tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10460673469026196142024-03-18T03:03:13.492+00:00Middle Grade Strikes BackBookZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03218467691812670770noreply@blogger.comBlogger228125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046067346902619614.post-36953493486531796662017-12-21T17:31:00.001+00:002018-04-16T07:49:33.632+01:00What is the Best Book you Have Ever Read?I asked a class of 9 year olds to name the best book they ever read. This is what they said:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7FHo2zH3_7N4EOzGj2scLkANvs1-w9yqWfOEP1WPaQ7iz2z5oCN2SQl57VuiTEdxsDpZu2pebqBOR67SWexQ9LJ69Q6u0rMQ7NHxwQWv3cd7Ykle1Wz8l2mWCIWs6wGtLJGrFmsT-l1M/s1600/1_8gzWkXDjR96fTj9-AkF5sQ.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="501" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7FHo2zH3_7N4EOzGj2scLkANvs1-w9yqWfOEP1WPaQ7iz2z5oCN2SQl57VuiTEdxsDpZu2pebqBOR67SWexQ9LJ69Q6u0rMQ7NHxwQWv3cd7Ykle1Wz8l2mWCIWs6wGtLJGrFmsT-l1M/s200/1_8gzWkXDjR96fTj9-AkF5sQ.jpeg" width="130" /></a></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com139tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046067346902619614.post-85536279980452816512017-06-07T08:00:00.000+01:002017-06-07T08:00:31.302+01:00 Blog Tour: Defender of the Ream: Dark Age by Mark Huckerby and Nick OstlerToday on Middle Grade Strikes Back we are pleased to host a stop on the Defender of the Realm: Dark Age blog tour<br />
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For those of you who are yet to start the series we have an extract of the <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9G9L5ElwC-GY1JRam9zcTg5QUU/view?usp=sharing">the first chapter from the first book here you can read</a><br />
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<strong><em>Defender of the Realm: Dark Age</em> by Mark Huckerby and Nick Ostler published by Scholastic is out now.</strong> kirsty at the overflowing libraryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08688668056795747019noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046067346902619614.post-1001745298271649962017-05-11T08:43:00.003+01:002017-05-11T08:43:57.909+01:00Jackie Marchant's Five Favourite MG Books<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We're really pleased to welcome Jackie Marchant, author of the hilarious <i>Dougal Daley: It's Not My Fault</i> to MG Strikes Back today to talk about her five favourite MG books.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My Five Favourite MG
Books<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By Jackie Marchant<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Picking out five favourite books from my MG shelf at home is
an impossible task – my bookshelves are my treasure-trove and I love every
single one. Plus all the books I’ve ever borrowed from the
library – and I spend a lot of time there.
How do I pick five? No choice but to close my eyes, run my fingers
along my shelves and stop at five random moments. I can’t wait to see what they come up with . .
.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And here they are, in no particular order – and I can
honestly say each one is a favourite of mine:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Liar and Spy by
Rebecca Stead.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There’s something about Georges (with a silent S) that I
Iove. He’s an ordinary kid playing
ordinary kid spy games with a quirky kid from the flat upstairs. But the way Rebecca Stead writes her
characters brings them bouncing to life, allowing you to sink right into their
stories. Loved it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Journey to the River
Sea by Eva Ibbotson<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of my go-back-to comfort reads. I love Eva Ibbotson’s style of writing, how
she manages to be page-turningly exciting yet gentle with the reader at the
same time. Her books are for curling up
with, for going on journeys with characters you grow to love. This
one takes orphan Maia from her familiar life in London and sends her to the
Amazon to live with relatives she’s never heard of. I love Maia’s optimism, even though you know
things will not turn out well – yet it is Maia’s unfailing cheerfulness that
not only keeps her going but saves the day.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Holes by Louis Sachar<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is the writing tutor’s dream. It has everything - superb plot, characters that bounce off the
page whether they are good or bad, writing so clean that not a word is wasted –
an opening line that people quote as soon as you mention the title, the whole
check-list of what makes a stand-out book.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Diamond of Drury
Lane by Julia Golding <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love this book.
It’s late-eighteenths century setting is so well realised it’s like
going back in time to run the cobbled alleyways with its heroine, Cat
Royal. What’s no to like about an orphan
girl abandoned on the steps of the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden as a baby,
who as maid-cum-mascot enjoys a life of exploring every nook and cranny of her
unconventional home? And the adventure
she uncovers keeps those pages turning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Invention of Hugo
Cabret by Brian Selznick</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is what I call a book with a capital ‘B’. It’s what reading is all about, a pleasure
simply to hold – big, heavy, pages black-edged so that each one sits in its own
frame. Told in both gorgeous
illustrations and text, this is a book you don’t just read, but experience. It’s a book that has to be read in hardback,
for the sheer weight of it, the pleasure of turning each thick page. And on top of all that, there is the wonderful
story it holds between its lovely covers.
</span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Summary:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i><span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I, Dougal Daley, am dead! Ok I’m not actually dead.
But if I’m not careful I soon will be.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> In this first book, football-loving Dougal
Daley finds himself at risk from the mysterious creature living in the garden
shed. Nobody believes him but as a precaution, he sets upon writing his will -
rewarding those who help him and disinheriting those who get on his bad side.
Meanwhile, as limbs and windows alike are broken by rogue footballs and
unhinged canines, Dougal finds himself in all sorts of trouble. . .and NONE of
it is his fault!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Information
about the Book<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Title:</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Dougal Daley:
It’s Not My Fault<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Author:</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Jackie
Marchant<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Illustrator</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">: Loretta
Shauer<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Release Date:</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> 4<sup>th</sup>
April 2017<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Genre:</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> MG<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Publisher:</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Wacky Bee
Books<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Format:</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Paperback<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35003254-dougal-daley" target="_blank">Goodreads Link</a></span></b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dougal-Daley-its-Not-Fault/dp/0995697221" target="_blank">Amazon Link</a></span></b></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Author
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dougal Daley was inspired by a messy
bedroom and a random question from my son about writing a will. Dougal Daley
has been huge fun to write about – you wouldn’t believe the disasters that
happen around him (none of which are his fault of course)! When I’m not writing
I love doing school visits and creative writing workshops. I also take time
away from the writing world looking after guide dogs while their owners are
away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #181818;"><a href="https://www.jackiemarchant.com/" target="_blank">Website</a></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #181818;"><a href="https://twitter.com/JMarchantAuthor" target="_blank">Twitter</a></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I originally studied performing arts and
have a degree in Dance Performance – well you never know when you need a quick
pirouette! I also worked in practical conservation for a long time, and spent
many years battling balsam, identifying lichen, and searching for creepy
crawlies before I picked up my pencils and paints and began exploring
illustrating and writing for children. In 2011 I won the Waterstone’s ‘Picture
This’ competition and I now illlustrate full time. However I am still happiest
noodling around for fossils and shells on the beach!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://lorettaschauer.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Website</a></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Loretta_Schauer#" target="_blank">Twitter</a></span></b></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tour Schedule<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Monday 1<sup>st</sup> May<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://mum-friendly.co.uk/">Mum Friendly</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tuesday 2<sup>nd</sup> May<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://bigbooklittlebook.com/">Big Book Little Book</a><span style="background: white; color: #181818;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wednesday 3<sup>rd</sup> May<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://fictionfascination.co.uk/">Fiction
Fascination</a><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thursday 4<sup>th</sup> May<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://bibliobeth.com/">Bibliobeth</a><span style="background: white; color: #181818;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Friday 5<sup>th</sup> May<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://annasadventuresinbookland.blogspot.co.uk/">An
Awfully Big Adventure</a><span style="background: white; color: #181818;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Saturday 6<sup>th</sup> May<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://thetweenbookblog.blogspot.co.uk/">The Tween
Book Blog</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://librarygirlandbookboy.wordpress.com/">Library
Girl and Book Boy</a><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sunday 7<sup>th</sup> May<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white;"><a href="http://nayusreadingcorner.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Nayu’s Reading Corner<o:p></o:p></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background: white;">Monday 8<sup>th</sup> May</span></b><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://storysnug.com/">Story Snug</a><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tuesday 9<sup>th</sup> May<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://missclevelandsreading.wordpress.com/">Miss
Cleveland’s Reading</a><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wednesday 10<sup>th</sup> May<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://talesofyesterday.co.uk/">Tales of Yesterday</a><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thursday 11<sup>th</sup> May<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/">MG Strikes
Back</a><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Friday 12<sup>th</sup> May<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://obcminireviewers.wordpress.com/">OBC Book
Reviewers</a><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Saturday 13<sup>th</sup> May<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://heatherreviews.wordpress.com/">Heather
Reviews</a><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sunday 14<sup>th</sup> May<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<a href="http://lindasbookbag.com/"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Linda’s Book Bag</span></span></a><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15408167904801253874noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046067346902619614.post-84367857561207029062017-03-29T12:00:00.000+01:002017-04-02T11:03:53.761+01:00Cover reveals: Defender of the Realm series by Mark Huckerby and Nick OstlerToday we are very excited to be hosting not one but two cover reveals celebrating the new edition of Defender of the Realm out in April and the new book Defender of the Realm: Dark Age out in June<br />
<br />
First up we have the new cover for the new edition of Defender of the Realm (published 6th April)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYdlDp32jP6eKRjodxDmlxaaxfzJTV_A7DiTEowrFPijnEXMWfqviz3EiQ5cphgFQYKEAUedSNz3UVkhy5pOHeIu7w2r-_QJHjQ4zxp75DHlnkINzC7xxwvJnCVtSDDo2lrVkU7SWBWnUO/s1600/Defender+of+the+Realm+new+cover+high-res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYdlDp32jP6eKRjodxDmlxaaxfzJTV_A7DiTEowrFPijnEXMWfqviz3EiQ5cphgFQYKEAUedSNz3UVkhy5pOHeIu7w2r-_QJHjQ4zxp75DHlnkINzC7xxwvJnCVtSDDo2lrVkU7SWBWnUO/s320/Defender+of+the+Realm+new+cover+high-res.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
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<br />
Alfie thought he knew his destiny. He didn't know the half of it. Fourteen-year-old heir to the throne, Alfie, didn't expect to be King so soon. He DEFINITELY did not expect to be DEFENDER OF THE REALM, a legendary superhero, fighting a secret, centuries-long battle to protect the nation from monsters and super-villains. An ordinary girl, Hayley Hicks, finds herself fighting alongside Alfie in a desperate struggle to stop a fearsome new enemy, the Black Dragon.<br />
<br />
and next we have the cover for Defender of The Realm: Dark Age (out on 1st June)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQigOItFiYecWoTLAnn3KqdTMkmDhhZPleV7lhRUssFV_QTyHHZiX4dYvsUTHTriz1bgmqHPDLy6FHwZZ-ASy6oJe-s6mJrIVz2dOhGka_a-fj9K9uJCapnkvkXCH-GdruqEaRfMlWvlG2/s1600/Defender+of+the+Realm+Dark+Age.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQigOItFiYecWoTLAnn3KqdTMkmDhhZPleV7lhRUssFV_QTyHHZiX4dYvsUTHTriz1bgmqHPDLy6FHwZZ-ASy6oJe-s6mJrIVz2dOhGka_a-fj9K9uJCapnkvkXCH-GdruqEaRfMlWvlG2/s320/Defender+of+the+Realm+Dark+Age.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
After the great battle at King Alfie’s coronation, the nation thinks it’s seen the last of the Black Dragon, and Alfie gets busy learning what it means to fill his father’s shoes. But when a band of undead Vikings appears, Alfie, Hayley and the rest of the Yeoman Warders fear that Professor Lock is back to finish what he’s started. For the epic battle that’s brewing, Alfie will need to enlist help from abroad, as well as from a mysterious new friend who seems to be watching over him…<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBKkcamq4eb5QFkIr_QzOgkRIw9Q3LHT3GGOMc29vPxP9vjQtmF3elcGrBsn-v8LqdA4ElfUSxvSn30Iu3v7lOP2LS77feoQaI8SXE1RZalxIfNOJStXXwQU6AlGvXD4d05U9VcR_e5o7m/s1600/defend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBKkcamq4eb5QFkIr_QzOgkRIw9Q3LHT3GGOMc29vPxP9vjQtmF3elcGrBsn-v8LqdA4ElfUSxvSn30Iu3v7lOP2LS77feoQaI8SXE1RZalxIfNOJStXXwQU6AlGvXD4d05U9VcR_e5o7m/s320/defend.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />kirsty at the overflowing libraryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08688668056795747019noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046067346902619614.post-52974168925079056012017-02-27T08:00:00.000+00:002017-02-27T09:47:00.396+00:00#CoverKidsBooks – One Year On<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
One year ago, <a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/p/cover-kids-books.html" target="_blank">#CoverKidsBooks</a> launched a campaign to get
more media coverage for children's books.
