Sarah Broadhurst and Lovereading

It has been brought to my attention this morning that there has been an email sent to publishers etc from Lovereading which includes the following:

There is only ONE real Sarah Broadhurst!

As you will know Sarah Broadhurst is one of the most respected editorial book experts in the trade and, each month for Lovereading, she selects the best fiction for our audience.

She has been doing this since Lovereading started some 6 years ago, but if you've been wondering whether Sarah is moonlighting elsewhere online, rest assured she's not. If you come across another Sarah Broadhurst on the net then do bear in mind she's not NOT the genuine article. Rather someone who would appear to be riding on the coat tails of our own Lovereading and Bookseller magazine expert.

You can follow the 'real' Sarah Broadhurst on Twitter @S_Broadhurst and our Sarah lives in Somerset not Worcestershire.

Obviously, you may want to send copies to both but our Sarah has noticed that sometimes books which she's been promised are on their way don't ever get to her. So  do please check your systems to ensure publicity copies aren't going to waste. We'd hate you to be inadvertently mislead.

I would like to say that I have never claimed to be Sarah Broadhurst from Lovereading/Bookseller and I always state this to publishers/PR etc when I approach them. It is unfortunate that my married name is the same as a well known reviewer in the industry however I would like to say that I have never used this to my advantage. I have also not, to my knowledge, ever received books that have been meant for the other Sarah Broadhurst.

I hope that this will not affect my ability to be a book reviewer for book publishers, surely the more reviews out there, the better for publicity and promotion.

Dora Ballerina - Nick JR. 30th September 4PM

Break out your dancing shoes because Dora the Explorer’s dance class is having a big show! In this brand new special Dora Ballet Adventure, Dora is opening the ballet show and she can’t wait for her family to see her perform. She just needs her dance slippers, but by mistake the Delivery Duck has brought scuba flippers instead! The show can’t start without the slippers. Can Boots help Dora find a pair of dance slippers and save the show?

This show premiers on Saturday 30th September at 4pm on Nick Jr and will be repeated throughout the week. Children can catch the show at the following times:

Friday 30^th Sept at 4pm and 6pm

Saturday 1^st October 10.30am and 5pm

Sunday 2^nd October at 1pm

Monday 3^rd Oct – 8.30am and 4.30pm

Tuesday 4^th Oct – 10.00am

Wednesday 5^th Oct – 2pm

Friday 7^th October – 4.30pm

Over on the Nick Jr website, Dora Ballerina fans can also see an exclusive clip from the show here, play an online game here or an online colouring page here. 

Penn State Gammon and mustard flavour pretzels

Fire up the BBQ and pack up the picnic basket - summer has arrived! Well, almost. Despite the fact that the weather hasn't been up to much so far, the UK's leading pretzel brand, Penn State Snacks, has something to brighten up everyone's day with the introduction of its delicious new pretzel flavour.


The mouth-watering new Gammon and Mustard pretzels offer a tasty twist on a popular family favourite. Baked, not fried, and still only 131 calories per 30 gram serving, this limited edition and low fat flavour provides a healthier alternative to crisps and other snack foods.


Lending its name to popular pub grub, the new flavour is packaged in fun, fresh, share-size snack packs with each 175g bag retailling at £1.29 and avaliable to buy in Waitrose stores throughout the summer.


As the nights draw in this winter, the hearty Gammon and Mustard pretzels also lend themselves well to all those cosy nights in with family and friends. Albeit a while off yet, this scrumptious flavour for all seasons will be avaliable to buy in ASDA stores over the festive period.


(above taken from Penn State news release dated 8 August 2011)


These pretzels are delicious. A strong mustard flavour with a hint of gammon.  They don't have a strong mustardy smell which I saw as a positive as I think that could of been off putting. They were tried by the whole family and both my husband and I enjoyed them, my son (age 7) thought they were okay but my daughter (age 9) did not enjoy them, however she doesn't like mustard full stop. I can see myself buying these over the festive period rather than for a summer snack as I see the flavour as being more Christmassy. One definite advantage to these pretzels are that they are not as strong as some of the ham and mustard crisps which have previously been on the market and I think the more subtle flavouring with a slight mustard aftertaste work well.

I really enjoy the Penn State Pretzels and have tried most of the flavours and my favourite are the sour cream and chives pretzels. The flavour is lovely and does not leave you with an oniony breath. They are baked rather than fried and therefore healthier, lower in fat, than some brands. The pretzels are not overly salty and do not leave you needing lots of rehydration as some pretzels can.

Thank you to Penn State and Gardiner Richardson for sending me the pretzels to review.

Have you met Olive the Ostrich on Nick Jr??

 Olive the Ostrich is an ostrich with a huge heart and a big imagination. When she buries her head in the sand she goes on fantastical adventures, popping up somewhere new in every episode. She is friendly, enthusiastic and loves to solve problems wherever she goes.


Olive the Ostrich launched on Nick Jr on Monday 5th September and is aimed at pre-schoolers.Nick Jr's newest animated show is on daily at 8.15am and 6.30pm. 


Narrated by Rolf Harris, each episode of Olive the Ostrich features  characters, props and backgrounds created by children aged 6 to 9 years. Selected schools from across the UK hosted workshops to inspire creativity and develop storytelling skills. Pupils learnt about the film making process and created artwork which was used in the finished episodes, after being brought to life by the show's animators.


Olive the Ostrich is created in partnership with The Prince's Foundation for Children and the Arts. 


(All above information taken from press release received from Nickelodeon Uk)

Olive the Ostrich is a cute, quirky bird with a great attitude. I watched the first two episodes in the series and loved the simple, child like backgrounds at the beginning of the episodes. Once Olive went on her fantastic adventures, the backgrounds were those created by the children and when looking closely at the backgrounds you could see many items taken from the average child's craft box: pipe cleaners, feathers and tin foil all featured in the pictures.

There is a catchy theme tune which I am sure preschoolers (and their parents/carers) everywhere will be singing  soon. Rolf Harris makes a great narrator, along with other actors voices, voicing the characters.

A great new programme for pre-schoolers everywhere to enjoy! I am sure Olive the Ostrich will be around for a long time!

Thank you to Nickeloden and Louise Harris for sending me the promotional materials to review.