Wychwood Festival 2015 .... Part 1 - Pre Festival Excitment

So here I am, three days away from attending the Wychwood 2015 Festival and I have to say I am excited.  What is there to be excited about I know you are wondering.  And what does it have to do with Armadillo?

Well, the two questions can be answered in one.  It is because Wychwood has a dedicated Chlidren’s Literature Festival running alongside the music and workshops.  Not only is there a packed programme of authors for children to meet and listen to but also they have the opportunity to attend classes and workshops and enjoy performaces too.

Wychwood is a an incredibly family friendly festival and I know that any children who attend will not only be inspired by the authors they listen to and meet but they will gain from their experience fond memories of a wonderful weekend and some inspirational encouragement to read and maybe even be writers themselves one day.

Lots of thought and hard work, considerable effort, goes into the planning of these events and I know that my first trip to Wychwood 2 years ago was a great opportunity to meet some wonderful people and the Children’s Literature Festival was there, in its own marquee, roving popular but looking at the programme for this year I can see that even more authors are involved, there are even more big names and there is likely to be very little room left in the children’s tent for the whole of the weekend!

So just who will be there – fantastic authors galore …Ali Sparkes (think Monster Makers, Shapeshifters, Dark Summer) offering something to children aged 7 and upwards; Petr Horacek with his marvellous picture books appropriate for all ages.  I don’t know Giancrlo Gremin but am excited that I may get a chance to meet this new name along with the also unkown First Draft and local author Karen Langtree.

Steve Anthony will be there and I am hoping he will show off his fantastic illustration skills.  Friend of mine Steve Cole will be there and he could be talking James Bond, Egyptian Adventures or even dinosaurs in space – watch this space to find out.  The bearded giant that is Philip Ardagh is likely to have his audiences in stitches, John Dougherty will hopefully play his guitar whilst Anna Wilson, Tracey Corderoy, Paul Strickland, Chris Edge and Cathy Cassidy not forgetting Matt Brown, Paul Strickland and Tony de Saulles.

Phew I think I need a sit down now but maybe that will have to wait until this weekend when I park myself in the Children’s Literature Tent at Wychwood for an inspirational series of events.

If I have time in my busy schedule I may pop along to listen to some music on one of the 4 stages, learn more about what Wychwood are doing to go green, hone some belly dancing skills. Listen to some comedy … the list of things to do is endless. 

Whatever your plans were for this coming weekend change them and get yourselves over to Cheltenham Racecourse for the stunning Wychwood Festival.

Picture Book Joy

I really can't believe it has been so long since I last posted I actually thought it had only been a week or two so my sincere apologies, in all that time I have not stopped reading but once again I am posting this on a Friday evening after a more hectic than ever week so once again I am indulging in my favourite past time of picture books and what a delight they have been. 

If you ever need to bring a smile to your face these books can really help, they are quite honestly disarmingly wonderful, simple yet complicated, intricate in their images yet just stunning to admire and books that make you want to shout out loud from the rooftops just how wonderful they and their creators are.  I could not get through my week without some gorgeous picture books to read and share and I defy anyone not to love at least one of what is to follow.

In no particular order what follows is a few of my thoughts on my small(!) pile of reading!

Ace Dragon Ltd is a collaboration between Russell Hoban and Quentin Blake a classic story published by Walker Books and a dream team collaboration of words and pictures that will have you laughing out loud.  This is an adventure in the sky, a story of a little boy and quite a big dragon.  It is a story about learning to believe that if you want to do something you need to try it, nothing is impossible (in the imagination at least) and you just never know where you might go, who you might become and why a bale of hay may be just the thing you need!

Little Bell and the Moon by Giles Paley-Philips and Iris Deppe is a gentle, warm and delightful bedtime story.  From its front cover  - a big round smiley moon holding hands with a little girl, you just know that this is going to be a very special adventure that will produce the sweetest of dreams and demand regular nightly reads. Its soft and muted pallet is the perfect relaxant and its simple but evocative words will lull the reader into a place of warmth and security in time for sleep.  Its subject - growing old - is rare and it is dealt with in a very sensitive way, charming, unusual and a delight, thank you Fat Fox for publishing this one.

