Children’s Book Review: ‘Ting-A-Ling The Old Ambulance’, by Harry Goldstar

Summary:

Blurb

Welcome to the world of Ting-a-Ling. The friendliest old ambulance there ever was. With line drawn illustrations for YOU to colour in helping you to familiarise yourself personally, with Ting-a-Ling, his owner and restorer Alf, his mum, and Mr .Grimsby the boss of the big ambulance station. Open the cover and jump into a whole NEW world of ambulance stories and adventures.

Designed in a quirky style encompassing story telling, entertainment, colouring and education, suitable for both younger readers and adults alike. Truly an all in one compendium. Just like the filling in a sandwich, the best bit’s inside.

Simple and easy to read. The stories are written with a smattering of comical northern dialect in bite size chapters so as not to be taxing on the brain.

Have difficulty in reading? Written by a dyslexic who knows what a struggle it can be. This book really is here to help YOU!

If Ting-a-Ling had wings I would say welcome to the flying start. This book is the first in a series in the making where you will meet Ting-a-Ling and his friends.

TRY ME. If not for yourself. Think of someone else. Possibly a little person who the stories are written for.

You will love Ting-a-Ling. EVERYONE does!

My Review

Alf the mechanic finds an old ambulance in a field and takes it home to be repaired. The ambulance is named ‘Ting-A-Ling’ and represents the ambulance station at events.

The story is accompanied by line drawings. I think these could be coloured in by the reader.

The story is interesting and enjoyable to read. I think it’s probably for slightly older pre-school children or for those in the first couple of school years. It’s not that difficult to read but has some depth to it.

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Author Information

Born in Lincolnshire, the author draws on his northern roots with northern colloquialisms throughout these stories. As a child, the author was diagnosed with a life-threatening disease which he fought head on, however it has affected every day of his life since. A keen lover of older vehicles and all things transportation. The author has a practical, hands on approach, and fascination of how they work along with a love of the tools required in general. The author is an active supporting member of a prestigious living historic steam railway run as a charity for the benefit of others. He is also a volunteer trustee of a disability information service empowering the less able to live better and fulfilling lives and trying to change the perception of disability. He currently resides in King’s Lynn.