Baileys Court Primary School was buzzing with excitement as pupils welcomed author Josephine Davies, just three days before the launch of her latest campervan themed adventure book, Mischief on the Farm.
Originally from Frampton Cotterell, Josephine is a mother of two boys who have inspired the charming tales behind her book series, The Adventures of Benny & Zoom.
Balancing a career in finance, she finds joy in escaping into whimsical worlds where campervans come alive, and adventures await around every corner.
During a special assembly, Josephine captivated 240 pupils with a sneak peek into the new book, sharing not only the story but also the behind-the-scenes journey of writing and publishing. She described how her stories, once kept within the family, eventually felt ready to be shared with the wider world.
“Publishing a book isn’t easy, it takes time and passion, but it is well worth the effort and the personal reward is huge,” she said.
Josephine also highlighted the importance of testing new stories with real readers. Before publication, Mischief on the Farm was reviewed by a group of young readers – including Baileys Court Year 6 pupil Josh Jones, who played an important role in shaping the book’s final form.
“It was a pleasure to work with Josh and I hope to work with him again,” Josephine shared.
Josh added: ”It was amazing to be part of the process. I loved the moral of the story, and I can’t wait to read the book to my little cousins.”
Mrs Hunter from Baileys Court Primary School said: “What an incredible experience it was having Jo visit our school. The children really enjoyed listening to Jo talk about how to become an author and they asked some great questions. We felt so lucky and privileged being the first people to hear the story. As a school, we are very proud of Josh for helping Jo out and giving her such good advice. We can’t wait to hear about the next book.”
Josephine’s first book, A Sprinkle of Christmas Magic, released in February, tells the tale of Zoom the campervan helping Father Christmas on Christmas Eve. Mischief on the Farm explores themes of friendship, conflict, and second chances in a bright, fun, and relatable story perfect for every child’s bookshelf.
Josephine explained the creative process, from a simple idea to a fully published book .
Next up for Josephine is a visit to Hillesley Primary School, followed by an appearance at the Chipping Sodbury Book Fair at the Town Hall on 19 July, where she’ll be signing and selling her books at a discounted price. Her books are also available on Amazon.