Nottinghamshire singer-songwriter and illustrator mums joins forces to publish The Spot Spot Song children’s book

Two creative mums have got together to publish their second children’s book — celebrating inclusive fun.

Singer-songwriter Becky Syson, of Farnsfield, and illustrator Elsa Rickett-Trueman, of Upton, have recently self-published their book The Spot Spot Song, which is based on one of Becky’s songs.

Becky was inspired to create a collection of songs for youngsters after having her own children, and it was this which led her and Elsa to meet as she took her children to Becky’s Toddle Bops group in Farnsfield.

Elsa said: “Writing a children’s book has always been something Becky wanted to do, and realised that she already had — in song form. And for me, illustrating a children’s book is a dream come true.

“I originally trained in fine art, and then worked for many years in galleries and museums. I also paint animal portraits, and Becky asked me to paint her dog. She thought my playful style would be the perfect accompaniment to her words, and we decided to collaborate.”

The Spot Spot Song encourages children to learn about and name different body parts while not focusing on one body.

Instead, the book features illustrations of children with different skin tones, hair colours, and a range of mobility aids.

“The message of The Spot Spot Song is one of fun, caring and kindness. We want to perpetuate the idea that we can all play and have fun together,” Elsa added.

“With the illustrations, I had been struck myself how few books I have read with my own children that features images of disabled children. We really liked the idea of having lots of different body types in the book, without it specifically being about any one body type.”

In deciding to self-publish, the pair have had complete control over the process — including spending a lot of time choosing the perfect paper for the publication — and it is available to buy via Becky’s website, www.beckysyson.co.uk/store, and at independent retailers Supernova and The Lovely Little Toy Shop in Southwell, The Bookcase in Lowdham, and My Playful World in Tuxford.

They also have pop up stalls at markets and festivals — the next being the Gate to Southwell Festival in July.

To spread the important message of The Spot Spot Song, Elsa and Becky have taken it on tour with workshops at popular family venues such as White Post Farm, primary schools, forest schools, and nurseries.

The pair’s first book was The Animal Train, also based on Becky’s song of the same name, which focused on teaching counting, animal recognition, and sounds.