GONE TO THE DOGS...

Unwanted dogs often end up in the city dog pound… and if not claimed or re-homed, they will be put down. Reader Sophie tells us how she got involved in helping to rescue abandoned dogs…

Sophie says:

We owned a retired racing greyhound and my mum wanted advice on how to look after him, so she approached a charity called Greyhound Gap. Soon after that she started to volunteer for the charity and I started to help out too. Greyhound Gap is a rescue charity which helps save the lives of greyhounds and lurchers. We get many of our dogs from the dog pounds and if we didn't help them, they would be put to sleep as the council dog pounds can only afford to keep strays and abandoned dogs for a short time. Greyhound Gap has around 80 dogs in their care.

After a while, a four month old puppy came into the rescue, and my family decided to foster her. We ended up falling in love with her so we adopted her and named her Zelda. Since then we have fostered nine dogs altogether. At the moment, we have three of our own, called Buddy, Zelda and Luna. We also have three foster dogs, Bunny, Misty and Cardi. It's fun to look after foster dogs because they have had a rough life and I can help to make them feel loved. I like it when new dogs come in because if they are scared or naughty, with the help of our volunteers they can become really nice dogs. At the moment we are fostering Cardi, who is very ill… it really upsets me to see her in pain, but when a dog gets well again you know that all the hard work has been worthwhile.

This summer, I helped a lot at the rescue. We have had lots of trips to and from the vets, and we had to drive to Worcester to rescue some dogs. One day we went to Shrewsbury to collect 100 donated duvets for the dogs - I had to help lift them onto the van! We did some fundraising events, which was fun, and every Saturday we all met up to walk the kennel dogs. After the walk, they get lots of treats and I really enjoy that part!

There are lots of ways to help Greyhound Gap, such as fundraising or donating money, giving us things to sell or auction, helping at the kennels and walking the dogs. And adopting a dog from us, too, of course! Misty, in the picture just to the right, is one of the dogs we are fostering until she gets a home. She is a young lurcher who was abandoned and had puppies soon after; her puppies have all been re-homed, but Misty is still waiting for her perfect home, and she so, so deserves a family of her own. There is one thing every dog-owner can do… if everybody made sure their pets were neutered so that they can't have puppies, there would be far fewer unwanted dogs out there.

You can donate to GREYHOUND GAP here… or check out their website with a view to RE-HOMING a dog. THANK YOU!!!

Cathy says:
Awww! I looked after my dad's rescued greyhound after Dad died, and we have two rescue lurchers too, so I already know all about the wonderful work done by GREYHOUND GAP. I really hope that beautiful MISTY finds her forever home soon! How awesome is Sophie to help the charity? Would YOU ever help at an animal charity, or re-home a rescue animal? COMMENT BELOW to tell me more!

MY AWESOME HOLIDAY: THE SOUTH OF FRANCE!

Reader Becca tells us all about her memorable stay in the South of France on another post in our series about amazing holidays…

Becca says:

This summer I went to the South of France for a week. I went with a friend of mine, her mum and her aunt; we travelled down on the tuesday to a place by the beach called St Georges de Didonne. We stayed in a little cottage that had three bedrooms, a kitchen-living room and bathroom… it was only a ten minute walk from the beach front, which was totally amazing! That evening, my friend and I shared the biggest candyfloss I have ever seen in my LIFE… pretty impressive! The next day we just had a relaxing day, sunbathing and walking along the beach, chatting and playing games and generally relaxing. Perfect!

After a few amazing days of shopping and enjoying the beach, we decided to go fishing for crabs. I had never done this before and it was great fun! We ended up catching two - and of course then we let them go again. That evening it rained on our walk back - just a little drizzle, but still, we ran all the way back.  The trouble was that when we reached the cottage, my friend's aunt and mum had left to go into town, so we were stuck outside in the rain! It sounds bad, but it was actually hilarious… a great memory!

