and father in Littlehampton and we’ve been happily married for eight years.

“This book intertwines the magic of childhood imagination with the beauty of cultural heritage and my life as an island girl. Indonesia has over 18,000 islands, after all! As a child, I loved building sandcastles, and I think every child in the world, no matter where they are from, loves to build sandcastles. It brings happiness to children and families.

“This book is a collaboration with my father-in-law, who also loves sandcastles and created the sandcastle logo for our amusement park. Moreover, as I look to the future and think about my children, I am increasingly aware of the importance of teaching the younger generation to care for our planet, especially our coasts and oceans. I’ve been involved in environmental initiatives, such as COP26 in Glasgow with the Indonesian government, and I want to do more.

“The spark for Sandy Castle ignited from watching my daughters play and create magical worlds in the sand. Their boundless creativity reminded me of my own childhood adventures back in Indonesia. This book is a love letter to their innocence and the joy of exploring new worlds. It’s significant to me because it bridges the gap between my past and present, merging the vibrant tales of Java with the coastal charm of West Sussex. It’s also important to inspire children and families to care for our precious natural world, especially our coasts and oceans. Sandy Castle is the perfect character and story as children can use their magical imagination – who doesn’t love sand and building sandcastles? It’s something we all have in common and it brings happiness.

“Sandy Castle is aimed at children and families who cherish the beauty of imagination and storytelling. It’s a delightful read for anyone who enjoys tales of adventure, cultural richness and the whimsical nature of childhood, along with a positive message about loving and caring for our natural world, especially our coasts and oceans. Writing this book was an absolute joy as it allowed me to revisit the wonder of my youth and share it with my daughters and readers around the world. We love the beach, we live by the seaside, and combining stories from my childhood with environmental care has been wonderful.

“The inspiration came naturally from my daily life, the stories I grew up with, and seeing my children share the same love for nature, especially the sea. I started writing it because I wanted to capture those fleeting moments of wonder and pass them on. My daughters love stories, and they enthusiastically listen to the tales I create for them. My aim is to spark imagination in young readers, remind adults of the magic that lies in simplicity, and inspire them to protect our planet, especially our coasts and oceans, with fun and simplicity. The book is aimed at very young children, ages five to eight. It tells the story of twins who love to build sandcastles, and the sandcastle they build comes to life as Sandy Castle. Sandy Castle takes the twins, Roman and Rosie, to Sand Kingdom, where every sea creature works hard to protect and save the world but magic alone isn’t enough—they need human help too.”