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Helen Tamblyn-Saville (she/her)

@helentamblyn.bsky.social

430 followers 140 following 190 posts

Wonderland bookshop owner (Children's Bookseller of the Year 2025), former lib dem councillor, politics nerd, tenpin bowling fanatic, researching comics, community rail. Based in North Notts. Kidlit is my bag. helentamblynsaville.com.

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Reposted by Helen Tamblyn-Saville (she/her)

Wonderland Bookshop @wonderlandbookshop.bsky.social · Sep 6

Little bit of news time! A bookseller who is taking on the London Marathon for @booktrust.org.uk! Excited to celebrate my 40th year with this challenge. #kidlituk

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Helen Tamblyn-Saville (she/her) @helentamblyn.bsky.social · Sep 6

SO good!

Helen Tamblyn-Saville (she/her) @helentamblyn.bsky.social · Aug 31

Little bit of Sunday news:

www.justgiving.com/page/helen-t...

Helen in Wonderland's London Marathon for BookTrust

Help Helen Tamblyn-saville raise money to support BookTrust

www.justgiving.com

Helen Tamblyn-Saville (she/her) @helentamblyn.bsky.social · Aug 30

In my experience, when a child isn't enthused about books, it's because they are being pushed towards things they don't like and feel like a chore. Some readers don't like fiction, they prefer facts. Some like prose. Some like pictures. Some like audio. All valid.

Helen Tamblyn-Saville (she/her) @helentamblyn.bsky.social · Aug 30

2026 is The Year of Reading, and I am determined I promote that reading is fun, and how it's important to understand that fun reading is different for everyone.

Allow children to choose. A joke book may not be your jam, but it may be the definition of reading being fun for someone else!

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Helen Tamblyn-Saville (she/her) @helentamblyn.bsky.social · Aug 30

They do the best crisps though.

Helen Tamblyn-Saville (she/her) @helentamblyn.bsky.social · Aug 10

This!

Angus Main @angusmain.bsky.social · Aug 10

I keep seeing generative AI being used on stuff for kids, like maybe they won’t notice, or it doesn’t matter as much. The opposite is true. Anyone who’s created anything for kids knows you should make more effort for them, not less.

Helen Tamblyn-Saville (she/her) @helentamblyn.bsky.social · Aug 4

Helped to organise a Pride event. Mostly went well, unfortunately some homophobia on social media but largely a great day.

And then today a vaguely threatening comment on one of the social media posts stating "hope nothing happens to you" followed by a derogatory term.

What is WRONG with people?

Helen Tamblyn-Saville (she/her) @helentamblyn.bsky.social · Aug 3

ALWAYS! They promised to make it their next order!

Helen Tamblyn-Saville (she/her) @helentamblyn.bsky.social · Aug 3

I was talking about Some Body Like Me yesterday!

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Reposted by Helen Tamblyn-Saville (she/her)

Lucy Lapinska / LD Lapinski 💛🤍💜🖤 @ldlapinski.bsky.social · Aug 3

There are now signed copies of Some Body Like Me, Strangeworlds and Artezans at @waterstonesargyle.bsky.social. Huge shoutout to D for recognising me instantly when I was trying to be coy and cool and subtle asking where the hardback scifi was 😭🥰🩵

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Helen Tamblyn-Saville (she/her) @helentamblyn.bsky.social · Aug 3

Yes! This is really annoying.

Helen Tamblyn-Saville (she/her) @helentamblyn.bsky.social · Aug 3

I saw them in London a few weeks back!!

Helen Tamblyn-Saville (she/her) @helentamblyn.bsky.social · Aug 3

Overload reached a whole new level last night. I lay on the bed for an hour trying to work out what I wanted for my dinner, couldn't work out dinner because thinking was too hard, and ended having a bowl of broccoli.

Helen Tamblyn-Saville (she/her) @helentamblyn.bsky.social · Aug 3

See also: stepping stone.

(provokes a similar reaction)

Louie Stowell @louiestowell.bsky.social · Aug 3

Every time someone calls comics a gateway to reading a new gateway to hell opens and devils rush through.

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Helen Tamblyn-Saville (she/her) @helentamblyn.bsky.social · Aug 1

Children's books are never "just a children's book." They stay with us. They can shape us. The stories can become part of us.

And so, when a loved children's author leaves us, it isn't just news, but it's grief.

The stories last a lifetime.

Thank you Allan Ahlberg for the magic. ❤️

#kidlituk

Helen Tamblyn-Saville (she/her) @helentamblyn.bsky.social · Jul 31

Each Peach Pear Plum was the early memory. But I LOVED Burglar Bill. My daughter loved it too.

I am so sad to learn that Allan Ahlberg has died. When children and adults of all ages can quote lines from his works, and his works with Janet, that's a special legacy, isn't it?

Iconic.

#kidlituk

Book cover of Burglar Bill by Janet and Allan Ahlberg

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Helen Tamblyn-Saville (she/her) @helentamblyn.bsky.social · Jul 25

Retford Pride. August 2nd.

Get it in the diaries!

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Helen Tamblyn-Saville (she/her) @helentamblyn.bsky.social · Jul 25

Time is so weird. Shall we go and do something nice soon?

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Helen Tamblyn-Saville (she/her) @helentamblyn.bsky.social · Jul 25

You look lovely!

Helen Tamblyn-Saville (she/her) @helentamblyn.bsky.social · Jul 25

Is there a word for that feeling when you feel a bit peculiar because your child has now finished primary school and in your mind, they only just started, but also, you feel like you only just left school yourself?!

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Helen Tamblyn-Saville (she/her) @helentamblyn.bsky.social · Jul 23

So lovely to do this today!

Wonderland Bookshop @wonderlandbookshop.bsky.social · Jul 23

Today we announced the winner of our first ever Wonderland Bookshop Reading Hero award. Congratulations Mrs Karen Hartley at Ordsall Primary who has worked so hard to spread the joy of books and reading!

Thank you so much Bounce Marketing for supporting this award!

#kidlituk

Photo of Karen Hartley standing behind a table of books, holding a certificate. A Wonderland Bookshop banner is off to the left side.

Helen Tamblyn-Saville (she/her) @helentamblyn.bsky.social · Jul 21

Yes!!!!

Helen Tamblyn-Saville (she/her) @helentamblyn.bsky.social · Jul 20

Yes!