Later on that night, there was a night market. The stalls were beautiful! There was a street dance performance going on further down the street, so we watched that - it was awesome. The dance told a story, which I loved. The next day was the last, so we made the most of it and went into the town centre for a walk around and a final explore. That evening, I attended my first ever beach basketball match, too. It was an unforgettable holiday - I've had the most amazing summer!

Cathy says:
Wow… this sounds so laid-back and lovely! Did YOU have a fab holiday this year? COMMENT BELOW to tell us more!

MATHILDE: MAKE A DREAMCATCHER!

Reader Mathilde isn't just clever, creative and craft-crazy, she's willing to share her top secrets so that you can make something awesome too!

Mathilde says:

You will need:
1 embroidery hoop
1 hank of embroidery thread
1 hank of cotton knitting yarn
scissors
pen/marker

To decorate:
beads
feathers
hair accessories etc
These are just suggestions… you can tie anything you like on… collect shells or fake flowers or anything you fancy… be creative!

To make:

1. Take either of the hoops from your embroidery hoop (set the other aside for a second dreamcatcher!) and wrap the hoop neatly and tightly with the cotton knitting yarn.

2. Finish the wrapping neatly and hide the tail end of yarn.

3. To make the web you will be using a knot called the half-hitch. Google the half-hitch and practice a few times until you've got the hang of it!

4. Use a pen/marker to make six marks on the hoop, at equal distances. Tie on your embroidery thread and make a half-hitch knot at each marked point. Make sure you go in the same direction or it will look a bit odd!

5. Next, go round again, this time making knots in the centre of each straight line of thread you have created.

6. Keep knotting round and round, working inward until you reach the centre.

7. To finish off, tie five or six half-hitch knots to complete the web securely in the centre.

8. Cut three more pieces of the cotton knitting yarn and tie them at intervals along the bottom of the hoop. These can be different lengths as you please.

9. Tie your decorations to the ends of the yarn and add a butterfly hair decoration to the centre of the web. All done!

10. Don't worry if your web is a little lopsided - it all adds to the effect!

A dreamcatcher can be hung above the bed to catch bad dreams and neutralise unhappy or negative thoughts… or just used as a cute decoration. They make brilliant presents too!
Cathy says:
This is AWESOME! I love the pics and the instructions are clear enough even for me to want to have a go! Off to google a half-hitch knot right now! Are YOU the crafty type? COMMENT BELOW to tell us what your fave makes are!

SANDY: GROWING UP IN MALTA!

Reader Sandy looks back on her teenage years growing up on the beautiful island of Malta… find out what it was like!

Sandy says:
I come from Malta, a small island in the Mediterranean sea. I grew up in a fishing village in the south, and lived with my parents and my sister, who was three years older than me. I'm an animal lover, but unfortunately I was never allowed to keep a pet at home. I attended primary school until I was ten, a mixed school, and I wasn't very happy as I was bullied back then. My secondary school was girls

only and things changed for the better. I passed my exams and went to college, and those days were awesome… so much fun. I started studying drama and never looked back. I still study theatre studies and sometimes appear in local theatre productions and TV drama shows… it was the best thing I've ever done.

Maltese people are Roman Catholics, and we are famous for traditional village feast during the summer. My village has two feasts, the Feast of Our lady of Mount Carmel, and the Feast of St Catherine. Months of hard work go into each event, which is a week of celebrations including masses, brass bands, fireworks and more… and the statue of the saint is carried around the village while everyone prays.

Traditional Maltese food is amazing! Maltese bread is baked in a unique way… and then we have Pastizzi (cheesecakes) which wonderful. The most traditional food for me is a dish of snails… you might think it gross, but it's delicious. Other typical foods are Patata l-forn (potatoes, meat and vegetables baked in the oven); Kosku (pasta with broad beans, egg and begetables); Bigilla (Maltese bean dip); and Imqaret (dates wrapped in pastry).