Now for a splash of colour and perhaps even a splosh in the ocean join Mouse in a glorious rhyming sea adventure.  The Mouse Who Sailed the Seas by Amy Sparkes and Nick East (Egmont) is funny and silly a great book for sharing and for using to delight children with the idea of rhyme and great adventure going hand in hand.  Remember to look closely at the artwork too and see what Mouse really gets up to and discovers on his adventures - hours of fun!

Out of this world adventures are always fun to read and Space Walkies is one such book with a difference, here we have a dog in space!  Suspend disbelief for who knows, this could really happen ... however when Bailey the dog finds himself in space he may meet alien life but what he really thinks he would like is to have a walkie with his very own Orson again.  This title, by Robert Dunn, along with Fins Fluff and other Stuff by Bruno Merz and Dreda Blow are both in the QED Storytime series and offer a wonderful rhyming introduction to stories and their sharing.

This next one came in a noisy box - a clever marketing tool that really did get me looking at the book to see what all the noise was about. What did I find?  Nina Goes Barking Mad by Anita Pouroulis and Agata Krawczyk (Digital Leaf) is the mystery picture book story investigating the reason that Nina just won't stop barking but will Jules get to the bottom of all the noise before everyone is driven completely mad?  A silly, funny and lively story about one of the joys of having a pet!

Perhaps what Jules needed was Dinosaur Police by Sarah McIntyre (Scholastic) maybe they could have solved the problem but of course they are busy trying to save the day and the town from a very greedy T-Rex, exuberant fun!

Finally three delightful books from Andersen Press.  Go to Sleep Monty! by Kim Geyer is another lovely bedtime story but not in the way that you might expect.  The naughty culprit who won't go to bed in this one is actually a new puppy and we soon learn that whilst they may look cute they are not always the easiest of pets so just wait and see who it is that ends up going to bed!

Fish is Fish by Leo Lionni is a simple and muted yet lively book about learning how important it is to accept and be just who you are.  This story follows a little tadpole who becomes a frog and finds a new world opening up before his eyes.  But can a frog become a fish and should he?  A clever and insightful story told with great sensitivity.

The Little Bookshop and the Origami Army by Michael Foreman is perhaps a little bit of a favourite, being about bookshops which are of course akin to libraries!  Will the closing down of a bookshop in favour of a supermarket really be allowed to go ahead?  Can Hoey and Origami Girl come to the rescue with their army of characters?  Find out in this exuberant and important story all about the power of reading...

A Light Hearted Selection

After the teen angst of last week I have continued to indulge in my favourite past time of reading but this time reading picture books, a guilty pleasure?  Great enjoyment!

I love the title of my first one Don't Think About Purple Elephants of course makes me want to think about them Susan Whelan and Gwynneth Jones (EK Books), in fact I want to see them too and know why I can't think about them!  This is of course the perfect title for a book, it generates  questions and when you open it to start reading some of those questions are answered!  This is a gentle and calm book about coping with troubles, troubles that come to mind at night, the worst possible time for them of course, and minor troubles they may be but they are enough to keep a young person awake at night - what if a favourite t-shirt is being washed and can't be worn?  What if its sprouts for supper?  A lighthearted and wonderfully illustrated look at the idea of easing worry that will resonate with children and grown ups alike.  And are there any purple elephants ... I will leave that to you to find out!

What the Jackdaw Saw by Julia Donaldson, Nick Sharratt and the children from Life & Death (Macmillan Children's Books) is a very special book written and illustrated by a super talented duo along with a very special group of children who were lucky enough to spend a day with Julia when she was Laureate.  In exploring stories for deaf children they worked on this new title whose characters are deaf and use sign language.  A book about signing, about acceptance and about friendship this is a delight to read and an education too.  It features some wonderful animals and a very funny story!