We presented research that showed children's books were getting just <a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/coverkidsbooks-facts.html" target="_blank">3% of all book review space</a> in national newspapers, despite accounting for over
30% of the UK book market.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since then, their market share has continued to grow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Children's literature – by which we mean the
entire range of books for young readers, from the youngest picture book to the
oldest YA, including fiction, non-fiction and poetry – now accounts for <a href="https://twitter.com/CharlotteLEyre/status/824901133231493120" target="_blank">34% of all print books sold in the UK</a>, according to The Bookseller.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
What about media coverage?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One year on, has that grown too?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For our <a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/coverkidsbooks-facts.html" target="_blank">first #CoverKidsBooks blog</a>, Imogen Russell Williams
counted the number of reviews and column inches given to children's books in UK
national newspapers in August 2015. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="https://twitter.com/bookythought" target="_blank">Isabel Popple</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/naomijoy10" target="_blank">Naomi Burt</a> have done the same for August 2016.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are their findings. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<u>Weekend
Newspapers, August 2016<o:p></o:p></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
Newspaper<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
All Book reviews<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
Children's Book Reviews<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
Percentage Children's Book Reviews<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
All Book Reviews (inches)<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
Children's Book Reviews (inches)<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
Percentage Children's Book Inches<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
Times<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
79<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
4<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
5<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
909<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
31.5<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
3.7<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
Sunday Times<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
57<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
5<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
8.8<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
725.5<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
18<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
2.5<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
Guardian<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
70<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
14<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
20<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
954.5<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
37.5<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
4<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
Observer<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
44<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
0<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
0<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
627<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
0<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
0<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
FT<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
38<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
2<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
5.2<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
601<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
8.5<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
1.4<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
Telegraph<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
44<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
5<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
11.4<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
630<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
48.5<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
7.7<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
Sunday Telegraph<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
33<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
3<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
9.1<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
210<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
6<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
2.9<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 8;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
Sunday Express<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
29<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
0<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
0<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
110<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
0<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
0<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 9;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
Mail On Sunday<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
36<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
1<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
2.8<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
250<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
11.5<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
4.6<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 10;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
Sunday Mirror<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
12<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
0<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
0<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
18<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
0<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
0<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 11; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TOTAL<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">442<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">34<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">7.7<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">5035<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">161.5<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3.2<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For comparison, here is the bottom line of the August 2015
data; the full table can be seen in <a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/coverkidsbooks-facts.html" target="_blank">the original blog</a>:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TOTAL<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">752<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">37<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">4.9<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">8034.2<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">250.5<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3.1<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The good news is that children's books now account for 7.7% of all
book reviews, an increase on 4.9% last year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The bad news is that they still receive only 3.2% of all book
review space, virtually unchanged from 3.1% last year.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<h4>
Quantity</h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Children's books now account for 7.7% of all book
reviews.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is heartening given the
shrinking number of book reviews as a whole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Every newspaper we surveyed reviewed fewer books in 2016 than in 2015,
and in every newspaper we surveyed, the column inches given to books as a whole
shrank as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many newspapers
announced cuts to books staff and space, while The Independent and The
Independent On Sunday ceased to exist at all as physical entities. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But while it is a step in the right direction,
7.7% remains a massive under-representation for over a field that accounts for
34% of the market. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h4>
Frequency</h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
#CoverKidsBooks wrote <a href="http://www.thebookseller.com/news/gaiman-pullman-support-cover-kids-books-campaign-371596" target="_blank">an open letter to national newspapers</a>
last year, printed in The Bookseller, calling on them to commit to covering at least one children's book a
week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Back in August 2015, only two
newspapers averaged one children's book review a week or more, and only one
actually published a children's book review every single week.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By August 2016, the numbers had doubled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Four newspapers now averaged one children's
book review a week or more (The Times, The Sunday Times, The Guardian and The
Daily Telegraph), while two of them (The Times and The Daily Telegraph) had a dependable
slot every single week. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are very welcome
developments, and the editors of those newspapers deserve great credit for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW7_w7FFR9UI1aY5HXgvCSD9ZFYqGJe90z6OMgH_kRYbv59sz7CtLipc11nKt_6UIBMCcvDcRIHZk3ZxELsbh8h0Mbcrf0So9OU0ceN79qTsNeqTa3T0U8HFf5SMWqFciplRqDYLfRyPc/s1600/C3VWwavW8AAN6v6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW7_w7FFR9UI1aY5HXgvCSD9ZFYqGJe90z6OMgH_kRYbv59sz7CtLipc11nKt_6UIBMCcvDcRIHZk3ZxELsbh8h0Mbcrf0So9OU0ceN79qTsNeqTa3T0U8HFf5SMWqFciplRqDYLfRyPc/s640/C3VWwavW8AAN6v6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It should also be said that The Observer has just changed its
policy, introducing a new Children's Book Of The Week slot on January 29 2017 –
another hugely welcome development that should encourage all who care about
children's literature. #CoverKidsBooks would like to thank and applaud The Observer
New Review's editor Jane Ferguson, its literary editor Lisa O'Kelly, and its
arts editor Sarah Donaldson, and we urge all remaining national
newspapers who have yet to commit to covering at least one children's book a week to
follow their example. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br /></div>
<h4>
Space</h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Despite these improvements, children's books are still receiving the
same proportion of space, getting just 3.2% of all book review column inches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Children's book reviews remain shorter than
other book reviews, which is why the figure for column inches is smaller than
that for the number of reviews. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> F</span>or example, look at The Guardian's figures across the two
years:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
Year<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
All Book reviews<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
Children's Book reviews<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
Percentage Children's Book Reviews<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
All Book Reviews (inches)<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
Children's Book Reviews (inches)<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
Percentage Children's Book Inches<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
2015<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
104<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
4<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
3.8<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
1645.5<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
58<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
3.5<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
2016<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
70<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.8pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
14<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
20<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
954.5<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
37.5<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; width: 60.85pt;" valign="top" width="61"><div class="MsoNormal">
4<o:p></o:p></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
14 children's books were reviewed in August 2016, a huge increase from 4
in 2015 – yet the space devoted to children's books has actually shrunk from 58
inches in 2015 to 37.5 inches in 2016.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
is because The Guardian has moved from printing a long review every week to just one long review a month, along with a monthly roundup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The roundup has greatly increased
the range of children's books covered by The Guardian. But 13 of the 14 books reviewed received a mention in the roundup,
rather than a full review of their own. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The
Guardian's current policy means that no more than 12 children's books can
receive a full review each year. Only 12
children's books are considered worthy of the space and critical attention given
to other kinds of books. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXkYQriIcJE6Ae7qzUPdsqDciMTzsQL2j8kXtSnDlK5xLZpmOcXzg6W6BQpdNHpEKqW7M33q5i0vf1scPehny-rQhQseQfd4DAnPt_qhNK0rA_udcQDLoHqaq-jQe3SPL58Kc_paOkspM/s1600/hp7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="449" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXkYQriIcJE6Ae7qzUPdsqDciMTzsQL2j8kXtSnDlK5xLZpmOcXzg6W6BQpdNHpEKqW7M33q5i0vf1scPehny-rQhQseQfd4DAnPt_qhNK0rA_udcQDLoHqaq-jQe3SPL58Kc_paOkspM/s640/hp7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The field of children's literature is going from strength to strength, constantly expanding in size and increasing in quality. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
bestseller lists are full of children's books, with Harry Potter & The
Cursed Child topping <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/dec/31/bestselling-books-2016-analysis-ghost-christmas-past" target="_blank">the 2016 list</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Meanwhile, in libraries, <a href="https://www.plr.uk.com/mediaCentre/mostBorrowedAuthors/mostBorrowedAuthors.htm" target="_blank">the PLR figures</a> are dominated by
children's books. 65% of the top 20 most borrowed authors are children's
authors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The success of the field is
snowballing, as more and more new writers are attracted to it, as the
<a href="https://www.waterstones.com/category/cultural-highlights/book-awards/the-waterstones-childrens-book-prize" target="_blank">Waterstones Children's Book Prize</a> and <a href="http://www.branfordboaseaward.org.uk/" target="_blank">Brandford Boase</a> lists demonstrate each year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjdk9u_2jRml8RrSG4gUHzvGwYpD2OR3ABNlCZFoppfMM1GRVeiUmjEduxM75t1w8prLOsc-D7KYKYZqoigzxeCppbPxc_kdaqaumHMhqf1kaimM80b_EuCXwl_znDf9leL8jaDVyOyeg/s1600/C319Mb4WcAEsvw6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjdk9u_2jRml8RrSG4gUHzvGwYpD2OR3ABNlCZFoppfMM1GRVeiUmjEduxM75t1w8prLOsc-D7KYKYZqoigzxeCppbPxc_kdaqaumHMhqf1kaimM80b_EuCXwl_znDf9leL8jaDVyOyeg/s1600/C319Mb4WcAEsvw6.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is every indication that the field will continue to
grow in commercial and cultural significance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><a href="http://www.thebookseller.com/news/philip-pullman-announces-book-dust-publication-equel-his-dark-materials-487156" target="_blank">Philip Pullman has just announced</a> that his long-awaited follow-up to His
Dark Materials, The Book Of Dust, will publish its first volume this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>James Daunt of Waterstones estimated that
this book alone would have a 2% impact on Waterstones' entire revenues, worth
around £8 million.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As Pullman himself told #CoverKidsBooks, in our
<a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/coverkidsbooks-writers-illustrators.html" target="_blank">writers & illustrators blog</a>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"<span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">There ought to be a space in the
mainstream media, in the book pages, for coverage of children's books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's important that the general reader sees
children's books being discussed intelligently."</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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Books cannot be discussed
intelligently without space. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>3% of space for over 30% of the market is simply not enough. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is of course a lot of excellent
children's books coverage online.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But print
coverage remains vital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Huge numbers of
newspaper-reading adults need to know about children's
literature: <a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/coverkidsbooks-parents.html" target="_blank">parents</a>, <a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/coverkidsbooks-teachers.html" target="_blank">teachers</a>, <a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/coverkidsbooks-booksellers.html" target="_blank">booksellers</a>, <a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/coverkidsbooks-librarians.html" target="_blank">librarians</a>, and all the other
buyers and recommenders of children's books, as well as adults who read them
for their own enjoyment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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So while we are encouraged by the progress we've seen in the
last year, and while we understand that space for books coverage in print as a whole is
shrinking, we would like to see newspapers give children's books a fairer
proportion of whatever space there is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
#CoverKidsBooks calls on all national newspapers to make a
clear statement that children's books matter as much as any other books. We urge them to give children's literature a proportion of space that reflects its significance as the most
dynamic part of the publishing industry, and a vital part of the nation's
cultural life. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/coverkidsbooks-facts.html" style="color: #ff6e00; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">#CoverKidsBooks – The Facts</a></span><span style="font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/coverkidsbooks-booksellers.html" style="color: #ff6e00; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">#CoverKidsBooks – Booksellers</a></div>
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<a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/coverkidsbooks-teachers.html" style="color: #ff6e00; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">#CoverKidsBooks – Teachers</a></div>
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<a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/coverkidsbooks-parents.html" style="color: #ff6e00; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">#CoverKidsBooks – Parents</a><br />
<a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/coverkidsbooks-experts.html" style="color: #ff6e00; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">#CoverKidsBooks – Experts</a><br />
<a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/coverkidsbooks-writers-illustrators.html" style="color: #ff6e00; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">#CoverKidsBooks – Writers & Illustrators</a></div>
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<o:p><i style="font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/p/cover-kids-books.html" style="color: #ff6e00; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">#CoverKidsBooks</a><span style="color: #444444;"> invites you to join in a public conversation about children's books. Leave a comment, write a blog of your own, or tweet about it using the hashtag. Tell us why children's books matter to you, and what you'd like to see the media do to #CoverKidsBooks!</span></span></span></i> </o:p></div>
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SF Saidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08494052568322553484noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046067346902619614.post-16848445267265829982017-02-16T09:36:00.000+00:002017-02-16T09:36:33.004+00:00Guest Post: Ally Kennen on what she loves about writing for children<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #212121; font-family: Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 19.3333px;">We are big fans of Ally Kennen's here and can't wait to read The Everything Machine! We're excited to have her talking about what she loves about writing for children.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #212121; font-family: Times, serif; font-size: 14.5pt;">Do I love writing for children? Well,
sometimes yes and sometimes absolutely not. On the ‘yes’ days the writing
flows, the words tumble, I laugh at my genius jokes and amusing quips. Maybe it
will distract some little soul somewhere. Maybe it will encourage a horde of
naughty lads to go and read something richer afterwards, and then something
else and then something else. Perhaps my wisdom and wit will entertain, guide,
enlighten.. who knows?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;"><br /></span></div>
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of the </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">‘yes’ days I get to go visit schools and
meet Actual Children. This is always humbling and makes me want to up my game.
These kids are being exposed to my ramblings. I must sharpen up, make it for
them, crack on with the story, don’t leave anyone out! </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;">On
other </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">‘Yes’ days I get to try out drafts of
books on my own children. I have four of them. They’ve all had to endure first
drafts and I am rewarded with their brutal X-Factor panel style judgements. But
my eldest son is 9 and a half and DOES NOT WANT ME TO READ TO HIM ANYMORE
(emojj’s of horror/terror etc) so I am sneakily writing a football book. He
loves football and cannot resist a football story, so now I get to read to him
again. AND I get to write a book with a guaranteed audience. (currently of one,
but you never know)</span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;">Then
there are the No days. When I</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">’d rather
scrub out the dustbin or clean the toilet than write another word. But I think
this would be the case if I was writing for children or adults. Sometimes my
brain doesn’t fire up, or it is clogged with too many distractions, or I am
simply not inspired.</span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;">I don</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">’t hold with the notion that writing for children is
easier than writing for adults. There are plenty of glorious children’s books
that are far richer and more elegant than any amount of books for adults. (and
plenty that aren’t.. ha ha) We children’s authors also have to compete against
a myriad of more immediate entertainments. How can we possibly make our stories
more alluring than the latest must-have game, with all its addictive ploys and
tricks? Maybe the children’s book is DYING! like stamp collecting and
dissecting tadpoles for fun. (though book sales data seems to suggest
otherwise, that lots of children still read hurrah hurrah)</span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;"><br /></span></div>
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my latest book (this is a Yes day now) is all about some kids who are utterly
addicted to a computer game, MAZZO. But something arrives at their house which
is even more compelling and fun.</span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;">It</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #212121; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">’s Russell, a state of the art, cutting edge, globally
created, sentient 3D printer. It is The Everything Machine!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt;">The Everything Machine
by <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt;">Ally Kennen<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcU_smmhvdOe85FiBiwamOcpmGn3YCjaF1jCENm77SHUQQgrSZ7irWR-FsBrod_mddpBvmStcLU4yInc-2OiIxw7SUBs10MruH8seSfCKeSUfbPVQdd5kathzMJSpY82RtpcSr9uAghzoL/s1600/The+Everything+Machine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcU_smmhvdOe85FiBiwamOcpmGn3YCjaF1jCENm77SHUQQgrSZ7irWR-FsBrod_mddpBvmStcLU4yInc-2OiIxw7SUBs10MruH8seSfCKeSUfbPVQdd5kathzMJSpY82RtpcSr9uAghzoL/s400/The+Everything+Machine.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Summary:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Three kids let loose
with a top-secret magical machine with a mind of it's own . . . What could
possibly go wrong?<br />
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Olly, Stevie and Bird have just had a very special delivery. It's a machine
that has a name, can speak and is able to print ANYTHING they want it to. How
about a never-ending supply of sweets and a cool swimming pool in the shed, for
starters?<br />
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But is getting everything you've ever wished for all it's cracked up to be?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Title:</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The Everything Machine<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Author:</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Ally Kennen<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Release Date:</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> 2<sup>nd</sup> February 2017<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Genre:</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> MG<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Publisher:</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Scholastic UK<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Format:</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Paperback<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Goodreads Link:</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34069297-the-everything-machine"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34069297-the-everything-machine</span></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <span style="background: white; color: #181818;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Amazon Link:</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Everything-Machine-Ally-Kennen/dp/1407138553"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://www.amazon.co.uk/Everything-Machine-Ally-Kennen/dp/1407138553</span></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <span style="background: white; color: #181818;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhneYZEXSrfTTam1eKTpzDRauITcxpNO3lo4sXjwnzFbp_LIoJezt7DrJSSSZ97bihvzRUP5ahBbY2hyuF66p0WOKqSkMNkEauZ4N6-dCw4W8O__VHMzkTrWSMMtkB8WCgddBK6LntdKmk7/s1600/Ally_Kennen3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhneYZEXSrfTTam1eKTpzDRauITcxpNO3lo4sXjwnzFbp_LIoJezt7DrJSSSZ97bihvzRUP5ahBbY2hyuF66p0WOKqSkMNkEauZ4N6-dCw4W8O__VHMzkTrWSMMtkB8WCgddBK6LntdKmk7/s400/Ally_Kennen3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ally Kennen has been
an archaeologist, museum guard and singer-songwriter. Her dark and thrilling
teen novels have been nominated for over eleven literary awards. She lives in
Somerset with her husband and four children.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Website:</span></b><span style="background: white; font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><a href="http://www.allykennen.blogspot.com/"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Georgia","serif";">http://www.allykennen.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="background: white; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Twitter: </span></b><a href="http://twitter.com/allykennen"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Georgia","serif";">http://twitter.com/allykennen</span></a><span style="background: white; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Monday 13<sup>th</sup>
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<a href="http://fictionfascination.co.uk/"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Fiction Fascination</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Tuesday 14<sup>th</sup>
February<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://girlvsbooks.com/"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Girl Vs Books</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Wednesday 15<sup>th</sup>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Friday 17<sup>th</sup>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Saturday 18<sup>th</sup>
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<a href="http://bigbooklittlebook.com/"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Big Book Little Book</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://mum-friendly.co.uk/"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Mum Friendly</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Sunday 19<sup>th</sup>
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Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15408167904801253874noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046067346902619614.post-44003380807632921562017-02-07T17:32:00.001+00:002017-02-07T17:32:40.915+00:00Gareth P Jones On The Idea For Pet Defenders<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Great to talk to a favourite author of ours, Gareth P Jones, on how he came up with the idea for the Pet Defenders series! Book 1, Attack of the Alien Dung - illustrated by Steve May - comes out on Thursday 9th February, published by Stripes.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pet Defenders – The Idea<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2017 sees the publication of my fourth book
series. Following on from <i>The Dragon
Detective Agency</i>,<i> Ninja Meerkats </i>and
<i>Adventures of the Steampunk Pirates </i>comes
<i>Pet Defenders. </i>You might think it
would get easier. It doesn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I first came up with this idea in 2011 for
an experimental weekly online project. I wrote a synopsis then we filmed an
introduction with comedian Marcus Brigstocke in a video produced by animation
director Andy Walker (a very clever chap who does the animation for Tracey
Beaker). I believe you can still find the end product lurking somewhere in a
forgotten corner of the Internet. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It was an ambitious idea and never came to
anything so my story fell back into my file of old ideas. All authors have
these files. These are the stories that sit quietly gathering dust, biding
their time, waiting for their moment. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In 2016, that moment came. I was looking
for an idea for a new series. I came up with two new ones then selected Pet
Defenders as the third. My wife, Lisa read all three. She liked Pet Defenders
best. My editor, Ruth agreed. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And so, five years after I came up with the
idea, I started work on a series of books about a secret organization of pets
dedicated to keeping the earth safe from alien attacks. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What I had forgotten was how much I
struggle with space stuff. The last time I tried it was with an MG science
fiction book called <i>Space Crime
Conspiracy </i>(Bloomsbury, 2010). I was pleased with how the book turned out
but had obviously buried the memory of how painful it was to write. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The problem for me is one of believability.
