Frequently Asked Questions
What is the publication date for Dandy the Van?
Excellent question! Dandy the Van published on December 6, 2019.
Will there be more books?
We love to dream big, and have ideas for over sixty books. Only time will tell if each one prints, to complete the series.
Is Dandy a real van?
She certainly is a real van! Dandy may be seen cruising around the United States, and occasionally Canada, too. She is bright purple, loves visiting public lands and is driven by Alaina Ann (Lainy Cakes).
Are Dandy’s sidekicks real people?
Yes! The three sidekicks are the three passionate people behind the creation of the Dandy the Van book series. Lainy Cakes (Alaina Ann) is the author. Divi Sweets (Diane Bidi) and Davey Marshmallow (David Sacramo) are the two illustrators. In real life, Alaina and David are siblings.
What is the best way to reach one of the sidekicks?
Whether you are reaching out from the press, inquiring about wholesale opportunities or secretly wishing to meet Dandy the Van in real life, we have you covered! Please use the contact form to reach one of Dandy the Van’s sidekicks. You will most likely hear back from Alaina Ann (Lainy Cakes).
How are orders shipped?
Shipping and handling is free of charge for all orders being sent within the United States, via USPS Media Mail for books, USPS First-Class Mail for stickers and and USPS or another carrier for merch. Please allow up to ten days from the order date for your book(s) to arrive, five days from the order date for your sticker(s) to arrive and ten days for merch to arrive. Expedited shipping with USPS Priority Mail is also available for books and stickers, for a fee. At this time, upgraded shipping is not available for merch items, as they are printed on demand with each order. Please be certain to confirm the correct address is used while processing your order.
At this time, the online store does not allow for international orders. Please use the contact form to initiate your order if you wish to have the items shipped outside the United States, as an additional shipping fee may apply.
What forms of payments are accepted?
All order payments are received electronically, using the online shop. Both credit card (processed by Stripe) and PayPal payments are available. Should other forms of payment be accepted in the future, the change will be noted here along with instructions.
Are refunds offered?
At this time, all orders are non-refundable and may not be exchanged. Extra care is taken with each order, inspecting the final product for accuracy and quality, before final shipment. If your order arrives damaged, please email lainy.cakes@dandythevan.com within 5 days of receiving your order to initiate the replacement process.
May I request a reading of the book?
Absolutely! Alaina Ann (Lainy Cakes) drives Dandy the Van all over the United States and loves reading the book at elementary schools and libraries. Although people of every age love Dandy the Van, the book is most enjoyed by children ages three to seven years old (or preschool through second grade). To request a reading, please complete this form.
Tell me more about the 5% of profits donated to the National Forest Foundation?
The National Forest Foundation has a tree-planting campaign, planting native trees in national forests throughout the United States. Planting trees helps offset Dandy the Van’s carbon footprint and assists with reforestation in areas where she regularly explores. For every dollar donated, a tree is planted!