Like many countries, Malta has its own traditional costumes which these days are worn for folklore shows for tourists. The most famous costume is the ghonella, a long, loose black gown. Our language is
Maltese, a semitic language derived from Arabic. It's unique, and is only spoken in Malta. English is also widely spoken now, and is overpowering Maltese so that we are now losing some of our Maltese words. Often foreign students trying to learn Maltese find it very difficult to learn and to pronounce.

As Malta is an island, we are surrounded by sea and from a very early age Maltese children are very good swimmers. In summer, the beaches are full of people enjoying the beautiful sunny weather. It is not a huge island to get around - you can drive from north to south in just 45 minutes, but we do have a great many cars which causes congestion. These days, I am grown up and married, but I still live in my childhood village with my husband and our two pets, a rabbit called Pumpkin and a canary called Nenu. Wherever I travel, I am always happy to return to this beautiful place - it's home!

Cathy says:
Malta sounds wonderful! I have never been, but plan to visit one day… maybe soon! The descriptions and photographs look idyllic! Do YOU live outside the UK? COMMENT BELOW to tell me more and to let me know if YOU would like to write about it for DREAMCATCHER!

GEMMA: MY FRIENDS HAVE DITCHED ME...

It's problem page time again on DREAMCATCHER… and reader Gemma has a dilemma for Cherry to solve. Will you agree with the verdict?

Gemma says:
I have just started secondary school. My best friend moved away last year and I was hoping to make new friends at secondary, but I'm shy and it hasn't happened. I know people must think I'm stuck up or snobby. The girls from my class at primary have ditched me and don't even bother to try to include me in what they're doing. I am starting to feel really out of it. I don't want to get stuck with the losers and the loners. What should I do?

Cherry says:
I'm shy too, so I know how hard it can be to break the ice. It's impossible to do when you're all hung up on how anxious you're feeling or what others will think of you… so let go of those thoughts right now. Instead, think about the people you are talking to - be genuinely interested, open, willing to listen. Slowly, you will make friends. You assume others will think you're 'stuck-up' or 'snobby' - well, smile, be friendly to everyone and dare to make the first move when meeting new people and they won't have the chance to think that. Equally, don't judge people so harshly yourself - how do you know the people you've labelled as 'losers' and 'loners' aren't just shy, like you? Give everyone a chance… you might just be dismissing the people who could be the best friends you've ever had. Cathy's book LETTERS TO CATHY has some really useful chapters on building self confidence, so that will help too. It's worth joining a few school clubs, too… see what's on offer and get involved! You'll soon feel part of a team or group and make new friends in the process. Good luck!

Cathy says:
Good advice from Cherry - what would YOU add? COMMENT BELOW to have your say!

ROSIE: CC BOOKS CHANGED MY LIFE...

Reader Rosie writes about why CC books mean so much to her… and why she believes they have changed her life…

Rosie says:
I love Cathy Cassidy and her books. Cathy has been an inspiration to me for nine or ten years now; each time a new book came out, I was there in the bookshop to buy it, and I'd always email Cathy afterwards to tell her what I thought. My favourite CC books are INDIGO BLUE, DIZZY, MARSHMALLOW SKYE, LOOKING GLASS GIRL, SWEET HONEY, GINGERSNAPS and ANGEL CAKE. Check them out - they're all amazing, as well as the rest of Cathy's brilliant books.

I struggled with school and didn't have many friends, and I got teased quite a bit growing up. Cathy's books provided help, motivation and moments of escapism for me, and I honestly cannot thank her enough for that. Over the last five years or so, I wrote and emailed Cathy many times with questions and feedback, as well as chatting on about how much I adored curling up with her books and a cup of tea! She has always replied, with lovely messages and great advice, and I see her as a kind of mentor.

Cathy Cassidy is someone who has honestly changed my life. I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't discovered that dog-eared copy of INDIGO BLUE in a garage sale all those years ago. Cathy is an inspiration to me; her books are amazing, she's a lovely person and gives fab advice. Cathy is just one of the people who have inspired me in my life, but she definitely changed the way I think and, ultimately, who I am today. So… thank you, Cathy, for replying to my letters and emails, for writing incredible books, for giving the best advice, for letting me write for your blog and of course, for being yourself.