It’s easy enough to write <i>“The Flot-holed
Grubulling from Zingadinga One opened the large purple eye set in the middle of
its belly?”</i> but how do you make it believable? Writing is about creating
worlds but when that world is an entire universe there are soooo many
possibilities. For this reason, each book in the series has gone through
countless redrafts (often complete rewrites) as even a minor tweak can cause an
avalanche of ideas that leaves me sifting through the rubble to find the
correct building blocks to complete the story.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thankfully, with my ever-patient editor’s
help and guidance I am delighted to say I have now completed three Pet
Defenders books. I start work on the fourth soon. It’s been quite a journey so
I very much hope readers enjoy the result. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span lang="EN-US">Pet
Defenders: Attack of the Alien Dung </span></i><span lang="EN-US">is published 9<sup>th</sup>
of February. The second book in the series, <i>Beards
from Outer Space</i> comes out in May, with the third (<i>Escape from Planet Bogey</i>) being published in September. The fourth
will come out in 2018 once it has been written, rewritten, redrafted, rewritten
again and redrafted etc. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br />Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15408167904801253874noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046067346902619614.post-41004258884090835832017-01-24T08:53:00.002+00:002017-01-24T08:53:27.838+00:00Sam Hearn On What He Loves About Writing/Illustrating Children's Books<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Great to have Sam Hearn, author of the Baker Street Academy series, talking about what he loves about writing/illustrating children's books - we're excited to read<i> Sherlock Holmes and the Disappearing Diamond</i> soon!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">So, </span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">what do I love about writing children's books</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">, you ask? </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Hmm… Let me think… I should probably squeeze in a little mention about
illustrating them too, seeing as I also do that bit!</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I suppose
the first thing I need to point out is that the whole writing part of the job
really does still feel completely new to me.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I know I have written an entire young fiction novel now - and even a few
younger children's board book type texts as well, but it still doesn't quite
register that it's <i>actually</i> what I do as part of my job just yet. I’ve
been doing the drawing bit for around 16 years now and that definitely feels
like a job! (a hard one too) In fact, when I first got a sniff of doing this
Sherlock work I don’t think I was entirely aware of the fact that I’d have to
write everything as well as draw it… </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">It</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">’</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">s
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">almost like they made a mistake. Shh! Don’t tell
anybody! However it happened, I definitely <i>do</i> love it though. It’s very
satisfying when you get to put the final full stop at the end of a document -
no matter how difficult it has been to get there - and I don’t think I’ll ever
get over what a strange sensation it is</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">to read your own words in a book. It’s as if it was
all done by somebody else! </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">With
writing, I think you get an opportunity to <i>really</i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> bring</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">all your ideas to life in a way that just drawing the
pictures can never afford you - usually that's simply because you are
illustrating somebody else's words and somebody else's ideas. If you are lucky,
with the pictures - you get a good amount of input into the visual elements,
but it can never compare to being the one who comes up with the ideas in the
first place. Mostly, I love the fact that I can <i>finally</i> make some use of
the random and strange thoughts that often come into my head! And I know that
as long as I remember to write them down somewhere, they might just be the
right bit of spark to set a bigger idea or story alight.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Another
good thing about writing is that you can do it anywhere! In your bed or on the
train - You don't really need anything other than a pen and a notebook ( if
you're still into writing on paper, that is… ) Let’s face it, you don’t even
need to get dressed. Yep, you can sit around in your pants and still get stuff
done! ( Please let it be known that I
actually do get dressed before writing though. I also leave the house. ) </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m being
a bit silly, I know. But for me, that’s probably the best bit about writing
children’s books and the bit that I love the most. I can now legitimately have
conversations with myself all day, usually in all sorts of</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">voices - either out loud or in my head. I don’t know
how other writers do it, but this is how the ideas come to me.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Even though I have been just an illustrator for most
of my career, I always did have ideas and write in some way or another. The
problem I had though was that I hadn't learned how to think about exactly <i>when</i>
to make a note of the ideas properly. It doesn't help that they often come to
you in the most awkward or unexpected moments, like when you're in the middle
of having a shower, or just about to drift off to sleep!</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Having to
write for a published project ( with a looming deadline and all the associated
pressure ) made me much more aware of how to catch an idea when I have it and
put it down somewhere safe. It doesn’t mean that it will be any good of course
- but just for a little while, I can be anybody I want to be or say anything I
want to</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">say and have a cast of characters running around in my
own personal film in my head. The very </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">best bit </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">of all is when I can make myself laugh.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I hope I can always do that! Obviously there's no
guarantee that someone else will find the same thing funny, but it's always a
good feeling.</span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15408167904801253874noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046067346902619614.post-55333977169081887712017-01-12T08:30:00.000+00:002017-01-12T08:30:08.513+00:00Barry Hutchison's Worst Ever School Visit Moments<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We are super-excited to be taking part in a joint blog tour today! Stripes are running a fabulous tour to promote TWO school stories they're releasing in January - Karen McCombie's <i>St Grizzle's School For Girls, Goats and Random Boys</i> (illustrated by Becka Moor), and Barry Hutchison's <i>Beaky Malone: Worst Ever School Trip </i>(illustrated by Katie Abey). Both of these look like hilarious reads with great illustrations! We're excited to have Barry talking about his worst ever school visit moments in this post.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2017 marks my tenth
year as a full-time children’s author (I think, although I’m not very good at maths,
so don’t quote me on that). As well as writing books lots of books in that
time, I’ve also visited hundreds of schools, speaking to tens of thousands of
children about what a jolly jape this whole writing lark is, and how books are
all great an’ that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thankfully, the vast
majority of those visits went brilliantly, with lots of enthusiastic students,
teachers and librarians helping to make every event a success. Or, almost every
event. Sometimes, things don’t go quite as smoothly as they could do. Take the
incidents below, for example, which I present in no particular order. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. Back in my second
year of being an author, I was invited by a head teacher to visit her school.
She was very friendly, full of great ideas, and we made plans for a whole day
of workshops and author talks. The day arrived, and I got up at 5am to drive the
130 miles to the school, only to find out the head teacher was off sick that
day, and hadn’t told another living soul at the school that I was coming. They
were unable to get her on the phone, and so, unsure about this strange,
six-foot-four unshaven man standing at the front door, they decided they
couldn’t let me in, and I had to drive 130 miles back home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. I was invited to a
boys-only boarding school to talk about my Invisible Fiends horror series back
in 2012 or so. The plan was for me to do a talk in the evening, after the
pupils had eaten dinner. What I didn’t realise was that, prior to my event, the
younger boys – aged 8-10 or so – would be sent to shower and get ready for bed,
and so I ended up talking about some deeply disturbing horror novels to 100+
kids, half of which were wearing pyjamas, dressing gowns and slippers, and
clutching teddy bears. I was then asked to pose for a photograph with them
after the event – a photo I hope never surfaces on the web…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. Questions! One of
the parts of an event I love and dread in equal measures is the Q&A session
at the end. Questions generally range from the repetitive (“Where do you get
your ideas?” “How much do you earn?”) to the probing (“Your female characters
are always more impressive than your male characters – discuss.”) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sometimes, though,
there are some really memorable questions thrown my way. My favourites include:
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Do you know the
queen?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“You know you said Mr
Mumbles tries to kill the hero? Have you ever killed anyone?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“What’s the best noise
you’ve ever heard?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One question that
really sticks out in my mind, though, came at the end of a talk to a group of
completely impassive Year 9s, who had spent the previous 50 minutes glaring
silently at me, and wishing me dead. When I asked if anyone had any questions,
I was delighted to see a boy near the back put up his hand. “Yes?” I said.
“What’s your question?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To which he replied:
“Can we go now?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4. Or how about the
time when I turned up twenty minutes early at Elgin Academy in the North of Scotland,
and got increasingly annoyed as I was left waiting for half an hour in
reception for a member of staff to come and take me to the library…<br />
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…and then discovered I was supposed to be at Elgin <i>High School</i> at the opposite end of the town, instead, where
everyone was already waiting patiently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And let’s not even
mention the event where the 14 year old tried to punch me in the face!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By and large, though,
school visits are great fun, and from my initial nervous ramblings have quickly
become one of my favourite bits about the job.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Most of the time,
anyway.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Beaky Malone: Worst Ever School Trip </i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(written by Barry Hutchison and illustrated by Katie Abey) is published today, 12th January, by Stripes Publishing.</span></b></div>
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Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15408167904801253874noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046067346902619614.post-72734890906418548582016-12-07T09:00:00.000+00:002016-12-07T09:00:16.562+00:00Cover Reveal: Just Call Me Spaghetti-Hoop Boy by Lara Williamson<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It is with the greatest of pleasure that today we reveal the fabulous cover and awesome trailer of Lara Williamson's new book, <i>Just Call Me Spaghetti-Hoop Boy</i> (great title!!). This is Lara's third book, and if it is as good as <i>A Boy Called Hope</i> and <i>The Boy Who Sailed the Ocean in an Armchair</i> then it should be high up in your "must-read in 2017" list. Now over to Lara and her fabulous new book cover:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi8dWhykfn70xNuFCMy_TBn37IHufTc4WO_N3u0_hIoDBCO869q3-JuMBvMVWcAEO6xE-_dylbzeBYJB-aq1ogzqOfQGtzfWbNIVdgNCmHj_pQMEk4q3zUJzjmhowp4kxp2tCxoE3vq_1H/s1600/9781474921305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi8dWhykfn70xNuFCMy_TBn37IHufTc4WO_N3u0_hIoDBCO869q3-JuMBvMVWcAEO6xE-_dylbzeBYJB-aq1ogzqOfQGtzfWbNIVdgNCmHj_pQMEk4q3zUJzjmhowp4kxp2tCxoE3vq_1H/s400/9781474921305.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79Gqal8PJb0mGCN47OdVZRs4cmdytqTjZC-U2b37RISfCXw_lCLkgAMscS6HxNOLk3Oo_aYHVGgEpB5wB_p7iBJBIzeqKLDSAgj1BI46733fIhXcaZlfFQl0K7J6PURrmnuT_kFTnqDoF/s1600/Lara+Williamson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79Gqal8PJb0mGCN47OdVZRs4cmdytqTjZC-U2b37RISfCXw_lCLkgAMscS6HxNOLk3Oo_aYHVGgEpB5wB_p7iBJBIzeqKLDSAgj1BI46733fIhXcaZlfFQl0K7J6PURrmnuT_kFTnqDoF/s320/Lara+Williamson.jpg" width="222" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A BIG thank you to Middle Grade Strikes Back for hosting the cover reveal for my third book, JUST CALL ME SPAGHETTI-HOOP BOY. Here is some info about the book; the Cheeky inspiration behind it and a dynamic cover to be proud of.<br /><br />Watch out world, Adam Butters has a story to tell. And it’s going to be ACE<br /><br />JUST CALL ME SPAGHETTI-HOOP BOY is a story about Adam who was adopted as a child. And although it’s not a secret, when his teacher suggests making a family tree for a school project, he wants to find out more about his real mother. Problem: where do you get information about your real<br />mother and how does that work when you’ve got an adoptive mother already? Well, for starters there’s a special hidden envelope that Adam discovers saying he was really called Ace.<br /><br />KAPOW! That’s a superhero name, right? Being a superhero will make the world perfect, right? This is Adam’s DESTINY! He’ll save a life, help animals and old people and make everyone happy, especially his adoptive mum, who has a face like a melted welly at the moment. But things start to go horribly wrong when Adam overhears a conversation about someone new coming to live with his family; someone who is going to take Adam’s place for ever. Now is the time for Adam to step up, be ACE and unlock the secrets of his past so he can blast his way to a new future …<br /><br />As a child I loved comics and I think they inspired JUST CALL ME SPAGHETTI-HOOP BOY. Like most kids my age I had my favourites and ordered them from the newsagent and as soon as they’d come in I’d rush to the newsagent and get the comic and devour it as soon as I got home and then I’d have to wait another week. Sometimes those seven days felt like for ever. I particularly loved a comic<br />called <i>Cheeky </i>(published by IPC) and he was a big-toothed hero in a stripy jumper (once they gave away a free knitting pattern for the jumper. You’ve got to love that. Someone please knit me the jumper now and I’ll wear it). Eventually <i>Cheeky </i>merged into <i>Whoopee</i>, then <i>Whizzer and Chips</i>. I must add that my love of comics didn’t end as I got older and I eventually ended up working for magazines – howzat for a link? Plus, I’ve never forgotten how much I loved Cheeky and perhaps he inspired more parts of my books than I ever realized. (I’ve just remembered that Cheeky had an unnamed pet snail that occupied the back page of the comic called Snail of the Century. Um… Right<br />now I’m wondering if that little snail secretly inspired Brian in T<i>he Boy Who Sailed the Ocean in an Armchair</i>. Go snails <at a snail’s pace obvs>!)<br /><br />I am beyond happy with the dynamic finished cover of <i>Just Call Me Spaghetti-Hoop Boy</i>. The incredible illustrations by Carlos Aon and Katharine Millichope’s fabulous design really bring Adam to life. This is how he sees himself, standing tall with his cape fluttering in the wind. Inside his head he’s probably shouting ‘KAZOO!’ which is his superhero motto! There’s a tiny twinkle in Adam’s eye and it’s important because he’s got a sense of mischief. If you look really carefully you’ll see a little spaghetti hoop on Adam’s chest and it’s that attention to detail that takes a cover to a whole new superhero level. Why is the spaghetti hoop so important? Well, that’s the thing – you’ve got to read the story to find out. In my opinion, a good cover throws up lots of delicious little secrets and invites you to discover the story between the pages – Carlos and Katharine have achieved this. From now on I’m going to declare them both cover design superheroes. Finally, it’s been amazing working with the illustrations to create this animated book trailer. Hope you love it as much as I do!<br /><br /><b>Watch out world, this is Adam’s journey to becoming a superhero, and you’re all invited along. <i>Just Call Me Spaghetti-Hoop Boy</i> by Lara Williamson is out in the UK on March 1st 2017. You can follow Lara on Twitter @LaraWilliamson or on Instagram @larawilliamsonauthor or check out <a href="http://larawilliamson.com/">larawilliamson.com</a>.</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Hey! Stop right there! Where are you going? You haven't seen the trailer yet? Grab a mug of your favourite hot beverage and sit back and enjoy:</b></span><br />
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BookZonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03218467691812670770noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046067346902619614.post-6660154776014410172016-11-30T18:58:00.000+00:002016-11-30T19:05:16.743+00:00Review of THE EYE OF THE NORTH by Sinéad O' Hart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When Emmeline’s parents (zoologists who specialise in
unusual creatures) are kidnapped, she is put on a ship, bound for a safe-house
in Paris. On board, she meets a boy called Thing (a scruffy stowaway orphan);
and an unlikely friendship forms between them. But the criminals who kidnapped
Emmeline’s parents soon catch up with her and whisk her off to the frozen north
to be used as bargaining chip by the deranged Dr. Bauer who wants Emmeline’s
parents to awaken a mysterious creature, asleep beneath the ice. <o:p></o:p><br />
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Determined to save his friend, Thing seeks help from a
secret organisation called the The Order of the White Flower. Together, they
set off on Emmeline’s trail, but when they are attacked, Thing must continue
the journey alone.<o:p></o:p><br />
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What follows is a white-knuckled race towards a glacier in
Greenland, with the perspective constantly shifting between Emmeline and Thing.