Ever wondered what life is like for children in Australia?  Wonder no more for with the help of An Aussie Year: Twelve Months in the Life of Australian Kids by Tania McCartney and Tina Snerling (EK Books) you are about to find out!  This is a packed and busy book but it does take you through 12 months, using 5 children and their pet dog to introduce you to all things Australian from Chinese New Year in January when it is summer to paddling with jellyfish in May there is an Aborigine celebration in July of course play dates and sleepovers and even Christmas.  Some fascinating insights into similarities and differences make this a fascinating book to return to time and again.
Another book from the same authors and publisher is the charming Tottie and Dot, two best freinds who do everything together until one day competition enters their lives, what will be the cot?  A thoughtful exploration of what friendship means.

Ever wondered what a slimy slug would feel like if you were to give it a hug?  Wonder no more for in Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross' Slug Needs a Hug (Andersen Press) you can find out just how the little slug feels when he doesn't get a hug from his mummy.  Why can this be he and his friends wonder and so efforts are made to make him more attractive but is this really what he needs?  A great book about accepting who you are and understanding just what it is you might really need.

Now a collection of titles from the glorious Phaidon Press.  The Beast of Monsieur Racine by Tomi Ungerer is the story of a prize winning pear tree missing all its fruit.  Monsieur Racine cannot be cross however for the stealer of his fruit is a very strange looking beast and they soon form an unlikely friendship.  There is a wonderful twist at the end too so do pay attention to the illustration.  A picture book for older readers this has a strong message, more detailed text and a generally more grown-up feel to it.

Snail Where Are You? by Tomi Ungerer again is a gloriously vibrant wordless picture book that encourages no end of storytelling ideas with its quirky pictures.  From a boat at sea to owls, a ballerina and even a violinist what story can you make and how many different ones can you tell?

Finally, but not least of all A World of Your Own by Laura Carlin is a tremendous picture book, a work of art that encourages readers to look at the pictures, read the sparse words and literally try to create a world of their own.  Laura Carlin provides the sparks, the reader must provide the imagination.  Intelligent and once again a picture book well deserving of an older readership.

Summer teen reads - without the angst!

I've been reading in the Bookseller magazine about concerns that many teen novels are reflecting the enormous pressures and concerns impacting on the lives of these teen readers.  Is this really anything new I wonder?  Yes, there do seem to be more books featuring 'issues' but hasn't this always been the case I asked myself?  Haven't teens always wanted to read realistic fiction alongside fantasy and adventure and all the other genres available to them.  Is this not just a way in which they can find a way to understand the issues that may face them, that they read about in the papers and may see in those around them?  Is it not safer to allow them to read about these issues and learn about them through fictional stories than in real life?  Books and their fictional characters, no matter how set into reality they are, are an escape for readers, a way to help them understand, a story for them to enjoy, a chance for them to look at concerns and issues in a safe and structured environment and hopefully realise that almost every problem in life can be solved and is not usually as bad as it seems.

A rise in dystopian fiction is not unheard of and it is a great way for teens and adults to realise what the world could turn into if we do not look after it. transgender and other gender novels are also a wonderful way for all readers to explore their sexuality and what it all means.  Teens will always need an outlet and a means to understand the complex world that they are entering into, fiction is one of the safest ways I can think of for them to do this.  Whilst I agree that they need some uplifting reading too it is all out there for them, they are free to make their choices with us as adults as their guides, one more reason why it is so important to read this all ourselves and recommend it to them - PLUS - it is all SO GOOD!  I love my teen reading as much as my picture books and junior fiction!

So rant over what teen fiction am I going to recommend?

I will start with a book that readers can get their teeth into and which will keep them going until my additional recommendations are available!

Me Being Me is Exactly as Insane as You being You by Todd Hasak-Lowy (Simon & Schuster) is almost as long as its title!  At 646 pages this is not a book for the reader who is after a small volume but having said that as this is a book of the most brilliantly conceived lists.  This is the story of Darren.  Darren has had an awful year, his parents have divorced his brother has gone to college, his best friend has moved to another state and he has no girlfriend.  This is a book of teen angst, hilarious lists.  It is the story of a journey, a journey in the physical sense, on a bus, and also metaphorical all about what can happen to you in life, how it can change you as a person and why this can be hard but good.  Many pages it may have but the list format makes it highly accessible and surprisingly thought-provoking.  A brilliant creation.