This feature was originally published on Rosie's brilliant blog,  http://rosieauthorwriting.blogspot.co.nz/

Cathy says:
Awww… I'm blushing now! Thank YOU, Rosie, for being so lovely. My readers mean the world to me, always. Have YOU ever had a role model or looked to someone for inspiration and advice? COMMENT BELOW to tell us more!

EVERY GIRL'S GUIDE TO SECONDARY SCHOOL...

Reader Heather gives the inside story on how to survive secondary school - and come through with flying colours!

Heather says:

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: I remember going into Year Seven… it was an adventure, and I was scared but optimistic too. You have to find people in your lessons to buddy up with - that's what I did and the girl I spoke to on that very first day is my best friend now! Although it may take a while to settle in and get used to your surroundings, you will settle eventually. My tips for Year Seven would be to work hard and build yourself a good reputation. Stick with people who bring out the best in you and make you happy! Try not to go 'off task' in class - concentrate, answer questions and get involved. Teachers like students who are dedicated and passionate about a subject!

HANDLING PEOPLE: You may get days where school is the last place you want to be, but always try your best - it will be worth it in the end. Never feel you have to impress your classmates by wearing the latest fashions or caking on the make-up. You don't - just be you! Be friendly  to everyone - if someone is on their own, try to include them if you can. Settling in on your own is hard, so be a friend and give them a helping hand. If you are being bullied at any point, tell a teacher. You do NOT deserve to be treated badly - tackle the problem quickly and don't let it escalate.

SUBJECTS: Time will fly past, and in Year Ten you will have to pick your GCSE options… the subjects you will take as exams at the end of Year Eleven. It can seem a daunting process, but the previous three years will have helped you to sort out which subjects you like and which you don't. English, maths and science are compulsory (at my school, anyway!) but other than that you get to choose. Pick subjects you enjoy and are good at and try not to be pressured by others into taking options you know you may regret.

TEACHERS: Some of the kindest people I know are teachers. They put in so much hard work behind closed doors to make your lesson - and your school career - a success. Respect your teachers and try to learn from them as a person as well as learning the subject. If you clash with a teacher, try to avoid arguments and feuds… teachers are only human and we won't get on with them all, but they don't have to be enemies. A pleasant smile and a polite comment or two will go a long way.

LOOKING BACK: I'm now in my final year of secondary - Year Eleven - wow! I wish I could turn time back and be that little eleven year old in the photo with shiny shoes and two neat plaits, but I have learned so much. I've discovered my potential and know I would like to be a writer or an English/Drama teacher in the future. I have GCSEs in seven months, so this next year will be non stop study for me. I've come this far because of good friends and great teachers - I've been pushed to the limit, but with very good reason! High school is not as scary as it seems… you just need to take each day as it comes and work hard. It really is that simple!

Cathy says:
I love Heather's top tips on secondary school… I wish I'd known them back when I was eleven! Have YOU just started Year Seven? Are you struggling to find your feet? Or are you older now, and wiser? COMMENT BELOW to share your views!

CHOCOLATE BOX WRAP PARTY!

Reader Millie writes about the day she attended the very special CHOCOLATE BOX GIRLS 'Wrap Party' at Puffin Towers in London!

Millie says:

It was Saturday 13th June and I'd never been so excited in my life. Today I would meet my favourite author, Cathy Cassidy, along with my best friend Sharlize. As part of an activity in my school's creative writing club, I had written some interview questions for Cathy which were then sent to the Guardian - newspaper. Then came the news that instead of having the questions answered by email or video I was to go down to London to meet and interview Cathy at a special 'Wrap party' for her CHOCOLATE BOX GIRLS series! We took the train to London and walked to Puffin HQ where we were given security passes. So many questions were flying around my head. How many other children would there be? What would we do? Would I be able to take photos?