Along the way, they meet many weird and wonderful characters, including magical
creatures, some friendly and some not. The plot is perfectly paced, building in
momentum with every turn of the page until the reader is hurtled into an
edge-of-the-seat climax.<o:p></o:p><br />
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The absence of modern paraphernalia gives O’ Hart’s
steampunk world a classic and timeless feel. The scope of her imagination and
inventiveness is breath-taking, as indeed is the writing. I loved the character
of Emmeline – a bookish, brave but nervous, particular (with a touch of OCD!)
girl; or in the words of Dr. Bauer – ‘a singular little creature.’ The more
rough-around-the-edges Thing is an ideal foil to her – he’s spontaneous, upbeat
and funny, with a dark backstory. <o:p></o:p><br />
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This book is pure middle-grade gold, pitched perfectly in
tone at its audience. It is sure to be lapped up by boys and girls alike. This
impressive debut is my first 5 star read of 2017. I hope it’s a huge hit. It
certainly deserves to be!<o:p></o:p><br />
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Now, in the words of Thing himself: ‘Let the adventurin’
begin’.</div>
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Click <a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.ie/2015/02/interview-with-sinead-o-hart.html" target="_blank">here</a> for an interview with the author.<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046067346902619614.post-18629664213077884662016-11-11T19:04:00.001+00:002016-11-11T19:04:27.590+00:00Our Favourite Books<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My favourite series of books are the <i>Artemis Foul</i> books by Eoin Colfer. There
are breath-taking bits and massive sighs of relief bits. It`s about a boy
called Artemis. He has found out about an armed and dangerous (not to mention
high-tech) race of fairies. He was their No. 1 enemy but now he and the fairies
are friends. He has agreed to help whenever help is needed. Allied by Captain
Holly Short (she is a fairy) Artemis Foul goes on dangerous journeys through
time and all around the world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">By Lucas W</span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0YQgm8uNR7smJxvJcz4YXEZPpcFlZlaMLB-p3Cee4mu5zcJO4iQ-Zf-_KVw_LanbL8hpQShUv66F7Y8jBpRhyphenhyphen94UJjYkbV4HlHnZSjfOoMOqqQvFpDAN_DPJAhMD1rPcAs7Qe6lRKBc/s1600/9780717171132_full.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0YQgm8uNR7smJxvJcz4YXEZPpcFlZlaMLB-p3Cee4mu5zcJO4iQ-Zf-_KVw_LanbL8hpQShUv66F7Y8jBpRhyphenhyphen94UJjYkbV4HlHnZSjfOoMOqqQvFpDAN_DPJAhMD1rPcAs7Qe6lRKBc/s200/9780717171132_full.jpg" width="147" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My favourite book is Historopedia. It
was written by John Burke and illustrated by Fatti Burke. This is the second
book they made together. I liked it because it has a lot of facts and
activities. Some facts I never knew about!!! It tells stories from all around
Ireland dating back to 5000 years ago. I would rate this book ten out of
ten!!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">By Luke H, aged nine.</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAOolKRWPX5nfacm02fUFQXWceDHeyFSvEd5xXlM2fGdEmgak5CA1OUzB06rhURRXJgQcq8H-i6CUT4GteDKkBgW1aZ42aPd28pzDqjJrPKwBrQftPNbl93rRMseY3_BjquDlK1Jb4Q0Q/s1600/TheWitches.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAOolKRWPX5nfacm02fUFQXWceDHeyFSvEd5xXlM2fGdEmgak5CA1OUzB06rhURRXJgQcq8H-i6CUT4GteDKkBgW1aZ42aPd28pzDqjJrPKwBrQftPNbl93rRMseY3_BjquDlK1Jb4Q0Q/s200/TheWitches.jpg" width="138" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My
favourite book ever is written by Roald Dahl. The book is called <i>The Witches</i>. It is illustrated by
Quentin Blake. I really like the picture of the witches taking their wigs off.
It’s really funny when the witches were turned into mice. After the witches are
turned into mice the cats eat them. Grandmamma and her grandson went back to
Norway. I like when the grandson puts the mouse-maker into the soup. It happens
when grandmamma and her grandson heard the witches ask for soup. Then the
grandson gets the idea of putting the mouse-maker into the soup. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">By Martin W</span></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My
favourite book is <i>Are We There Yet</i>.
It is by Enid Blyton. There are three children, a mother and a father. The
family live with their grandmother. The children disturb their grandmother so
much they move into a caravan in a field. One day the farmer came to the
caravan and said you have to move to a different field. They have a very strong
bull that has broken all of the fences. The family went to their auntie and
uncle’s house on a farm. The children learn how to milk cows and make butter.
They go to school and have a great time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Harriet H</span></span></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My
favourite book is called <i>My Magical Pony -
Silver Mist</i>. It was written by Jenny Oldfield. It was about this girl
called Krista and she has a very special pony called Shining Star. Krista and
Shining Star became best friends. There was this guy named Joe. Joe got a
helper to mind the ponies and horses. The helper’s name is Rob. This husband
and wife told Rob that they had to steal the ponies and horses. They said that
Rob had to do it with them. Then Rob did it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Krista
and Shining Star saved the day as always. And that's why I thought that this
book was BRILLIANT</span></div>
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">BY MAYA AGE 8</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My
favourite book is called <i>George’s Marvellous
Medicine</i>. The author is called
Roald Dahl. If he was still alive he
would be a hundred years old, two month ago. His birthday is on September the
13th. I like this book because it is fun to read. The book is about a little
boy called George. George’s mammy goes to work and his granny minds him. His
mammy tells him to give his granny medicine.
George decides to make his own medicine
for granny.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">BY ELLEN
age 8</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1sjqvgmX9uUn2lnQCSogB1jyk1E5iq9LjUWspasGclcn789V7Wke6mqhEcZIkoroTQmxvfM_3wr_drxN-Ah26cZBkCqABqpiQ88Y66eote-1AyI477Ibw5rjbObdlzy6YdZcIgNTKV4/s1600/Wimpy_Kid_4_Cover_Art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1sjqvgmX9uUn2lnQCSogB1jyk1E5iq9LjUWspasGclcn789V7Wke6mqhEcZIkoroTQmxvfM_3wr_drxN-Ah26cZBkCqABqpiQ88Y66eote-1AyI477Ibw5rjbObdlzy6YdZcIgNTKV4/s200/Wimpy_Kid_4_Cover_Art.jpg" width="136" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My favourite book is <i>Dairy of a
Wimpy Kid</i> because it’s funny and I can’t sleep sometimes because it’s
that funny and if you want to know who
the author is, it’s Jeff Kinney. I like
him a lot because he’s funny and I love funny people because I am a funny person.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By Elizabeth</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My favourite book is <i>Harry Potter and The Prisoner Of Azkaban</i>.
The author of this series is called J.K. Rowling. This author is full of
mystery and cleverness, and that’s why I love the series. My most preferred
creature in the books are the Dementors. They give you that eerie feeling!!! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046067346902619614.post-33955014471170751752016-11-04T07:00:00.000+00:002016-11-04T10:07:53.776+00:00Middle Grade Murder - an interview with Robin Stevens. <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i><span style="color: #500050; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">As the fogs of autumn give way to the
occasional crisp morning of frost, it’s time to settle down to a bit of seasonal
mystery... <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #500050; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Robin Stevens, author of the </span></i><i><span style="background: white; color: #632423; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">bestselling, award-winning</span></i><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><i><span style="color: #500050; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Murder Most Unladylike series, has
just launched another Murder Most Unladylike Mystery – the fabulously titled
MISTLETOE AND MURDER. It’s getting fantastic reviews and already topping the
charts (just shows the importance of Middle Grade, people) But Robin wasn’t
always a bestselling novelist, she was once an 11-year-old and that was the
person I wanted to find out about: <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Here she is, aged 9, having a bunbreak. </i></span><br />
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<i><span style="color: #500050; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></i><i><span style="color: #500050; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The 11 year old Robin Stevens
was, by all reports, a bit of a bookworm – where and what would we have found
her reading? </span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Absolutely anything and everything! I
raided the library, second-hand bookshops (my father used to take me to
Hay-on-Wye every year, and standing in the specialist mystery shop Murder and
Mayhem was the highlight of my life), my friends' book collections and my
parents' shelves. Nothing was safe from me! </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I'm very
lucky that no one ever told me that books were too 'young' for me to read. I
happily read everything from picture books to adult books - I was definitely
already reading Sherlock Holmes by then, but also re-reading my Blytons. Some
of my favourite books at the time included S<i>wallows and Amazons, Bunnicula,
The Secret of Platform 13, Guards! Guards!</i> and (bizarrely) <i>Dave
Barry Turns 50.</i> As I say, nothing was safe from me ...<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<i><span style="color: #500050; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What a fabulously diverse reading list - I'm especially taken by Dave
Barry (had to look that one up) But what do you think you were looking for in a
book? Palpitations? Escape? Brain testing mystery?<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I wanted books that taught me something and made me think (that's why
I've always been so interested in puzzles and mystery - and that's what the
Dave Barry was, a way of learning about history that also made me laugh) but
mostly I was looking for a book that I could dive into, that made me feel part
of its world and connected to its characters. I was an only child, and didn't
have many neighbours my age, so I found most of my friends in books!</span><span style="color: #500050; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<i><span style="color: #500050; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">As a matter of interest - do
you do crosswords or sudoku?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I had a phase of being a big cryptic
crossword fan. I used to be pretty good! That reminds me that I should probably
pick it up again. I found it really fascinating to learn, like a special coded
language. Sudoku I can do, but I'm not as interested, as it's numbers or
symbols, and my brain prefers word play!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #500050; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So what came next? Did you hit
the great Hollywood gumshoes?</span></i><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I discovered Agatha Christie aged
about 12 and fell in love with her plots. I loved Dorothy Sayers, too, and
Ngaio Marsh and (a bit later) Josephine Tey - funnily enough I was never a big
Raymond Chandler fan. His books are more thrillers than puzzles, and I think
that disappointed me a bit. In terms of books I've never really wanted crime
that's gory or dangerous, though I was an enormous CSI fan as a teenager!</span><span style="color: #500050; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #500050; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">You’re not alone with the CSI
thing - what other TV shows did/do you
like - Murder she wrote?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I watched Murder She Wrote and
Diagnosis Murder, but my Big Loves were (and are) the Jeremy Brett Sherlock
Holmes, Miss Marple with Geraldine McEwen and the Suchet Poirot. I love BBC's
Sherlock too. I had a Silent Witness phase, and Criminal Minds, but that just
got too scary. I'm a wuss! Then Veronica Mars, Supernatural, Jonathan Creek,
Alias, Heroes, Firefly ... I love good stories with great characters, however
they're presented. At this very moment my big obsessions are Westworld and
Humans. Robots just want to be loved, guys.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i>I'm thinking that you're now writing the
books that you couldn't find when you were 11? So what else is out there now
that wasn't out there then that you would have liked? If that makes sense?<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">There are so many amazing stories
that just hadn't been written yet - I would have loved Skulduggery Pleasant,
Mortal Engines, Hunger Games and (in terms of crime) The London Eye Mystery and
Katherine Woodfine's Clockwork Sparrow series. But I think that even since I
was 11 (which was 1999, not so long ago really), there's been a massive
expansion in what genres are available. I know I would have LOVED comics and
graphic novels, but at the time I felt like Marvel and DC were only for Proper
Fans and was too shy to pick them up. If anyone had given me Lumberjanes, or
the Kamala Khan Ms Marvel, or Raina Telgemeier's books, I'd have been in
heaven. And YA, too - I had Louise Rennison, but I wish I could have moved on
to stuff like Nicola Yoon, Harriet Reuter Hapgood, Jennifer Niven. I'd have
eaten them up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #500050; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">And definitely the final
question - the library is burning down - which book does the 11 year old Robin
rescue?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Oh man! 11 year old Robin probably stands and cries in panic.
But if my library burned down today, the book I would save is one I got when I
was 15. Diana Wynne Jones came to speak at the Cheltenham Festival, and I went
to see her. I got my copy of Dark Lord of Derkholm signed, and it was about one
of the best things that has ever happened to me. I love her books beyond all
reason, and I loved seeing what a good person she clearly was at that event. If
I could grow up to be any author, it would be her!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Here are Robin and her dad enjoying Christmas when she was 11 (p.s. She made the Christmas crackers)</i></span><br />
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<i><span style="color: #632423; font-family: "verdana" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Thank you Robin Stevens. <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/mistletoe-and-murder/robin-stevens/9780141369723" target="_blank">Mistletoe and Murder</a> is out now from Puffin
books priced<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a> £6.99 and is available from all good
bookshops. </span></i></div>
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<i><o:p></o:p></i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278963707901201841noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046067346902619614.post-37323689248657579922016-10-27T08:30:00.000+01:002016-10-27T08:30:09.593+01:00Blog Tour: Andy Briggs On His Favourite Things About Being A Children's Writer<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">We're big fans of Andy Briggs here and the first book in The Inventory series, <i>Iron Fist</i>, was a great read! We're looking forward to reading sequel <i>Gravity</i>. To celebrate, he's taking part in a great blog tour, and shared with us his favourite things about being a children's writer.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am often asked what’s it like to be an author, and there are many wonderful things… but I would like to first say that I have had real jobs. I have stacked shelves in Iceland (sadly, the shop, not the astonishing country), I have delivered pizzas and even been a teacher (again, sadly not at the same time) – so I do know what real work feels like!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We should get the obvious joys out of the way with first – the chance to work in your pyjamas. Let’s face it, we all have days when we wake up and want a duvet day, and aside from professional PJ tester, this is a job that allows you that luxury!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writing children’s books allows the author the chance to get close to their readers in ways other authors (and screenwriters) can’t, this is due to the many school events we have to do in order to promote our books. I remember my first school visits were quite scary as I didn’t know what to expect, but now I thoroughly enjoy doing them. It’s a good way to receive feedback from the young readers, but also to chat about what they like, what trends they’re starting to follow and (very importantly for an author) do a little research on what should be in the next book!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For me, being a children’s author falls into two broad camps – the award winning intelligent, moral stories that allow the reader to reflect on their own life and weighty issues of growing up in the world. And those that are pure escapism, without winking at the reader and saying yes, this is your life really. I love both, but my books fall in the latter camp. Ever since I learnt to read, I read for escapism, for the chance to live outside my life rather than read instructions on how to live it, so as a consequence I think that reflects in my stories. There are few places left in the world in which a writer can get away with this. Screenplays (which I also write) often have to have some serious vein, and grown up literature generally follows this code – but only in writing for children can an author truly go wild.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Like most authors I know, it’s a huge thrill to receive fan mail from a keen reader. I find it a particular thrill when it comes from a kid who has read my book, rather than an adult. The general opinion of children not caring about things and being “lazy” is completely untrue, and nothing symbolises that more than a message simply saying how much they enjoyed my books. I hope, in some small way, that I have passed on a sliver of inspiration in that child’s life – that is such an amazing feeling that only proud parents and teachers can get.</span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Gravity (The Inventory #2)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">by Andy Briggs<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Summary:</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Eeek! Think that’s a monster? Nope: it’s a
person. What terrible weapon could do this…? Errr – well, that used to be
top-secret. Problem: it’s not quite so secret anymore. Dev messed up big time
the day he let the ruthless Shadow Helix gang into the Inventory. What is the
Inventory, we hear you ask? Well, it’s the secret lockup for all the deadly
battle tech the world is NOT ready for. Which is why letting it get nicked was
a REALLY BAD IDEA. Now the Shadow Helix have Newton’s Arrow: a terrifying
weapon that messes with gravity, causing … well, you get the picture from this
book’s cover. Dev and his mates HAVE to get it back – even if it means crossing
the entire globe. To stop this evil, no trip is too far!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Information
about the Book<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Title:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">
Gravity (The Inventory #2)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Author:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">
Andy Briggs<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Release
Date:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"> 6<sup>th</sup> October 2016<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Genre:
</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">MG Sci-Fi<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Publisher:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">
Scholastic<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Format:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">
Paperback<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Goodreads
Link</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">: </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32571679-gravity"><span style="background-color: white;">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32571679-gravity</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Amazon
Link</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">: </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gravity-Inventory-Andy-Briggs/dp/1407161806"><span style="background-color: white;">https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gravity-Inventory-Andy-Briggs/dp/1407161806</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Author Information<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJn2QTLEx8zblJOulHgks5hSEJLCw7vASxTJ-kdrVceJGmVKfu7L-eCINXpL6gALo9CHXKZ2HqtHYqfntTpLfl_FYjjQ3ifxlk28um3dRpJ-Z_dm0BSfNLVQAcLiUbjiM_6ozN90NS36U/s1600/Andy+Briggs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJn2QTLEx8zblJOulHgks5hSEJLCw7vASxTJ-kdrVceJGmVKfu7L-eCINXpL6gALo9CHXKZ2HqtHYqfntTpLfl_FYjjQ3ifxlk28um3dRpJ-Z_dm0BSfNLVQAcLiUbjiM_6ozN90NS36U/s320/Andy+Briggs.jpg" width="192" /></span></a></div>
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<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Andy Briggs is a
screenwriter, producer and author of the Hero.com, Villain.net and Tarzan
series. Andy has worked on film development for Paramount and Warner Bros, as
well as working with Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee and producer Robert Evans.