Recommendation number 2 is a book in time for summer festivals.  Remix by Non Pratt (Walker Books) is Non's second title for teens, a book of friends, music and lies.  This is the story of best friends, ex-boyfriends and some great music.  Over the course of three days two friends will go to one music festival and discover whether there is any chance of things working out either how they planned or entirely differently!  I love the way that this book is written, Non has a very strong teen voice and the characters truly come to live in the mind of the reader, their voices really can be heard, their situations imagined and you can almost feel yourself shouting at them about their wrong decisions, knowing much ore than they do is the benefit of being the reader and also a drawback as you have to wait and see what the characters will do, when they will realise and how the story will unfold whilst all you can do is sit back, watch, wait and enjoy.

Finally, as always, for now only, This is Not A Love Story by Keren David (Atom) is going to be the next perfect read for summer.  Here is a story that is complicated and it not what it seems to be on face value.  First there is Kitty, a girl who lives in a suburban London and has dreams of a beautiful life. Amsterdam holds promise, here she can escape the haunting memories of her father's death and start a new life - can't she?  What she finds in Amsterdam is two boys.  Ethan, unpredictable and Theo clever but troubled.  These boys have their own secrets as does Amsterdam.  However Amsterdam is a new city, a beautiful city and as she is far from home Kitty takes advantage of the opportunity to fall in love for the very first time.  First love is never easy, being away from home can make it harder.  Will Kitty find the love that she is looking for, hoping for?  Will any of the hearts involved in the story survive intact?  A brilliantly moving, cleverly told summer love story full of angst and issues, yes, but full of hopes and dreams too.

A Non Fiction Celebration

Perhaps it is because there are a number of imprints now under the Quarto Publishing Group that there are such a wealth of titles, I am not sure but what I am very sure about is the quality of these titles, it really, honestly is outstanding.

I have had so many wonderful books arriving in my post recently, many of them non-fiction which is wonderful from my perspective of a Librarian as well as an editor of a children’s book review magazine for me there is always a need for fresh, exciting, informative non-fiction for children of all ages.  Younger children who just devour facts and information, yearning for knowledge need a wide range of materials to satisfy their needs and older children too still have a thirst to learn only they also need the books to support their school learning and subject knowledge development.  The difference is perhaps subtle but it is there and it needs to be addressed.

Frances Lincoln and Wide Eyed Editions both have an amazing output of highly quality books that not only do I strongly recommend but that I use in my own library or send to local primary schools.  It would be wrong of me to recommend something I have not read or used myself so I make sure to make use of and read all these books too – I really do – not having a television provides so much more time to read and I love it!

Now to the books, let us start with Frances Lincoln titles:

The My First Experiences series by Ifemoa Onyefulu, continues with Deron Goes to Nursery School and Grandma Comes to Stay sharing the experiences of these activities in an African setting allowing children to capture the universality of such first experiences. 

Continuing with the theme of setting books around the world, as we all know football is a global phenomenon and with Goal! Football From Around the World by Caio Vilela we can see the excitement of football in action around the world.

Then a book with charity endorsements, from Street Child Africa and Streets Ahead, Street Children by Anthony Robinson addresses the plight of six real children, and their families who must live and work on the street.  Here are stories from Zimbabwae, Mozambique and Guatemala of people who are resilient and live in hope.  An important message not only about hope but about remembering how lucky we are to live the lives we do and how much others around the world need our support now as much as ever.

Another title with an African setting is Thank You Jackson by Nicky Daly and Jude Daly with illustrations that glow and a story that will make smiles shine from the faces of readers this is a touching picture book tale of manners and thank you’s.

Family and friendship are strong and repetitive themes in children’s publishing but they are so for a reason, because these two are incredibly important for children to understand and learn about in the course of growing up.  Therefore the paperback edition of The Great Big Book of Families by Mary Hoffman and Ros Asquith is a welcome publication and will hopefully mean more libraries and schools will now be able to afford to stock copies.  Another title in this series is now available too.  The Great Big Green Book attempts to explain why we need to look after the earth and be conscientious about conservation.