A lady from Puffin books led us down a marble-lined corridor; I think Puffin HQ has to be the poshest building I've ever been in! We whizzed up to the 10th floor where there were stunning views of London, and Cathy was there to greet us. She talked to everyone, and then we found a seat and began making and decorating our own name tags. Cathy made an inspiring speech about her new book Fortune Cookie and told us how she writes and where her ideas come from. Then there were lots of fun activities to try while Cathy moved around the room chatting and signing books on every table. My favourite task was icing chocolates in the style of the iced truffles on the covers of Cathy's books.

The winners of the My Best Friend Rocks comp was announced - the finalists were all guests too! Everyone was given a goodie bag with Cathy's four most recent books inside - LOOKING GLASS GIRL, FORTUNE COOKIE, SWEET HONEY and CHOCOLATE BOX SECRETS, along with a magazine, some posters ad a fortune cookie! Sharlize and I went to grab some fruit to dip in the chocolate fountain and then we took some photos with Cathy on the balcony, which had a stunning view of London and the Thames behind. The icing on the cake for me was that this all took place on Cathy's birthday. A delicious chocolate cake was brought out and we all sang Happy Birthday. Cathy was so genuine and down to earth, spending so much time with each person.

Thank you so much Cathy for writing these amazing books and being such a lovely person. Thanks to Guardian Children's Books for giving me the opportunity - I loved every minute and wish it was possible to go back in time and replay those amazing two hours!

Here is a video I made at the party: Meeting Cathy!

Here is the article me and Sharlize wrote for the Guardian, along with the interview! The Guardian article.

Cathy says:
Thank YOU, Millie, for this fab, fab feature… a perfect reminder of one of my very fave days this summer! You were all awesome… it was a real honour to meet you. What is YOUR fave memory of the summer? COMMENT BELOW to have your say!

MY AWESOME HOLIDAY: DUBAI DREAMING!

Reader Deborah writes about her dream holiday in Dubai… 

Deborah says:

When my family first decided to go to Dubai, I was a bit sceptical. I didn't think I would much enjoy a six hour flight to visit a country built on a desert… but my mindset completely flipped when we got on the plane! There were movies, TV shows and modern music as part of the entertainment… I was content for the whole six hours there and back! The hotel we stayed at was really nice too… they did an awesome breakfast with waffles and a pancake making machine. The whole hotel had great air conditioning so you never even felt the heat until you went outside.

There were so many places to go and things to see… we took a tour around Abu Dhabi and saw the Burj Khalifa (the tallest building in the world), the spice market, and a hotel with floors below sea level. All of that was amazing! We also went to the beach, which was very different (and very hot!) and I got to collect some seashells. There was an antique shop that looked like a museum at first - we got some jewellery and trinkets from there.

The shopping mall was a lot like an ordinary London shopping mall, with all the UK brand shops and the same kind of things on sale. The main thing that was different was the fact that there was a huge aquarium in the centre of Dubai's main mall/// it had sharks, sting rays and all kinds of other fish! I think the shopping mall was my favourite part of the trip, because although things looked the same as in the UK the experience was very different. The shop assistants would greet you, recommend things to you and were just generally very helpful. I managed to get some things for my Sweet Sixteenth birthday and a few cool presents for my friends. If you ever get the chance to travel to Dubai, go for it… you really won't regret it!

Cathy says:
What a holiday! I've passed through Dubai when working at a book festival in the emirate of Sharjah, and I remember how modern it was… and how HOT! What is YOUR most memorable holiday? COMMENT BELOW to tell us all!

A LITTLE PRINCESS...

As Queen Elizabeth II becomes the longest reigning British monarch, reader Josie delves into her early years…

Josie says:

Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born on April 21st 1926, the eldest child of the Duke and Duchess of York. Her grandparents, King George V and Queen Mary, were the king and queen, but although Elizabeth was third in line to the throne after her uncle and father, it was never expected that she would ever become queen; her uncle, Edward, was expected to succeed to the throne when the time came. In 1930, Elizabeth's little sister, Princess Margaret Rose was born. The family lived in Piccadilly, London, and also at White Lodge in Richmond Park.