With a strong social media following, Andy tours the UK regularly, doing
festival, school and library events. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Website:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span><a href="http://andybriggs.co.uk/"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">www.andybriggs.co.uk</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Twitter:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/aBriggswriter"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">www.twitter.com/aBriggswriter</span></a></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Tour Schedule<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">(Banner
Below)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Monday 17<sup>th</sup> October<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://fictionfascination.co.uk/"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Fiction Fascination</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://heatherreviews.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Heather Reviews</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Tuesday 18<sup>th</sup> October</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://kirstyleanne.com/"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Kirsty Leanne</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://emmasbookery.blogspot.co.uk/"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Emma’s Bookery</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Wednesday 19<sup>th</sup> October</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://bookishoutsider.blogspot.co.uk/"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Bookish Outsider</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://bookloverjo.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Book Lover Jo</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Thursday 20<sup>th</sup> October</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://yaundermyskin.blogspot.co.uk/"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">YA Under My Skin</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://lunaslittlelibrary.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Luna’s Little Library</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Friday 21<sup>st</sup> October</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://artsmum.com/"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">ArtsMum</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://wonderfullybookish.co.uk/"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Wonderfully Bookish</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Saturday 22<sup>nd</sup> October</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://librarygirlandbookboy.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Library Girl and Book Boy</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Sunday 23<sup>rd</sup> October<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://annasadventuresinbookland.blogspot.co.uk/"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">An Awfully Big Adventure</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Monday 24<sup>th</sup> October</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://talesofyesterday.co.uk/"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Tales of Yesterday</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://yayeahyeah.com/"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">YA Yeah Yeah</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Tuesday 25<sup>th</sup> October</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://ittakesawoman.co.uk/"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It Takes a Woman</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://sisterspooky.co.uk/"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Sister Spooky</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Wednesday 26<sup>th</sup> October</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://bibliobeth.com/"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Bibliobeth</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://thebooksbandit.blogspot.co.uk/"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Books Bandit</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Thursday 27<sup>th</sup> October</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://mgstrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">MG Strikes Back</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://readitdaddy.blogspot.co.uk/"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Read it Daddy</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Friday 28<sup>th</sup> October<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://snugglingonthesofa.com/"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Snuggling on the Sofa</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://liveotherwise.co.uk/"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Live Otherwise</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Saturday 29<sup>th</sup> October</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://bartsbookshelf.co.uk/"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Bart’s Bookshelf</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Sunday 30<sup>th</sup> October</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://kirstyes.co.uk/"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Kirstyes</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15408167904801253874noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046067346902619614.post-51669003363768861052016-10-17T08:50:00.000+01:002016-10-17T08:50:13.897+01:00Shadow Magic Blog Tour: Joshua Khan on Literacy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We're loving the <i>Shadow Magic </i>blog tour, organised by the fabulous Faye Rogers, so it's great to be on it today with a fantastic Joshua Khan guest post on literacy!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Literacy is the most crucial skill in the world. That’s it. You cannot engage with the world around you if you cannot read, now more than ever, as we live in a world of pure information.<br /><br />I’ve worked with the Beanstalk charity. It discovered at about 50% of the prison population is more or less illiterate. Of course, it seems obvious. People want to get on, they want to have the home comforts, the treats, the respect that earning a living gives. The pride. But if you can’t read or write, how will you acquire these things? It becomes hard and maybe other routes open up, less legitimate ones.<br /><br />To paraphrase the Jesuits, also big on education, “Give me the boy at seven, and I will give you the reader.”<br /><br />My greatest encounter as a writer was having a boy, big, fifteen or so, put my book down on the table for me to sign, and tell me he’d never finished a book before until now. He’d become a reader. It just takes the right book, and that can happen to even the most reluctant.<br /><br />So, yes, it’s about seeing the world through the eyes of others, it’s about empathy, it’s about understanding, but in the end it’s about being part of today’s world. It’s about being able to engage, about begin able to understand what is truth and what is deceit. In the tidal wave of information coming at us all day, every day, it’s about being able to sift through the dross to the knowledge.<br /><br />Reading is both a skill and a passion. It’s something hard, after all it’s weird squiggles on the page that are, supposed to, make understanding. If you forget how hard it must be for a kid to learn how to read and write just go pick up an Arabic or Chinese newspaper and see how far you get. Even with Google Translate.<br /><br />Children’s books bear the burden, the responsibility and the honour of making readers. It may be a scene, a hero, even a line, that fires that kid’s passion to read on, to learn, to gain this most essential skill. Be it comic, be it chapter book, be it car manual, whatever it takes, we are duty-bound as children’s writers to put in our very best efforts to transform their lives, to give them the power, education in its simplest form, to go out and succeed in the modern world.</span></span><br />
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<br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Summary:</span></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #181818; line-height: 115%;">Thorn, an outlaw's son, wasn't supposed to be a slave. He's been sold to
Tyburn, an executioner, and they're headed to Castle Gloom in Gehenna, the land
of undead, where Thorn will probably be fed to a vampire.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #181818; line-height: 115%;">Lilith Shadow wasn't supposed to be ruler of Gehenna. But following the
murder of her family, young Lily became the last surviving member of House
Shadow, a long line of dark sorcerers. Her country is surrounded by enemies and
the only way she can save it is by embracing her heritage and practicing the
magic of the undead. But how can she when, as a girl, magic is forbidden to
her?</span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #181818; line-height: 115%;">Just when it looks like Lily will have to leave her home forever, Thorn
arrives at Castle Gloom. A sudden death brings them together, inspires them to
break the rules, and leads them to soar to new heights in this fantasy with all
the sparkle and luster of a starry night sky.</span></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #181818; line-height: 115%;">Release Date:</span></b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #181818; line-height: 115%;"> 6th October 2016</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #181818; line-height: 115%;">Genre:</span></b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #181818; line-height: 115%;"> MG Fantasy</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #181818; line-height: 115%;">Publisher:</span></b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #181818; line-height: 115%;"> Scholastic</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #181818; line-height: 115%;">Format:</span></b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #181818; line-height: 115%;"> Paperback</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #181818; line-height: 115%;">Goodreads Link:</span></b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #181818; line-height: 115%;"> </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23510089-shadow-magic"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23510089-shadow-magic</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #181818; line-height: 115%;">Amazon Link:</span></b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #181818; line-height: 115%;"> </span><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadow-Magic-Joshua-Khan/dp/1407172085"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadow-Magic-Joshua-Khan/dp/1407172085</span></a></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9AuLjBj80XkBblPsM7exfhOzaxd-LJw9GzxFFZbVbfdN__nRRKFtYfCHWRjNMb_Fs54Br3_2MCt00oT5ui-u1juy26PcE6ecrqhoZhtqi7vuL1_Mlcj9eyhZ-BKaI95dqVYyOakLZbbco/s1600/JOSHUA+KHAN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9AuLjBj80XkBblPsM7exfhOzaxd-LJw9GzxFFZbVbfdN__nRRKFtYfCHWRjNMb_Fs54Br3_2MCt00oT5ui-u1juy26PcE6ecrqhoZhtqi7vuL1_Mlcj9eyhZ-BKaI95dqVYyOakLZbbco/s320/JOSHUA+KHAN.jpg" width="211" /> </a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><u><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #181818; line-height: 115%;">Author Information</span></u></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;">Joshua Khan was born in Britain. From very early on he filled himself
with the stories of heroes, kings and queens until there was hardly any room
for anything else. He can tell you where King Arthur was born* but not what he
himself had for breakfast. So, with a head stuffed with tales of legendary
knights, wizards and great and terrible monsters it was inevitable Joshua would
want to create some of his own. Hence SHADOW MAGIC. Josh lives in London with
his family, but he’d rather live in a castle. It wouldn’t have to be very big,
just as long as it had battlements.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;">*Tintagel, in case you were wondering.</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;">Website:</span></b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"> </span><a href="http://www.joshuakhan.com/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">http://www.joshuakhan.com/</span></a><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;">Twitter:</span></b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"> </span><a href="https://twitter.com/writerjoshkhan"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">https://twitter.com/writerjoshkhan</span></a></span></span></div>
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</span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh21FZ1eP5q1gO4PHFlcLaMrdBG7aJHqSQSDyvVNWBN_97PIrb8-XJGBjoDStFOen6W9cAvPR8QqxxQ1pk60FIGvW3yo2AcYyLE9QHb6fHKJtE2-t9-GoKhh77HS5IZa7q7rfmD13xXe_pI/s1600/SHADOW-MAGIC-BLOG-BANNER.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh21FZ1eP5q1gO4PHFlcLaMrdBG7aJHqSQSDyvVNWBN_97PIrb8-XJGBjoDStFOen6W9cAvPR8QqxxQ1pk60FIGvW3yo2AcYyLE9QHb6fHKJtE2-t9-GoKhh77HS5IZa7q7rfmD13xXe_pI/s640/SHADOW-MAGIC-BLOG-BANNER.jpg" width="104" /> </a></span></span></div>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;">Wednesday 5th October</span></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://bartsbookshelf.co.uk/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">Bart’s Bookshelf</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://teensonmoonlane.co.uk/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">Teens on Moon Lane</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;">Thursday 6th October</span></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://lunaslittlelibrary.wordpress.com/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">Luna’s
Little Library</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://bazingabooknerd.com/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">Bazinga Booknerd</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;">Friday 7th October</span></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://bookishoutsider.blogspot.co.uk/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">Bookish
Outsider</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://sisterspooky.com/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">Sister Spooky</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;">Saturday 8th October</span></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://northernplunder.blogspot.co.uk/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">Northern
Plunder</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://chouett.com/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">Chouett</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;">Sunday 9th October</span></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://talesofyesterday.co.uk/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">Tales of Yesterday</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://thebookbandit.blogspot.co.uk/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">The
Book Bandit</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;">Monday 10th October</span></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.ittakesawoman.co.uk/blog/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">It
Takes a Woman</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.tickettoanywhere.net/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">Ticket
to Anywhere</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;">Tuesday 11th October</span></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://bigbooklittlebook.com/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">Big Book Little
Book</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://delightfulbookreviews.blogspot.co.uk/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">Delightful Book Reviews</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;">Wednesday 12th October</span></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://artsmum.com/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">ArtsMum</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://thereadingpileblog.wordpress.com/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">The
Reading Pile</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;">Thursday 13th October</span></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://kirstyes.co.uk/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">Kirstyes</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.inspiringimarah.com/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">Inspiring
Imarah</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
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</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;">Friday 14th October</span></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://yaundermyskin.blogspot.co.uk/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">YA
Under my Skin</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://thebibliomaniacbookblog.com/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">Bibliomaniac</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
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</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;">Saturday 15th October</span></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://fictionfascination.co.uk/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">Fiction
Fascination</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://sweetlovebooks.wordpress.com/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">Sweet
Love Books</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;">Sunday 16th October</span></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.mugglenet.com/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">Mugglenet</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://k-booksxo.blogspot.co.uk/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">K
Books</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;">Monday 17th October</span></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://snugglingonthesofa.com/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">Snuggling on the
Sofa</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://mgstrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">MG
Strikes Back</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
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</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;">Tuesday 18th October</span></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://yayeahyeah.com/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">YA Yeah Yeah</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="normal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://nayusreadingcorner.blogspot.co.uk/"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: #1155cc; line-height: 115%;">Nayu’s
Reading Corner</span></a></span></span></div>
Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15408167904801253874noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046067346902619614.post-46909328814792650292016-10-05T00:30:00.000+01:002016-10-05T00:30:01.734+01:00"Back to the future..." by Caroline Busher<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLm1RKR6ZQp_adSvXieW2x99tNZ5PUCVzmh3ouEJoixIYnyr5k7cnmH19RspVwnLZmrcVW6F6acC4XVvZQIuvID4pDb_11R_HxB7SQ4S17jiJEFeL7_yrePeUZyNZSRugsJsxz01sGxi4/s1600/IMG02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLm1RKR6ZQp_adSvXieW2x99tNZ5PUCVzmh3ouEJoixIYnyr5k7cnmH19RspVwnLZmrcVW6F6acC4XVvZQIuvID4pDb_11R_HxB7SQ4S17jiJEFeL7_yrePeUZyNZSRugsJsxz01sGxi4/s320/IMG02.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
As a
writer of historical fiction for children the past intrigues me. It is what
makes us who we are; it shapes our future and gives us a road map to
tentatively follow as we move into the future.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
If I
could step into my imaginary DeLorean time machine right now the year I would
return to would be 1848. I would travel back to the murky realms of Victorian
London, to the time when the four main characters in my novel Ginny, Theo,
Archie and Millie lived.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
The
first thing I would do is walk along the banks of the river Thames, and wait
hesitantly to see which shadowy figure would emerge from the dense fog. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Would
it be <i>Badblood</i>, the cruel ringmaster
and proprietor of <i>Badblood’s Circus</i>?
or <i>Ginny</i> the girl with a little bird called blue living inside of her? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Then
I would pick up a copy of <i>The Illustrated
London News </i>and read all about the Cholera Epidemic that was rampant at the
time. I would finish the day off with a trip to the circus to witness the
horrors that awaited the characters in my novel first hand. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
This
fascination that I have with the creepy Victorians; stems from my childhood. I
grew up as an only child in a large Victorian House in the North-West of
England. As a child I would sneak up the stairs to the attic with my favourite
Victorian novel gripped in my hand. I devoured children’s literature everyday until
eventually the fictional characters and stories of the crumbling Victorian Era became
so entrenched in my imagination that I knew I had to write my own children’s
novel set in the past.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
When
I am writing a historical novel I don’t have the luxury of a time machine,
therefore, I have to use my imagination to fill in the blanks. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Research
is an important part of the process, and it is something that I enjoy. I have
been known to spend hours in the library sifting through history books and newspaper
articles. Part of my research involves reading works of fiction that were
written at the time that my novel was set. For the Victorian Era I read books
by authors such as Charles Dickens and Lewis Carroll. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCru4paSwg-y6LCaX-o9WJhwQK3lsFS1UTzWWlTrG0DBVJX0kAaFVuwSKwbzQfb5HkdEIVxdOStuRM_xTcTPzBSjWHmynfk2Y7trYqbzr_3UlyxAkxoxTKEUYKoXD9AB-hDRRFHJ7s10Q/s1600/110531-L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCru4paSwg-y6LCaX-o9WJhwQK3lsFS1UTzWWlTrG0DBVJX0kAaFVuwSKwbzQfb5HkdEIVxdOStuRM_xTcTPzBSjWHmynfk2Y7trYqbzr_3UlyxAkxoxTKEUYKoXD9AB-hDRRFHJ7s10Q/s320/110531-L.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
One
of my favourite Children’s Books set in the Victorian Era is “The Little
Princess” by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It tells the tale of Sara Crewe, an
intelligent and resourceful girl who lives like a princess. Her world is turned
upside down when her devoted father dies and she is forced to live a life of
poverty in a tiny attic room. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Despite
the challenges that she faces, Sara remains resilient, hopeful and benevolent.
