A nurse at Harrogate District Hospital has written a children's book inspired by stories her grandad told her growing up.
The Little Red Balloon follows a little boy and his red balloon on a series of magical adventures, exploring kindness, memories and the connections we share with the people we love.
The author’s grandad was born and brought up in Ripley, near Harrogate.
She spent much of her childhood with her grandparents, listening to his stories alongside her brother.
Those memories inspired her to preserve his tales for a new generation of children.
She said:
“I wanted to turn the stories my Grandad told me as a child into something that could be shared with children today, keeping his memory alive for generations to come.”
Alongside her writing, she works as a nurse at Harrogate District Hospital, with kindness providing a connection between the two roles.
She said:
"My Grandad taught me the magic of stories, and my work as a nurse has shown me the importance of kindness.
"Through The Little Red Balloon, I hope I can bring those two things together and inspire children to understand that kindness is a gift we can all give, and one that can last a lifetime."
The book is also a way of sharing her grandad’s Yorkshire roots and the stories that shaped her childhood with the local community.
She added:
“I hope children take away the message that you don't have to do something extraordinary to make a difference.
"Sometimes, the smallest act of kindness can stay with somebody forever.”
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