Tiny Dancer: A book for Lily-Mae

by Brenda Woods

On 1st June 2012 while most of us were going to places of fun and sun - Judith Sibley, from Claregalway, her four-year-old daughter Lily-Mae and the entire family - were going into a place of darkness. A spot that to this day, they are still fighting to get out of.

The devastating news had been delivered - Lily-Mae had cancer, a very rare and aggressive form - neuroblastoma. It was the worst - Stage 4. The chances of survival long-term were slim.

A song was sung by many to raise monies for The Sunni Mae Trust to fund research. The song called Tiny Dancer, reached No. 1 in the Irish charts. Elton John sent a public video with good will wishes. The story travelled around the world into many hearts.

This book is just part of that journey.

We hope it will help in some way towards giving Lily-Mae and children like her, their own *Happy Happy Happy ever after.

The Write Space is indebted to best-selling author Cathy Kelly, singer Mary Black, Gari Deegan (The Voice) Mickey Joe Harte, Brian Hogan (Killa), Sean McKeown (The Reverse), Matthew Devereux (The Pale), Rob Vickers (Les Miserables) for allowing their pieces to be included in this publication.

*Lily-Mae’s favourite saying.

120 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 2, 2013

About the author

Brenda Woods was born in Ohio, grew up in Southern California, and attended California State University, Northridge. Her award-winning books for young readers include The Blossoming Universe of Violet Diamond (a CCBC choice and a Kirkus Reviews Best Book); the Coretta Scott King Honor winner The Red Rose Box; the ALAN Pick Saint Louis Armstrong Beach; and VOYA Top Shelf Fiction selection Emako Blue. Woods’s numerous awards and honors include the Judy Lopez Memorial Book Award, the FOCAL International Award, and the ILA Children’s Choice Young Adult Fiction Award. She lives in the Los Angeles area.