A Little Princess moved me on so many levels as a child. It taught me that it
is possible to overcome adversity and Burnett’s portrayal of Sara Crewe as a
girl trying to navigate a world over which she has no control is still as
relevant to children today as it was when it was first published. The Little
Princess is a hopeful book and I have re-read it many times over the years and
I feel a real connection with this classic work of Children’s Literature. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
I
wrote my debut novel “The Ghosts of Magnificent Children” when I was completing
an MA in Creative Writing in UCD. It is set in the past and I hope you have as
much fun reading it and I did writing it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b>About Caroline Busher: <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="c24">Caroline
Busher is an award winning writer and curator for Wexford Literary Festival;
she graduated with a First Class Honours MA in Creative Writing from UCD and is
represented by Trace Literary Agency- USA. Her first book “The Ghosts of
Magnificent Children” (Poolbeg Press) is out now. You can learn more about Caroline
here: </span><a href="http://www.carolinebusher.wordpress.com/">www.carolinebusher.wordpress.com</a><span class="c24"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ri7Mv1yLEqPM5NOseS_VSxkC9z7kDQmz0YoP3iWUHOvKAiHa00pJTp9L2gAoOQezlm_YiA_tBeuRdiWJtaWPMf1RqWPNejR45qReCsx48OgUcDJLk_BX2ytACRl5SO9XdqnuBaKiZFQ/s1600/theghost3d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ri7Mv1yLEqPM5NOseS_VSxkC9z7kDQmz0YoP3iWUHOvKAiHa00pJTp9L2gAoOQezlm_YiA_tBeuRdiWJtaWPMf1RqWPNejR45qReCsx48OgUcDJLk_BX2ytACRl5SO9XdqnuBaKiZFQ/s200/theghost3d.jpg" width="161" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b>About The Ghosts of Magnificent Children:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<strong><i>The
year is 1848. It is a time when magic and ghosts exist.</i></strong> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br />
Four Magnificent Children are captured by Badblood’s Circus. Theo can look into your eyes and reveal your
secret thoughts, which come out of his mouth like a swarm of bees. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Ginny has a bird called Blue
living inside her. Her ribs are woven together to form a birdcage. Blue perches
on a swing made from one of her ribs.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
And the Thought-reading
Twins, Archie and Millie Luxbridge, have an extraordinary ability to read each
other’s minds. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br />
They become stars of the circus but are unaware that Badblood has a dark and
secret plan. <br />
<br />
One hundred years later the children’s ghosts appear on an island off the coast
of Ireland where a boy called Rua befriends them. Rua discovers that a terrible
fate awaits them and, in a desperate race against time, he struggles to learn
how they may be saved.<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046067346902619614.post-71315686940704113472016-09-28T07:00:00.000+01:002016-09-28T07:00:00.847+01:00Location, Location, Location<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Just now, on Twitter, I came across a sketch by an artist of
two imaginary children on a bike in a London street. Marshalsea Rd. It was very specific. Exact.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Minutes earlier I’d answered a question from
a publicist about my settings – were they real – had I imagined them?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I had to admit that I’d amalgamated several different
places. Yes, there was a spot in my head, but it wasn’t perfect. Generally, I like to take a place and make it
fit. Bring the quarry a little closer to the
farm, lug the river up the hill a bit, add an extra storey to the house. That
kind of thing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And it made me wonder – does it matter to the reader if the
location is real or imagined?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Obviously, a fantasy adventure set in space is an imagined location
– but for all the terrestrial stories do we unconsciously or even consciously
try to work out where they are? And does it matter if the story changes those
places a little, or a lot?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When Phillip Reeve wrote his Mortal Engine books, he messed
about with London, which was fine, because it’s fantasy – but would we have
stood for Anthony Horowitz doing the same in his Alex Rider series?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Which got me thinking about using real people - was I the only person who felt a delicious
sense of something naughty when James Bond trotted through Buck palace with the
Queen at the Olympics? or even when David Walliams cast the Queen in his
Gangsta Granny book?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Historical fiction is full of real figures, it’s totally
fine to use them – but apart from the Queen – or “the Prime Minister” I don’t
know of any other examples of real people being stolen by contemporary children's writers. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Do you? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And,
what do you think about locations? Is
using a real place a little bit naughty? A little bit exciting? Or – as it’s a
work of fiction – would you rather have fiction all the way?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I’m interested. </span> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Latest book from Fleur Hitchcock, MURDER IN MIDWINTER out October 6th from Nosy Crow. </i></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06278963707901201841noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046067346902619614.post-49632217545797168362016-09-18T00:30:00.000+01:002016-09-18T00:30:20.067+01:00Writing Seascapes: The Book of Shadows by E.R. Murray<div class="MsoNormal">
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The sea is one of my favourite things. I
find it intriguing, enchanting and at times, frightening. The sea is beautiful
yet unpredictable. It whispers and calls, lulls and calms, and yet, it can be
ferocious and murderous too. Did you know that seawater covers around 71% of
the earth’s surface? That’s a lot of water to marvel at!</div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Despite its size, the sea is not a vast
watery nothingness like many people believe; there are islands and reefs and ravines,
and so much is hidden from view. The tides are in constant flux and below the
waves, the sea is teeming with life. A wild and unruly beast, it is this
incredible mix of qualities that made seascapes a prominent feature in my
latest book, <i>The Book of Shadows – Nine
Lives Trilogy 2</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I live on the Atlantic coast in Southwest
Ireland and I spend as much time as I can near the sea and on the sea. We have
a small punt that we use for catching mackerel and pollock in the summer, and
we often see lots of creatures such as jellyfish, dolphins, minke whales, and
basking sharks. Then there are the seabirds including manx shearwaters, terns,
guillemots, and gannets – so don’t be surprised when you find these creatures
woven into my stories! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Even though my Nine Lives Trilogy is a
fantasy story, it is important to me that the characters and events are
believable. This means that the seascapes and high seas adventures had to be
realistic as well as exciting, and so I’ve taken lots of inspiration from my
immediate surroundings. There’s nothing better than heading out into open water,
all your senses open, not knowing what you’ll encounter or how the journey will
impact your story. It’s also fun interrogating fishermen and sailors for
details that might add to your tale. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTQuaM8qTvsc335i-ZPVKbyqOxTD5A9WzqinouemoGSuPM-O8QjIs8onjP3TjAbGVzjoheBPLyEB_dZECKA7XeCEZM8NwVXJ3zh5MZsPfRA-KxdcfkJP5nlrd5cvElpLS2X7P4hAZYgas/s1600/er2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTQuaM8qTvsc335i-ZPVKbyqOxTD5A9WzqinouemoGSuPM-O8QjIs8onjP3TjAbGVzjoheBPLyEB_dZECKA7XeCEZM8NwVXJ3zh5MZsPfRA-KxdcfkJP5nlrd5cvElpLS2X7P4hAZYgas/s320/er2.JPG" width="240" /></a><span lang="EN-US">Did you realise, for instance, that it is
considered unlucky to set sail on a Friday? Or that a tiny spot of rainbow
portends rain? Did you know that fishermen prefer to use a clinch knot on their
lines? Or that 30 foot long basking sharks might peek inside your boat (the
young ones can be quite inquisitive)? Can you tell a schooner from a sloop?
Finding out details like this is really fun and even though they’re not the
focus of the action, they bring an extra atmospheric element and sense of realism.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Some of the place names in <i>The Book of Shadows</i> are real, while
others are complete fiction. Gun Point, for instance, is an actual place, and
so is Roaring Water Bay – these are the real names of places where I live (I
just shifted them a little, geographically). Gallows Island is based on a
mixture of Cape Clear and Long Island (I can see Long Island from my home); I
needed to fuse the landscapes, but I also wanted a more sinister name, so I
made that up. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">History also plays a part, as West Cork was
a haven for pirates in the 17<sup>th</sup> and 18<sup>th</sup> centuries. It’s
a fascinating era, and so part of <i>The
Book of Shadows</i> involves some pirate action – and not just regular pirates,
but also black-hearted devils made of darkness and shadows. The idea for these
creatures came after reading about the real-life ‘Barbary raids’ of 1631, when
pirates kidnapped the inhabitants of Baltimore. They represent the darker side
of the human psyche. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I hope you enjoy the seascapes and sea life
that appears in my stories. And if you have any high seas adventures or facts
of your own that you’d like to share, I’d love to hear them!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b>About E.R. Murray: </b><span style="background: white; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Elizabeth Rose Murray</span> writes <span style="background: white; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">fiction for children and young
adults. She lives in West Cork where she fishes, grows her own vegetables and
enjoys plenty of outdoor adventures. <i>The
Book of Shadows</i> is her third novel. You can learn more about Elizabeth<span style="color: #404040;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://ermurray.com/"><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">here</span></a></span><span style="background: white; color: #404040; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">About<span style="color: #333333;"> </span></span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Book-Shadows-Nine-Lives-Trilogy/dp/1781174520/"><b><i><span lang="EN-GB">The Book of Shadows</span></i></b></a></span><b><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">:</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In
this exciting follow-up to the Dublin UNESCO City of Literature Citywide Read
2016, ‘The Book of Learning’, heroine Ebony Smart is settling into her role as
guardian for the Order of Nine Lives. All seems quiet until she receives a
peculiar silver box from an anonymous sender and is tasked with returning it to
a mystery owner. Ebony discovers that Zach and Judge Ambrose have allied with a
powerful ancient demon, and are more determined than ever to steal her soul and
control the fate of the world. To defend the Order and defeat the demon, Ebony
and her pet rat, Winston, must unravel the mystery of the silver box, free the
trapped souls in the Reflectory and mount a daring rescue. Can she find the
strength and courage needed to defeat the enemy, prove herself the rightful
guardian and save all of their lives?</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046067346902619614.post-43134911781050949632016-09-13T08:00:00.000+01:002016-09-13T08:05:15.416+01:00Spynosaur Blog Tour: The Roald Ahead by Guy BassWe're really looking forward to reading <i>Spynosaur </i>by Guy Bass, so we're delighted to host a post from him talking about his love of Roald Dahl.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #222222; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Roald Ahead<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Comics were my thing. Like most children, injustice drove me up the
wall, and superhero comics, despite their shades of grey, were generally about good
vs. evil … the fight against injustice. 8-year old me consumed comics by the lorry-load,
but there was something about books that bothered me. Maybe it was because I
had to read them at school – I tended (very quietly) to resent being told what
to do. But honestly, I still don’t know what it was about books – they just
overawed me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Then I found Roald Dahl, or specifically, <i>George’s Marvellous Medicine</i>. I read it again and again, relishing
each magical moment and insane ingredient. Books were demystified and defogged
before my eyes. Suddenly, I could see the road ahead. Like the story’s hero, George
Kranky, I could touch “the edge of a magic world”. Without <i>George’s Marvellous
Medicine</i>, I don’t think I’d writing about dinosaur spies (or anything else)
today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To stay with 8-year-old me a bit longer; I was far too studious to be
called a dreamer (curse my biddable bones) but every assembly – I mean, every
assembly – I would fantasise about floating up from the floor and flying around
the hall before zooming out of one of the windows. I’d will it, hold my breath
and wish so hard to fly that the rest of the world disappeared. Sometimes I’d
even manage to imagine myself soaring over the school before we’d have to stand
for a hymn and my flight of fancy was brought crashing back to reality. Part of
it was wanting to be noticed, since I was quiet and generally felt quite
invisible. Don’t play the harps yet – I expect half the kids in that assembly
were also feeling invisible and having daydreams of their own. That’s something
Roald Dahl tapped into brilliantly. Charlie from <i>Charlie and the Chocolate Factory</i> is probably the most obvious “everychild”
(especially juxtaposed with the dreadful Veruca Salt, Augustus Gloop and co.) but
many of Dahl’s heroes and heroines are seemingly unremarkable, and rewarded for
being good, selfless and just. I was grateful for that. The idea that doing the
right thing is reward enough was immensely satisfying (it’s a major theme running
most of my books, especially <i>Stitch Head</i>)
… even though it was probably <i>more</i>
satisfying that the villains got their comeuppance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Which brings me back to George Kranky. While Charlie is the boy I wanted
to want to be, George is the boy I <i>really</i>
wanted to be. He takes as much as he can from his mean, sinister, spiteful
granny, and decides enough is enough. There are no half measures – it’s not
called George’s Reasonably Impressive Medicine, which gives his granny a
belly-ache – this potion is off-the-scale. Revenge is a dish best serve
marvellously. I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to confront the needless
injustices of childhood with a medicine of my own. Well, I could but it’d take <i>ages</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When I write, I try to remember 8-year old me and the satisfaction I got
from <i>George’s Marvellous Medicine</i>. I try to make sure justice is done – I like to
the see the evil (or at least spectacularly misguided) criminal mastermind Ergo
Ego vanquished by Spynosaur, a hero who dedicate his every waking moment to
battling tyranny (and making bad puns.) And I don’t want my hero to be
reasonably impressive – I want him to have secret skis and jump in and out of
helicopters and battle ninja snowmen and blow everything to smithereens. And I
want him be a <i>dinosaur</i>. Marvellous!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For more from Guy, check out his <a href="https://twitter.com/GuyBassBooks" target="_blank">Twitter</a> account and <a href="http://www.guybass.com/" target="_blank">website</a> and this <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p046wrqh" target="_blank">BBC video</a>, in which he reviews <i>George's Marvellous Medicine</i>!</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And of course, don't miss the rest of the stops on this brilliant blog tour!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvyBO21ks_pbrRUnHFjMpIFBvFRcV8bIAoniFMZc9KN_9GdOHMashSwNaTJ8guujFPn-4UPU5WiP3gx_djPuiuUksEJiTsBi8pPrW9yS5h7QrmlSJHYtFKpP-8QxhsAZWBS1cfKOvZamBq/s1600/GuyBass2_COL_crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvyBO21ks_pbrRUnHFjMpIFBvFRcV8bIAoniFMZc9KN_9GdOHMashSwNaTJ8guujFPn-4UPU5WiP3gx_djPuiuUksEJiTsBi8pPrW9yS5h7QrmlSJHYtFKpP-8QxhsAZWBS1cfKOvZamBq/s400/GuyBass2_COL_crop.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15408167904801253874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046067346902619614.post-47952536138344185362016-09-07T12:43:00.000+01:002016-09-07T14:45:36.460+01:00Cover Reveal: Who Let The Gods Out? by Mary Alice Evans<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;">We are VERY excited to read Maz Evans's Who Let The Gods Out? - coming next year from Chicken House - and we're thrilled to reveal the cover here today! Check out Maz's blurb below, along with the gorgeous cover from </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="https://twitter.com/studiohelen" target="_blank">Helen Crawford-White</a> (with characters drawn by Aleksei Bitskoff).</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;">Hi - I'm Maz Evans, author of Who Let the Gods Out? my four-part comedy adventure series. When a haughty teenage constellation crash lands in his shed, young carer Elliot Hooper's life becomes the stuff of legend as he joins with the ancient Greek Gods on an anarchic adventure to save the world from an evil death daemon. But after 2,000 years of cushy retirement, are Zeus, Athene, Aphrodite and Hermes still top Gods? Or will they be an epic fail…? </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;">Follow Maz on Twitter - <a href="https://twitter.com/studiohelen" target="_blank">@MaryAliceEvans</a> and the hashtags #WLTGO and #WhoLetTheGodsOut for more information about the book!</span></span><br />
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Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15408167904801253874noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046067346902619614.post-65092296386139915742016-09-03T11:30:00.001+01:002016-09-03T11:30:35.406+01:00The Secrets of Billie Bright by Susie Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJyajHwcpCzXVMh04LMQRG_wXWd0iDD8gkDwoa7MUiwRfEKxNHYRtiiKB66VfcIfdD03fkUDixTyMBBpsGBoRArOefnYdoTSD8Pn5rrgiLhs2g45XEyFtJ-SJKU0ODKg7Wdw8keg-7hrrg/s1600/26889420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJyajHwcpCzXVMh04LMQRG_wXWd0iDD8gkDwoa7MUiwRfEKxNHYRtiiKB66VfcIfdD03fkUDixTyMBBpsGBoRArOefnYdoTSD8Pn5rrgiLhs2g45XEyFtJ-SJKU0ODKg7Wdw8keg-7hrrg/s320/26889420.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
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<i><span id="freeText1573269419496344798">Billie Bright's family
is pretty big for one that's got somebody missing. There's Billie who is
a girl Billie and eleven and about to go to secondary school. Then
there are her three big brothers and her Dad, who also runs the cafe
under their flat. Life's loud but Billie likes it, even without her mum
there any more.<br /><br />But with the new school comes having to make new
friends and all kinds of other grown-up things to deal with. And at home
it feels like all her brothers are keeping secrets from her. So when
she decides to do a project on her mum, she has to do all the research
herself and ends up finding out all kinds of things she doesn't expect
to . . .</span></i><br />
<br />
My thoughts ....<br />
I love this book. I'm
always excited about the prospect of a new Susie Day book this book was
no exception and I'm so pleased to report it far surpassed every hope
and expectation I had for it. It's set in the same world as Susie's Pea
series and the spin off The Secrets of Sam and Sam and much like those
books it is wonderful in the diversity of characters featuring
characters who are LGBT and PoC without it being a plot point or issue.