Understanding the people around us, family and friends, is important, as is knowing about those of a similar age around the world but we must not forget issues closer to home. Victoria’s Day by Maria de Fatima Campos is again new in paperback but this is a title which explains, in a child friendly style, the way in which a child with Down’s Syndrome is just like any other and can be integrated into main school activities.  Particularly touching is the personal touch with this title having been photographed by her mother.

In partnership with Amnesty International comes the feast of visual imagination and story Dreams of Freedom in Words and Pictures. This title combines the words of some of our heroes of human rights with stunning illustration from around the world.  This book has a powerful message to be explored with young children and it is done in a uniquely sensitive way.

Now let us turn to adventure with Wild Adventures by Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom, an adventure in the playground of nature for the whole family to enjoy that will inspire an awareness and love of the natural world too.  100 Family Adventures by Tim, Kerry, Amy and Ella Meek is a family book by a family team encouraging family adventure outdoors, an inspiring get out and do title!

For a book close to home what better title could there be than ABC London by James Dunn and Kate Slater.  An alphabetic tour of our capital city not only does this book help children learn their alphabet and a selection of words it also introduces them to the unique cultural identity of one of the world’s best known cities.

Before this Blog post closes I must tell you about the most wonderful fiction from Frances Lincoln for they do this beautifully too.

In a new series Classics Unfolded classic literature from throughout the ages is transformed into works of art and a bite-sized version of the story.  Each book is condensed into 16 scenes featuring quotes from the original, close-up pictures of main characters and summaries of the key themes in the story.  I can see these being used in displays as well as to quickly give pupils in school an overview of the main thrust of some classic texts before they are studied.  This is an ingenious new idea that will have a wide appeal.

Now to the Wide Eyed Editions.  I think I mentioned these in my last blog post as some of the forthcoming titles were displayed at the recent Quentin Blake event.  Now I have some of my own to share with you!

The Learning Garden series, to date two titles Colours, Counting is a new series of board books with sturdy flaps to lift, teaching children how to spot and know their colours and how to count.  Gloriously chunky and colourful these books are a true delight.

One Thousand Things by Anna Kovecses is a visual encyclopedia of things to spot and say with a difference, the pictures are strong, bold and dominate the page, the labels are clear and defined but it is not just about the learning, it comes with a game too, a little mouse to spot on every page!  Compulsive and instructional fun, minimal and modern.

There it is!  A quick romp through and round-up of a selection of fiction and non fiction titles from one of our outstanding children’s book publishers.

How Quentin Blake Told Us A Picture

Wednesday 4th March, a calm and balmy evening and a surprisingly revamped walk through Kings Cross to the House of Illustration, a place that I think I would love to work - how inspiring.

What was I doing?  I was going to an event to celebrate the work of Quentin Blake, the re-issue of his glorious Tell Me a Picture and also the first year of the Frances Lincoln imprint Wide Eyed Editions.

In a beautifully white and sparkly gallery, with a sparkly glass in hand, the invited audience filled the space in anticipation of Quentin's speech, a chance to see the illustrations from the book and a chance to view the most recent exhibition.  The buzz was wonderful, we were all there because we love Quentin, because we love children's books and because of the stunning work that Frances Lincoln do to bring us the very best and most beautiful books we can imagine.

15 years ago Quentin Blake was made out first Children's Laureate, as the first he was able to shape the role, a privilege and one that he took seriously, making now a notable title.  Back then no-one knew what the laureate should do and so Quentin made it up as he went along - his words and managed to get children's book illustration into the National Gallery!

In developing his story he created some stunning pictures, pictures that have stories in them that come together to make their reader think about stories in pictures and the name of the book.  Today, 15 years on, this book is still with us and it has been reissued as part of Frances Lincoln's Wide Eyed Editions list - a list of simply stunning books of the very highest quality which make us realise just how important art is in books for children and in books for all ages.

Quentin explained to us how proud he is of the book, how proud he is that it still exists, that it is not just an exhibition but a tangible book to be read and loved, treasured too.  Here is a book with educational value to love and treasure, a book that encourages questions to be asked and every reader to create their own story from its pages.

