There's Always a Friend at the Songbird Cafe
Book 1: Mollie Cinnamon is Not a Cupcake
Mollie Cinnamon is stuck on the snoresville island of Little Bird with her great-granny while her tv-presenter mum, Flora films a new travel show. Mollie is bored, bored, bored until she makes friends at the magical Songbird Cafe. However disaster strikes when the cafe is threatened with closure.
Can Mollie and her new friends save the cafe?
'First in a heartwarming new series. (Sarah) writes really well for this age group.'
Fiona Noble, The Bookseller
Book 2: Sunny Days and Moon Cakes
The second book in The Songbird Cafe Girls series is about friendship, family and a very special cafe. Little Bird Island has been Sunny's home since she was adopted from China. Sunny loves baking and drawing - if only her anxiety didn't stop her from speaking to her friends. Could a trip to China be the key to unlocking Sunny's voice?
Book 3: Aurora and the Popcorn Dolphin
Some background to the book:
Aurora, or 'Rory' in this book has a special bond with dolphins.
I’ve always been fascinated by dolphins and whales. When I was nine I tried to teach myself how to speak Humpback whale by listening to a plastic record of their amazing song. Strange but true! The record came attached to a copy of National Geographic magazine and it was one of my prized possessions.
Every day after school I’d shut myself in my room and wail and moan like a Humpback. My mum used to rush into my room, thinking I was sick. If you’ve ever heard a Humpback whale singing you’ll know what I mean.
There are lots of dolphins in the waters around Ireland and I’ve been lucky to see them on many occasions. I’ve seen whales too, in both Ireland and New Zealand.
I had so much fun researching this book and I learned a lot about sea mammals along the way.
Interview with Sarah Webb, author of The Songbird Cafe Girls
1. Little Bird is such a lovely place. Was it inspired by a real island?
Yes, it was inspired by two islands off West Cork, Ireland: Cape Clear and Sherkin Island. I wanted to create somewhere very beautiful and quite magical, like those real islands. But I also wanted to give it rapids, its own dolphin (called Click) and its own special atmosphere.
2. This book is very much about finding a place in the world that feels like home. Where is your favourite place?
A tiny village in West Cork called Castletownshend. The scenery is stunning and it’s right on the sea. I love swimming and kayaking and sailing, so it suits me perfectly. I do a lot of my writing there.
3. Who was your best friend at school?
I had two best friends the whole way through school, and they are still my best friends now, along with one newer best friend who is a writer. I met them through sailing. They are called Nicky and Tanya and they are funny and beautiful and super smart! (They made me say that but it’s true!)
4. Mollie's favourite film is The Wizard of Oz. What's yours?
Like Mollie, I’m a big movie fan. In fact, we share a lot of favourites, including The Wizard of Oz and Spirited Away. I also love Field of Dreams. I watch it every year. I love its message – ‘If you build it, he will come.’ Basically, it tells you to have big dreams and to follow your heart. It’s a wonderful, magical film and everyone should watch it.
5. Flora loves her job as a TV presenter. If you weren’t an author, what would you be?
A children’s bookseller. My dream is to run my own children’s bookshop one day. Watch this space!
6. Which character from Mollie Cinnamon Is Not a Cupcake are you most like?
That’s a hard question. I guess, if I had to pick one, I’d say Nan. She’s a lot older than I am, but like me, she makes mistakes and attempts to fix them as best she can. She also fights for what she believes in and also tries to look after the people she loves.
7. We loved reading about Mollie, Landy, Sunny and Alanna. Can we expect more stories about them?
Yes, there are two more books to come, Sunny Days and Moon Cakes - which is about Mollie’s friend, Sunny - and Aurora’s Dolphin about another new girl to Little Bird who befriends Click the dolphin.