These different types of people are just there without it being pointed
out which is exactly how it should be. I hate it when diversity is used
as a plot device or seen as something trendy and Susie Day shows exactly
how diversity can be celebrated in a book without making it a big deal
or <span data-dobid="hdw">cliché.</span><br />
<br />
<span data-dobid="hdw">The
story itself is really sweet and I loved getting to know Billie and her
family. The relationships between them were really lovely and I really
enjoyed getting to uncover all of Billie's secrets. I also have to
mention the cameos from previous characters. I love a good cameo and was
very excited about these.</span><br />
<br />
<span data-dobid="hdw">All in all this is </span><span data-dobid="hdw"><span class="readable reviewText"><span id="freeTextContainerreview1429233316">the book equivalent of hugs with a cup of tea and rich tea biscuits with your best friend. Just wonderful. </span></span> </span> kirsty at the overflowing libraryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08688668056795747019noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046067346902619614.post-70203302690810383622016-07-27T08:00:00.000+01:002016-07-27T08:00:18.355+01:00Mirror, Mirror: a ghostly Q&A with Sarah Baker<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;">By Miriam Craig<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Secrets, you say? Mysterious happenings? Experienced
by an orphaned girl who’s weighed down by her own terrible guilt? Who meets a boy from
another world, is plagued by deliciously mean cousins and an uncaring aunt - all of it happening in a crumbling French mansion?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;">The ingredients of </span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Through the Mirror
Door</span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;"> make it a classic children’s adventure. It’s
the kind of book that simply DEMANDS a cup of tea and piece of cake and,
preferably, some really atmospheric rain pattering on the window as you curl up
to read it. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;">It also has one of the most beautiful covers I’ve
ever seen! (Design by Will Steele, illustration by Jessica Courtney-Tickle.)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;">I spoke to author Sarah Baker this week about how
she came to write it, her background in film and blogging, and the books she
read growing up that inspired her writerly life.</span></i><br />
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;">What are you up to today?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Waiting in for a delivery,
toddler wrangling, writing and, if I’m lucky, a bit of reading too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;">What’s <i>Through the Mirror Door</i> about?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;">It’s about a young girl called
Angela, who’s been recently orphaned. When she’s taken on holiday to an old, crumbling
French house by her suddenly very friendly aunt, uncle and cousins, she finds a
secret doorway that leads her to a boy who needs her help, a boy who might just
be able to help her too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;">What gave you the idea?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;">The house in the book, Maison
de Noyer, actually exists, though it’s not called that. I was taken there on
holiday by my aunt, uncle and two cousins, but (disclaimer) they are all lovely
and nothing (nothing at all!) like the characters in the book. However, they
did end up staying in the guest house and I was left in the very spooky main
part of the house. I really did go adventuring, got lost, bumped into a suit of
armour and thought that it might make a pretty good story one day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Kitty and Fliss are pretty horrible cousins of
Angela’s – did you have any nemeses growing up?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;">I really relished writing
Kitty and Fliss, particularly Kitty’s rather cutting comments, because I think
we’ve all probably been on the receiving end of a bully or someone who’s taken
a dislike to us and isn’t afraid to show it. I’m sure I had my fair share of
both at school, though I hope I’ve shown that it’s the fear and misery they’re
feeling that makes them so nasty to Angela. Well, when it comes to Fliss
anyway. A lot of Kitty’s behavior is just her being Kitty!<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;">What were you like as a child?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Talkative. That’s what every
school report says. I read a lot too. I’d take a pot of tea and a pile of books
into a corner of my room or the garden and stay there for hours until I was
called back in. I lived in books. I had a pretty vivid imagination too, which
came in handy because being at boarding school, I didn’t have many local friends
(I lived in the countryside, in the middle of nowhere) so books, trees, animals
and my rather eccentric family were my mates.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;">What were your favourite books back then?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;">I devoured anything and
everything by Enid Blyton, but particularly the Famous Five and Secret Seven. Other
loved books were <i>The Lion, the Witch and
the Wardrobe</i> by CS Lewis, <i>The Box of
Delights</i> by John Masefield and the <i>Weirdstone
of Brisingamen</i> by Alan Garner. Really if it involved someone having an
adventure, I loved it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Tell me about the work you did in film. You were a story editor – what does that mean exactly?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;">I worked for a small film
company so I got to wear a lot of hats. Story editing there involved scouting
for writing and directing talent with an eye to adaption for film, so I would
get to read books and scripts every day, watch a lot of short films and go to
film festivals and the theatre a lot (pretty much a dream job). I would make
many, many notes, deal with the film unit’s correspondence, liaise with
producers and writers and make sure everyone was where they were supposed to be
in time for production. I’d watch the latest rushes of the film with the
producer and make more notes, help schedule films, and attend a lot of meetings
too. Sometimes I’d work on set, which was great fun. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;">You’ve blogged about food for various magazines.
Does that come up in your books?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;">I love baking, and food in
some form of another always comes up in my books. In <i>Through the Mirror Door</i>, it’s French stews, chocolate and the odd
flaky croissant, but in book two there’s a character who’s a proper baker. I even
went on a course at Bread Ahead in Borough Market so I could prepare properly.
It was so great I want to do another one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;">What do you find are your biggest challenges
when writing?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;">I have to remember to forgive
every first draft and remember it’s not meant to be perfect. I’d like a bit
more writing time too. Oh and exclamation marks. I can’t stop putting them
everywhere! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;">How do you want people to feel when they read
the book?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Honestly, I’m just so happy that
people are reading my book – a book I wrote! They’re welcome to feel however
they feel. It’s all good with me.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;">What comes next for you, and for the characters
in <i>Through the Mirror Door</i>?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: JA;">I’ve just sent book two to
Catnip Books. It’s a prequel to <i>Through
the Mirror Door,</i> </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">that’s set in the same village and
the same house, but during World War Two. It’s due out in 2017. I’m also writing a
contemporary middle grade story called <i>Different</i>
about a girl and her sister, who has Down’s Syndrome, as they navigate their
way through a new school, their parents’ divorce, bullies, identity and
acceptance. As for the characters in <i>Through
the Mirror Door</i>, I’m not sure I’ve finished with them yet. Watch this
space.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLDlgXY5ZqHVWQbd5rLGM2RVhfiXanrCRLJF_-rCTX6_4X3qe1uBZezWn4eVP6u49MNJRwFVN8PB1hoSIRhlvW_sfBprohbJqnfQEcpyoVOG0QcPqxDtwrif72jybZC9lKAquRFn_01nv/s1600/Sarah+Baker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLDlgXY5ZqHVWQbd5rLGM2RVhfiXanrCRLJF_-rCTX6_4X3qe1uBZezWn4eVP6u49MNJRwFVN8PB1hoSIRhlvW_sfBprohbJqnfQEcpyoVOG0QcPqxDtwrif72jybZC9lKAquRFn_01nv/s320/Sarah+Baker.jpg" width="236" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sarah Baker</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thanks for talking to me, Sarah, about the book. I’m not
sure whether you’ve made me more excited, or scared, about my upcoming holiday
staying in a crumbling French mansion. I’ll certainly be examining any mirrors
I find there very carefully...</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For more information about Sarah, have a look at her <a href="http://www.bysarahbaker.com/" target="_blank">website</a> or find her on <a href="https://twitter.com/bysarahbaker" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Miriam Craig<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Twitter:
<a href="https://twitter.com/miriamhcraig" target="_blank">@miriamhcraig</a><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Instagram:
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/miriamhcraig/" target="_blank">@miriamhcraig</a><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Website:
<a href="http://www.miriamcraig.com/">www.miriamcraig.com<o:p></o:p></a></span></i></div>
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Miriamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11188510614257481850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046067346902619614.post-80574384408701926972016-07-05T07:24:00.000+01:002016-07-05T07:24:04.645+01:00Blog Tour: Holiday Ha Ha Ha post by Jonathan Meres<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We're excited for Simon & Schuster's new <i>Holiday Ha Ha Ha!</i> anthology, so it's great to have Jonathan Meres, one of the authors involved, on the blog today!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hello. My name is Jonathan Meres and I’m extraordinarily funny. Which came in very handy when I was asked to write one of the stories for the beachtastic <i>Holiday Ha Ha Ha! </i>anthology, available now at all good book shops and several rubbish ones. And now I’ve been asked to tell you a funny summer-related anecdote of my own. Brilliant. Because not only do I love an anecdote, but I also happen to love summer. I know. What are the odds, eh? In fact, if I’m ever asked to make a list of my Top 4 Seasons, summer will be right up there. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway if it’s OK with you, I thought I’d tell you about something that isn’t particularly side-splittingly funny in a hilarious way, more like funny in a ‘blimey, fancy that,’ kind of way. I mean I’ll do my best to chuck in a couple of gags here and there, but I’m not going to make any rash promises. Because essentially this is a true story. Well, not essentially. It is a true story. This really did happen. And it really did happen a long time ago now. Before my wife and I started having children. Or strictly speaking, before my wife started having children. We went on holiday, to France. To the picturesque and rather lovely Dordogne region, to be geographically precise.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By the way I don’t know about you – frankly it would be a bit freaky if I did - but I have the weirdest dreams when I’m on holiday. No idea why. There’s probably some perfectly rational psychological explanation for it. But anyway, I do. And I remember I’d had one that day, just before I woke up and this anecdote happened.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, on this day, right, we decided to visit the caves at Lascaux. Which are very famous because there are these amazing cave paintings, said to be over 17000 years old or something. And that’s like, well old? Anyway blah blah blah and they were great. Then afterwards we went to the visitor centre. There was a book for writing comments in. About the caves, that is. Not just comments in general. Anyway I was just about to write something when I noticed that the woman in front of me was from Leicestershire. Not that people from Leicestershire are particularly distinctive looking. I just happened to notice that she’d written ‘Leicestershire’ in the bit where it said ‘Name and address.’ I’m observant like that. That’s why I’m a writer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So anyway I said, ‘I used to live in Leicestershire.’ Which I did, by the way. I didn’t just make it up. I wasn’t that desperate to make conversation. Feigning interest, she said, ‘Really?’ Undeterred, I said, ‘Yes. Whereabouts in Leicestershire?’ She said, ‘A village in the Vale of Belvoir.’ I said, ‘No way. I used to live in a village in the Vale of Belvoir!’ Which again was perfectly true. I did. Well I’d started, so I had to finish. ‘Which village?’ I asked. ‘Harby,’ she replied. Now this was beginning to get seriously uncanny. Because I too lived in the aforementioned village of Harby when I was a kid. It was only a small village. It still is only a small village, because I drove through it relatively recently and checked. ‘Whereabouts in Harby?’ I ventured, trying not to say ‘asked’ again. ‘Just an old cottage,” she said, clearly scoping the joint for the nearest exit. I paused for dramatic purposes, before saying the following sentence. ‘What’s the name of the cottage?’ But I had a strange feeling that I already knew the answer. And I was right. ‘Pilgrim’s Cottage,’ said the woman, as I was being escorted from the premises, by security.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You guessed it. I’d lived somewhere else entirely. In fact, I’d got completely mixed up and hadn’t actually lived in Harby at all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’m joking. Of course I’d lived in Pilgrim’s Cottage. About 25 years before. My dad had even named it Pilgrim’s Cottage. Prior to that, it didn’t even have a name. And I wasn’t really escorted from the premises by security. I added that bit to make the anecdote slightly funnier than it would otherwise have been. But the rest of it’s absolutely true.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh, I almost forgot. The dream I’d had the previous night? And I swear this is absolutely true, too. I dreamt I was 8 years old, living in a small village in the Vale of Belvoir. In an old house, called Pilgrim’s Cottage.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jonathan Meres</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jonathan Meres is the author of the bestselling The World of Norm series. Before writing children’s books, Jonathan worked as a sailor, ice cream van driver and actor. Born in Nottingham, Jonathan now lives in Edinburgh.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.jonathanmeres.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">www.jonathanmeres.com</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/JonathanMeres" target="_blank">@JonathanMeres</a> </span><br />
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<i><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Holiday Ha Ha Ha!</span></b></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">From amazing aliens and strange superheroes to fantastic forests and crazy creatures; from ghoulish ghost tours and tiresome traffic jams to super spies and terrible talent shows – you’ll be laughing all summer with these eight summer sillies!</span><br />
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Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15408167904801253874noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046067346902619614.post-60110858099308936532016-06-21T11:41:00.000+01:002016-06-21T11:44:07.396+01:00Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten MG Books Of First Half of 2016<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: small;">Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at </span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://brokeandbookish.blogspot.co.uk/" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">The Broke and the Bookish</a><span style="background-color: white;">.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Nine of us got together to talk about some of our favourite 2016 releases from the first half of the year! (No particular order, by the way.)</span></span></span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1. <i>The Crooked Sixpence </i>by Jennifer Bell (Corgi Children's) - selected by Jim from <a href="https://twitter.com/yayeahyeah/" target="_blank">YA Yeah Yeah</a>/<a href="https://twitter.com/teensonmoonlane" target="_blank">Teens on Moon Lane</a></span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Stunning debut from Jennifer Bell, first in the Uncommoners series, is a magical story of a girl and her brother plunged into a strange world where nothing is as it seems and the most ordinary-seeming of objects can have hidden uses. With a great heroine and a truly chilling antagonist, this is a fantastic start to what's sure to be a must-read series.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2. <i>The Girl of Ink and Stars</i> by Kiran Millwood Hargrave (Chicken House) - selected by <a href="https://twitter.com/andyjshepherd" target="_blank">Andy Shepherd </a></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is such a wonderful MG debut. I was captivated from the very first page. Gorgeous world, cracking characters and a thrilling fast paced story that never lets you go. My son's top pick for the year so far too!</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3. <i>The Mystery of the Jewelled Moth</i> by Katherine Woodfine (Egmont) - selected by <a href="http://kwebberwrites/" target="_blank">Katherine Webber</a></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Katherine Woodfine's second book is even more delightful than her first, the wonderful and well-recieved <i>Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow</i>. Sophie, Lil, and the rest of the gang have another mystery to solve, and this time they have to venture away from the magnificent Sinclair's to do it, and enlist the help of a few new friends-who are fabulous additions to an already well-crafted and engaging cast of characters. The Jewelled Moth has all of the delicious details, gorgeous descriptions, and spectacular settings as Clockwork Sparrow, but the expanded world and the superbly plotted mystery is what makes this such a treat to read. </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4. <i>Dreaming the Bear</i> by Mimi Thebo (OUP) - selected by <a href="https://twitter.com/authorontheedge" target="_blank">Lorraine Gregory</a></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Loved reading this story about a girl and her relationship with a wild bear. Great voice, beautiful writing and characters that are both real and charming. Honest, engaging and at times sad this book will stay with me for some time.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">5. <i>Swan Boy </i>by Nikki Sheehan (Rock the Boat) - selected by <a href="https://twitter.com/Tatum_Flynn" target="_blank">Tatum Flynn</a></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A rare magical realism MG and a rare book all round - beautiful, gripping, scary, funny, heart-rending tale of a boy with a sad past who is forced to perform in a school version of Swan Lake, and who may or may not be turning into a swan for real...