The authors clever illustrations make it easy to engage in the story and allow us to learn more about the characters than the words allow on their own. This would be a great lesson to do with the children. Particularly in a Year 2 class. Beauty and the Beast meets King Kong. It is a sweet story of companionship between a Gorilla and a kitten with touches of humor and a strong message. I love that Browne is never heavy handed. When a lonely gorilla needs a friend, his keepers introduce him to Beauty, a gorgeous kitten. It's an unlikely pairing, but they hit it off immediately, and become inseparable. They love spending time together, cuddled up in a comfy chair, swinging from the light fittings, or even having a very happy poo side by side. When the gorilla does something he shouldn't, it looks like Beauty might have to go away. But they have to be together, don't they? They'll live happily ever after, won't they? Chardonnay Chardonnay is the King of the white wine grape varietals – and features all over the world. The most expensive chardonnay exists in Burgundy with wines such as Meursault and Puligny Montrachet, as well as in California where there are some stunning options. It is strongly linked with Champagne – and is the 100% varietal in Blanc de Blanc champagne. You can now find Chardonnay in Spain, South Africa, Italy and Australia as a few examples. This is a story of a gorilla who learned sign language. He lives at the zoo and seemingly has everything, including a TV. However, he is sad and lonely. One day he signs to his keepers that he would like a friend, so they give him a kitten named Little Beauty. The two friends are very different in size and appearance, but they get along well and do everything together. One day, while watching a movie about King Kong, gorilla gets mad and smashes the TV. When the zookeepers come, they want to take away his friend. Suddenly (and surprisingly), Little Beauty uses sign language to tell them that she broke the TV. The two friends can stay together and it’s a happy ending.

This cookie is set by the provider Akamai Bot Manager. This cookie is used to manage the interaction with the online bots. It also helps in fraud preventionsI've read and re-read Little Beauty. I've loved it every single time. I'm still not sure how it's possible for a picture book to be this good. I've probably rabbitted on more about why adults will love it, rather than why children will, but they really will lap it up just as much. I've gushed about many picture books, and I'm sure I'll gush about 40,000 more, but Little Beauty is firmly at the top of my most favouritest bestest ones ever. Yes, even better than Hairy Maclary by Lynley Dodd. I love it. If you don't buy it, I'll cry. Syrah Syrah, also know as Shiraz in the Southern Hemisphere is one of the most brilliant and interesting varietals. Synonymous with the wines of Northern Rhone in France, making famous wines such as Saint Joseph and Cote Rotie. It is a blending grape variety in the Southern Rhone to, in the GSM blends of Cotes du Rhone. In Australia, the Shiraz wines are very highly regarded as well. Gorilla lives in a zoo but he has a TV, a recliner and eats and drinks from plates and cups. He is lonely, so his handlers give him a kitten (Little Beauty) who becomes his close friend. One day when he watches King Kong on television, he becomes so angry at the story that he breaks the television. Angry at Gorilla and scared for Little Beauty, his handlers threaten to take away his friend. But someone comes to Gorilla's rescue. Who could it be? Its Little Beauty. She learned sign language from Gorilla and tells the handlers she broke the TV. So in the end, Gorilla and Little Beauty live happily ever after. This story is a little bit of a play on Kong and the traditional Beauty & the Beast, and can be used to teach children about using words to express their anger and being loyal in the face of diversity. A very special gorilla with the ability to use sign language indicates to his human keepers that he wants a friend. After some thought, they provide him with a little kitten named Beauty, and a wonderful cross-species friendship is born. Gorilla and cat do everything together, becoming boon companions. But will they be separated when the gorilla loses his temper? Or will Beauty find a way to make things right...? An idyllic part of the world, Nelson, the town adjacent to Marlborough, at the top of the South Island of New Zealand.Life was about riding our ponies, going to the beach, hiking in the mountains, fishing in the rivers.My entire school from 5 years old to 12 years old only had 28 kids total.At times, the whole school would go rafting in the local river instead of doing maths.It was a really special place to grow up.

Career choices in NZ at the time were heavily oriented towards agriculture, horticulture, or tourism, andit was about the time that New Zealand wine companies were starting to make their mark internationally.I loved how wine was such a social thing, and always focused around food too.Viticulture was an exciting industry to get involved with and I definitely wanted to be a part of it.After he left school, Anthony studied graphic design and then went on to paint the insides of people’s bodies for medical textbooks. He found this fascinating, but after three years found that the work was becoming repetitive (“if you’ve seen one stomach operation, you’ve seen ‘em all!”) and instead began designing greetings cards. This in turn led him to illustrating children’s books – his book Gorilla began life as a picture on a birthday card. Anthony lives in Kent and has two grown-up children.

The emotions experienced by the Gorilla are something that all children will have experienced at some part in their lives, making this book something that they will be able to relate to. This could also make their interpretations of the emotions shown through the illustrations even better. There are lessons to be learned too. Important lessons about standing up for your friends, about doing right by others, about unbreakable bonds of friendship, about love. They're not hammered home; they're just there. You can read it as just a sweet story about a gorilla and a kitten, or you can delve deeper. You'll absolutely adore it either way. It's completely perfect; entirely without fault. It's wonderful. I love it.

Burgundy We are continually working on our Burgundy wines – that are typically made up of the King grape varietals of Chardonnay for the white wines, and Pinot Noir for the red wines. Take a look at the Joseph Drouhin range, Domaine Laroche wines, or wines from Chateau de Meursault. There is plenty to choose from at a range of price points. This cookie is used to detect and defend when a client attempt to replay a cookie.This cookie manages the interaction with online bots and takes the appropriate actions. Following the success of the sell-out first event, the highly anticipated event featuringLittle Beauty Wines is set to be equally as sought after. Creating bespoke, independent wine from the unique Waihopai Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand , Little Beauty Wines are only available on limited release, with annual production representing 0.00055% of the total global wine market. From my range, no favourites.I love them all, for different reasons.From outside of our range, same – no favourites, as long as they have been made with integrity.I would also thoroughly recommend to invest in a good set of wine glasses (Riedel for example).Getting the right glass for the variety makes a huge difference. The story line itself can be a starting point for discussion about loneliness, friendship, and kindness, potentially supporting PSHE topics. Throughout the story the gorilla experiences a range of emotions; sadness, happiness, anger, all of which are conveyed by the expressions on the gorilla’s face.

If you want the chance to sample some of Fleur’sLittle Beauty wine collection, then she will be taking part in the second installment of ‘ An unexpected Pairing‘ on the 2nd September. She will be collaborating withleading sommelier, Sunaina Sethi, co-owner and wine buyer for Michelin starred Trishna andGymkhana, as theytalk guests through a selection of Little Beauty Wines pairedwith a four course Indian menu. The menu will express Trishna’s focus on the South West coastal cuisine of India, using the best British ingredients and traditional Indian techniques, the evening will demonstrate that wines can not only be paired with spiced dishes, but can actively elevate their flavours to new levels.

Can you give us a bit of insight into your routine?Three words: tenacity, tenacity and tenacity.You’re grappling with seasons, exchange rate fluctuations, macro-economic issues that directly affect demand, working with multiple time zones and cultures…and drinking and eating A LOT. It takes you to incredible places and you meet incredible people in this industry….and you find the common thread – out and out passion (for the industry).