Princess Elizabeth's quiet childhood came to an abrupt end in 1936 when her grandfather King George V died. As expected, her uncle came to the throne as King Edward VIII but a few months later he gave up the throne to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee; as king, Edward would never have been permitted to marry a divorced woman. This meant that suddenly, Princess Elizabeth's father was to become King George VI: in 1937 the two princesses watched the coronation of their parents take place in Westminster Abbey. Princess Elizabeth was now herself next in line to the throne.

The princesses were educated at home, with a series of French and Belgian governesses and religious studies lessons from the Archbishop of Canterbury. Princess Elizabeth also studied art and music and learned to swim and to ride. At eleven, she joined the Girl Guides and later the Sea Rangers. In 1939, life changed again when Britain declared war on Germany; Britain had entered World War II. During the London Blitz, it was suggested that the sisters should go to Canada, but this plan was not to be; the family did not want to be so far apart, and so the princesses were moved to the safety of Windsor Castle for the rest of the war while the king and queen stayed at Buckingham palace to keep public morale high.

In 1945, Princess Elizabeth joined the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service. At the end of the war, the two teenage princesses went out by themselves to join in the celebrations anonymously. Elizabeth later said: 'We asked my parents if we could go out and see for ourselves. I remember we were terrified of being recognised… I remember lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall, all of us just swept along on a tide of happiness and relief.' Princess Elizabeth had had a crush on a distant cousin, Prince Philip of Greece, since the age of thirteen. She eventually married him in November 1947 and Philip was given the title Duke of Edinburgh. In 1952, King George VI died and Elizabeth, then aged 25, was crowned Queen Elizabeth II. She has now become the longest reigning monarch the UK has ever known.

Cathy says:
Wow… I am not a royalist, but there are lots of things there I didn't know about Princess Elizabeth… what a fascinating life! What do YOU think of the story of her princess years? COMMENT BELOW to have your say!

RISHI: I DON'T WANT TO WASTE MY LIFE...

It's problem page time again and reader Rishi has a question for Summer Tanberry… will you agree with the advice?

Rishi says:
I am thirteen and I have always said that when I'm old I won't just sit there baking cookies - I will travel the world and live life to the full and not care what anyone thinks. But lately I go on and on about my dreams; I want to be an artist, author, reporter, singer and much more, but I do not know where to start on achieving any of this. A while ago I felt like I'd had enough of trying and since then I have been filled with laziness and confusion. I don't want to waste my life because I wasted my childhood caring too much what others might think of me. I have journals to write in but I can't even begin; I just don't know where to start on with planning my life. It all feels too difficult.

Summer says:
Don't be too hard on yourself, Rishi. You are probably a bit impatient, like my big sister Honey… you want results fast, but life isn't like that. To achieve your goals, you have to be sure of what they are… and when we're young, those goals can change all the time. I've spent most of my life dreaming of being a prima ballerina, but the buzz I get from teaching and helping young dancers is actually way more rewarding for me… it just took me a while to see that. My advice is to enjoy your teens and work hard at school so that you keep all of your options open for later. If you love singing, join a music group or theatre club, or take lessons; if you want to write, try journalling or write a short story next school holiday. If art appeals, carry a sketchbook with you and draw when you have any spare time; if being a reporter is your dream, start a school magazine or blog and get some experience now. Tiny steps can bring your dreams closer, and if some don't work out then perhaps they weren't the right dreams to be chasing. Focus on school, friends, having fun - you're thirteen, so enjoy your teenage years and let go of the anxiety of what might happen next. I have a feeling that a career, travel and adventure are all ahead for you - but be patient and let the future unfold slowly.

Cathy says:
I think that's great advice for Rishi from Summer… tiny steps are the way to make any journey, and even things that don't work out can be a useful life lesson. What would YOUR advice be? COMMENT BELOW to have your say...