A TEACHER, author and mother-of-two has lived up to the title of her second children’s book ahead of its publication this week.

Highly acclaimed first-time author Jenny Pearson hopes to follow on from the success of her first foray into children’s fiction, The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates, last year, with The Incredible Record Smashers, published on Thursday.

‘Freddie Yates’ was shortlisted for the Costa Children’s Award, was a Waterstones Children’s Book of the Month selection and a 2021 Read for Empathy title.

The follow-up, Record Smashers, aimed specifically at the nine to 12-age range, has earned rave advance reviews for dealing with the issue of children living with a parent with mental health problems in a humorous, heart-warming fashion.

It tells the story of Lucy, described as, “a fixer of broken things”, who attempts to overcome her mother’s unhappiness with, “an incredible plan”.

Along with best friend, Sandesh, she aims to smash a world record as she is convinced Record Smashers tv host, the celebrity crooner Paul Castellini, is the answer to her mother’s problems.

Prior to publication, the author set about achieving a Guinness World Record of her own, along with her Year 4 pupils at St Margaret’s Primary School in Neville’s Cross, Durham.

To mark World Book Day they became the proud holders of the official world record for the most people in an online reading video relay.

That was despite the fact half the children were home-schooling at the time.

Participants took it in turn to read from The Incredible Record Smashers, with use of online links set up with the help other colleagues at the school.

Mrs Pearson is confident of confronting issues affecting children, in an empathetic way, thanks to her experiences as a teacher.

“I’ve been teaching for 16 years and I’ve see kids dealing with all sorts of issues.

“Freddie was dealing with bereavement and Lucy with a family mental health issue.

“As a teacher I’ve seen a lot of Lucys and Freddies.

“I like to think I marry up deeper harder themes with humour, which acts like a comfort blanket and helps kids to understand they are not on their own.”

She hopes The Incredible Record Smashers will help those children who are affected by parental mental health, and the adults who live and work with them, to explore the deeper themes of the book.

Information and support, provided in partnership with the charity Our Time, is given at the back of the book.

Originally from Salisbury, in Wiltshire, Mrs Pearson and husband, Andrew, a former Durham University student and also a teacher, headed to the North-East four years ago, as he has family roots in the region.

She combines teaching and her writing with being the mother of two sons, as well as fitting in several sporting activities, including appearing for Durham-based netball team, All Sorts, while she is also a former European backstroke age group 200m swimming champion.

The Incredible Record Smashers, published by Usborne, is priced £6.99.