Thank you Quentin for inpsiring us all, thank you Frances Lincoln for a wonderful evening and I highly recommend not just this book but the new list, we will be featuring its titles over the coming months and years, hoping, that just as Tell Me A Picture it will endure and continue to bring great pleasure to us all.

A week of reading!

February half term is never my favourite time of year, grey, wet and cold it was this year enhanced by some wonderfully sunny days but more so by a lovely big pile of new children’s books.  Some of the books I have had the pleasure of reading are not to be published for a couple of months yet – one of the benefits of being part of the industry – being able to read in advance.  However I will tell you about them nonetheless as you can then add them to your wants list!

Despite the apparently large selection I am about to share with you here there are still more on my pile and I will find time to get to them all so if, publishers and authors, you are reading this, I will get to your books very soon!

I am regularly asked if I have a favourite author or indeed book and I can honestly say I don’t, not for children’s or for adult literature.  I have favourites whose books I love to return to or make a point of reading when a new one comes out but one single favourite is impossible to choose and so it is with this selection here, there were some I loved but I enjoyed them all.

Starting with books for teens, the ones I have quite literally just read Ann Brashares The Here and Now (Hachette Children’s) is an exciting and quite different time travel romance, it is at once entirely believable and also wonderfully futuristic.  I found myself willing Prenna to make everything right, to fall in love and for it to work for her, she is a brilliant heroine, strong, clever, and feisty, someone to look up to.  Prenna must live by a set of rules in a community driven by fear.  She knows that there is always a second chance.  She knows that there is more-than-meets-the-eye taking place.  A gripping thrilling romantic story this book had me gripped and I know it will you too.

Another thriller, this one contemporary and equally believable is A J Grainer’s Captive (Simon & Schuster).  Robyn Elizabeth Knoylls-Green is 16, the daughter of the prime minister and survivor of an assassination attempt.  This makes her an A-List celebrity and a target.  Kidnapped by a mysterious game, caught in a web of deceit and corruption Robyn must keep reminding herself of the most basic facts including that she is still alive.  But who is the mysterious and melancholy boy in charge of guarding her?  Can she find a way in and a way out, can she unravel the deceit in time?  This is a most intelligent thriller, one which makes you feel you know where it is going only to surprise you again!

The Accident Season by Moira Fowley-Doyle (Penguin Random House) may not be published until July but it is a debut not to be missed. This MUST go on your to-buy list.  Whilst I worked out the twist quite early on there were strands to be followed and understood that kept me reading and meant I got through it all in one sitting!  Intelligent, dark and bewitching this is the story of one family and the mysterious curse that hangs over them.

Now to books for Junior readers and I will start with a sequel, one that I hope is only the second in a new series.  I thought that A Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens (Penguin Random House) was rather like a cross between Famous Five and Agatha Christie!  Arsenic for Tea is the second Wells and Wong Mystery and is equally fun and intriguing  Schoolgirl detectives on the case of a mysterious poisoning, can they solve the mystery before another victim succumbs?  Wonderful fun.

Cathy Cassidy is an author with a strong and loyal following.  Alice in Wonderland is a classic title.  Put the two together and Looking Glass Girl by Cathy Cassidy (Puffin Books) is the modern day Alice, a girl who falls down a hole and finds herself.  A growing-up fantasy with echoes of realism, this is a perfect modern retelling.

A Whisper of Wolves by Kris Humphrey (Stripes) has echoes of Michelle Paver’s Wolf Boy but is a unique story of one girl, her power to understand wolves and the danger she faces when it appears no-one will believe the demons have returned.  This is the first of four stories in a new series of adventure, fantasy and war, family and courage.

On the subject of courage I come to the new novel by Lucy Coats.  Known for her stories of ancient myth this one is no exception.  A young Queen Cleopatra is the heroine of Cleo (Hachette) and with all the glamour of Ancient Egypt, the glory, the wealth and the power we learn of her struggle against monstrous half-sisters and blood-thirsty gods.  A gripping and exciting read.

Well that is it for my half term reading but I would love to know about yours!