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>6. </strong><b><i>Mumnesia </i></b><strong>by Katie Dale (Macmillan Children's) - selected by <a href="https://twitter.com/TamsynTweetie" target="_blank">Tamsyn Murray</a></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A hilarious laugh-out-loud cringefest about Lucy and her mum, Sharon, and what happens when Sharon suddenly becomes Shazza - a twelve year old girl from the 80s! But don't be fooled - there's a gorgeous soft centre to this funny Freaky-Friday-with-a-twist. It left me grinning from ear to ear and sighing with satisfaction</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">7. <i>Stormwalker </i>by Mike Revell (Quercus Children's) - selected by <a href="https://twitter.com/writingruth" target="_blank">Ruth Fitzgerald</a></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A truly exciting, imaginative story about a boy who becomes the hero of his writer Dad's terrifying story. This is a fantastic book. A terrific, action thriller with a real emotional core. It covers grief, loss, friendship and football and wraps them up in a page turning, adventure - my emotions were all over the place! I really couldn't put it down. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">8. <i>Chasing Danger</i> by Sara Grant (Scholastic) selected by <a href="https://www.twitter.com/RellyAB" target="_blank">Relly Annett-Baker</a></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Chasing Danger is a mystery/thriller story set on an over-60s holiday resort in the Maldives with no TV or wifi. 14 year old Chase is convinced she might die of boredom. Instead Chase, and her new friend Mackenzie, barely have time to dip their toes in the aqua lagoon before they must defend the island from attack from modern-day pirates. The action is intense, the plot twists are breathtaking and Chase and Mackenzie are fab, hilarious, heroines. It’s Charlie’s Angels for middle grade and the start of a brilliant new series.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>9. <i>Erica's Elephant </i>by Sylvia Bishop, illustrated by Ashley King (Scholastic) selected by <a href="https://www.twitter.com/daydreamin_star" target="_blank">Faye Rogers</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In this beautiful story, Erica is a ten year old who wakes up one morning to find an elephant on her doorstep. With her uncle away on a business trip and no one else to turn to, Erica brings the elephant into her home and tries to find a solution to her money and feeding woes. This is a magical book full of incredible illustrations that will leave your heart feeling full and wonderful. The perfect cute story for the younger generation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>10. <i>Defender of the Realm </i>by Nick Ostler and Mark Huckerby (Scholastic) selected by </b></span><b style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.twitter.com/daydreamin_star" target="_blank">Faye Rogers</a></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Alfie is a prince. He also feels overwhelmed and does not want to be king as he feels that his twin brother would do a much better job. But when their father dies, Alfie learns that being King comes with even more responsibilities than he first imagined; like defending the realm from supernatural villains. In this fast-paced, funny, and adventure filled book, you'll follow Alfie as he learns to accept his destiny for what it is. This is definitely a series to keep an eye on.</span></div>
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Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15408167904801253874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1046067346902619614.post-52604921307766851472016-06-20T08:00:00.000+01:002017-04-27T23:45:46.878+01:00#CoverKidsBooks – Writers & IllustratorsIn <a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/coverkidsbooks-facts.html" target="_blank">the first #CoverKidsBooks blog</a>, we learned that children's books get just 3% of newspaper review space, despite accounting for over 30% of the market. We then interviewed <a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/coverkidsbooks-booksellers.html" target="_blank">booksellers</a>, <a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/coverkidsbooks-librarians.html" target="_blank">librarians</a>, <a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/coverkidsbooks-teachers.html" target="_blank">teachers</a>, <a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/coverkidsbooks-parents.html" target="_blank">parents</a> and <a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/coverkidsbooks-experts.html" target="_blank">experts</a> about this situation, and found overwhelming support for more media coverage. Now, in our final interview blog, we hear from writers and illustrators.<br />
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We spoke to <a href="https://twitter.com/chrisriddell50" target="_blank">Chris Riddell</a>, the Children's Laureate; <a href="https://twitter.com/malorieblackman" target="_blank">Malorie Blackman</a>, former Children's Laureate; <a href="https://twitter.com/PhilipPullman" target="_blank">Philip Pullman</a>, winner of the overall Whitbread Book Of The Year; <a href="https://twitter.com/FrancesHardinge" target="_blank">Frances Hardinge</a>, winner of the overall Costa Book Of The Year; <a href="https://twitter.com/simon_francesca" target="_blank">Francesca Simon</a>, one of the UK's most popular authors; and <a href="https://twitter.com/jabberworks" target="_blank">Sarah McIntyre</a>, one of the UK's most popular illustrators. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">Why is it important for the media to cover children's books</span></b><b>?</b></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">Malorie Blackman</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">: </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">It is so important to bring books to our children and our
children to books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A child who loves
reading grows up to be an adult who loves reading.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we want our book industry to not just survive
but thrive then we have to ensure our children are switched on to reading.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Children's book reviews are an important way
to let parents, grandparents, teachers, librarians and YAs know what's out
there. </span><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Francesca Simon</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">: </span><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">It's very important that children's books be part of our cultural
discussion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It shouldn't be treated as a
specialist interest. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think anyone with
an interest in books should have a very strong interest in children's books –
especially at the moment, when there's so many incredible books being
published. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Philip Pullman</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">: </span><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">There ought to be a space in the mainstream media, in the book pages,
for coverage of children's books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's
important that the general reader sees children's books being discussed
intelligently, and not by children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
need to have a fairly good backlog of reading experience before you can
criticise a book justly, and say what its merits and its flaws are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Children don't have that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">Sarah McIntyre</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">: </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Children's books are a huge part of the book market. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can see the shift in bookshops: children's
book areas used to be at the back and now they're in front-of-shop
displays. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can only assume the media
aren't as interested in reporting on children's books because they don't see
the majority of their viewers and readers as children. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But many will be parents, people looking to
buy books for friends' children, teachers, and adults who genuinely love
children's books for themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">Frances Hardinge</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">: It matters because younger readers
have as much right to find the books that are perfect for them as older readers
do – in fact, possibly slightly more right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">Chris Riddell</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">: </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes; mso-themecolor: text1;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600"
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW-8UldYpZz4A4K-VUHJvqyV6j_ER4KrxvUTWE2QMdPK02YJ5xoCgwEo6NEMElaWIOMxilP468-SN4Jsj6FSY-Iz4wUkEDGZiMBIEkCgbVmfo73v3NYkaDj_Ml_5uUDJBBlWsmV64gbM4/s1600/Chris+Riddell+ckb.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW-8UldYpZz4A4K-VUHJvqyV6j_ER4KrxvUTWE2QMdPK02YJ5xoCgwEo6NEMElaWIOMxilP468-SN4Jsj6FSY-Iz4wUkEDGZiMBIEkCgbVmfo73v3NYkaDj_Ml_5uUDJBBlWsmV64gbM4/s640/Chris+Riddell+ckb.jpeg" width="451" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">What is your experience of media coverage? Have reviews made a difference to you?</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">PP</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">:</span><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"> One
important one that I still regard with great gratitude was <a href="https://twitter.com/AmandaPCraig" target="_blank">Amanda Craig's</a>
review of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Subtle Knife</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was something special.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said something like: "Once in a
generation…" and I thought, "Ah, that's the way to talk about my
books!"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It made a big difference to
me, and it's quoted on all the paperbacks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The thing that made the biggest difference, without a doubt, was winning
the Whitbread.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suddenly, I was being
talked about on the grown-up pages, and that made a huge difference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">FH</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">: </span><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">It
definitely does make a difference. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like
a lot of authors, I do the neurotic thing of watching my Amazon sales ranking
and hitting 'refresh' a lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
whenever a review comes up, there's a spike in sales.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It obviously and immediately results in
sales. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The media coverage after <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Lie Tree </i>won the Costa Book Of The Year
made a huge difference. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I remember
my second book was Children's Book Of The Week in The Sunday Times, and that gave
me the biggest sales spike I'd had at that point. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="https://twitter.com/NicoletteJones" target="_blank">Nicolette Jones</a> is a wonderful champion of
children's books, because not only is she passionate, she's so erudite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has an acute literary intelligence which
I don't think anybody can debate, and therefore her judgement has a lot of
weight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">FS</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">: I remember when I started out, there was no way you
could get any kind of press as a children's author.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was just so little coverage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So when people asked me, "Do you feel JK
Rowling has taken all the publicity?" I said, "What publicity? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was no publicity to take!" <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There's been mega progress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But still, someone like Julia Donaldson, who
is one of the greatest and most successful writers – does Julia get asked to do
Front Row?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have done Front Row, but
mainly because I had a maternity cover publicist who came from adult books, and
didn't know that children's authors were never put up for it! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Jvby0Fm1Xpa2e_WjTgFOu3Bq2_KWDSw3LUAfQfospqTd65-pQNf3M23qlv3aTwvQG52vAgCNE1w_8r8H78bBU7_-l8iTdP2zWjJtSPwf9kP-MWzUxyPA-amQSRC2dKVLgVtMv6qDoEM/s1600/9802403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Jvby0Fm1Xpa2e_WjTgFOu3Bq2_KWDSw3LUAfQfospqTd65-pQNf3M23qlv3aTwvQG52vAgCNE1w_8r8H78bBU7_-l8iTdP2zWjJtSPwf9kP-MWzUxyPA-amQSRC2dKVLgVtMv6qDoEM/s640/9802403.jpg" width="386" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">What are the consequences of the media not
covering children's books?</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">SM</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">: </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Only a
few writers are earning almost all the money, and the media is encouraging this
by only bigging up a few of them. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
makes it difficult for other writers and illustrators to build names for
themselves and develop enough of a career to do the job for a living. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So this makes getting published the realm of
the already-wealthy. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People from poorer
backgrounds will have an extremely hard time getting a foot in the door, and
not only will these people miss out on amazing careers, but readers will miss
out on getting books from diverse backgrounds.</span><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">MB</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">: </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Placing books into the hands of our children and teens
has long term benefits which perhaps cannot be immediately measured, but as
Einstein said, "Not everything that counts can be counted, and not
everything that can be counted, counts."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">FH</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">: It depends how long it goes on for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Children's literature is thriving enough that
hopefully it won't result in a loss of variety.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It's likely to result in some interesting young authors who don't get
reviewed finding it hard to make ends meet. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then there's all the tiny tragedies of children
not finding books they would've loved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
isn't a single right book for all 10 year olds, any more than there is a single
right book for all 30 year olds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A wide
range of reviews means each child has a better chance of getting that one book
that's right for them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">PP</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">: It is probably felt by children's book reviewers and
editors that we have so little space, we should use that space celebrating the
ones that are good. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So you don't often
see a children's book taken to pieces and revealed as a steaming heap of crap –
though some of them are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We regularly
see that sort of thing with adult books, but in justice, we ought to see
negative criticism occasionally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><i>"There isn't a single right book for all 10 year olds"</i></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-size: large;">Our research shows that children's
books typically get <a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/coverkidsbooks-facts.html" target="_blank">3% of newspaper review space</a>, despite accounting for over
30% of the market.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do you feel about
this under-representation?</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">PP</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">: </span><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">It
does sound wrong, doesn't it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To up the
content of the book pages from 3% to 30% children's books would be great for
children's books and great for children's authors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There might be room for these negative
reviews, which I'm so keen on seeing!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
wonder how adult readers who haven't got a child or aren't particularly
involved in children would feel about it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I don't think many would read the latest Allan Ahlberg unless they had
children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They would love it if they
did. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The greatest picture books could
well win – or should well win – things like Nobel Prizes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why not?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Where The Wild Things Are</i> is
well worthy of a Nobel Prize, in my view.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">SM</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">: </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">They
tend to talk about a very narrow range of books. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can you imagine the book review sections
having such a narrow range of authors for adults? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">MB: </span></b><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">I'd love to see children's books getting far more media
coverage than they currently do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>YA book
bloggers in particular have proven that there is an eager and receptive market
for these book reviews. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is of
course a wider context to this – the proven benefits that accompany reading for
pleasure as far as our children and teens are concerned. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, more and more adults are now reading
books written for the YA market, so it seems to me to make sense that this
growing reading market is taken more seriously.</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">FS</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">: </span><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">I
think it's terrible. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Newspapers are
really missing a trick. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they're
worried about declining readership, having a strong children's book section is
important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Readers are interested! </span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">What would you like to see the media doing?</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">FS</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">: I think they should have at least one or two long
reviews every week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Children's books
deserve it, and it's harsh if you only give them a couple of lines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They need to understand that you can write
about children's books for an adult audience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The main thing is having expert people writing well and authoritatively
about it, in the same way that you'd have knowledgeable literary critics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I think it is important to do it
regularly, because then you look for it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">MB</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">: I'd love to see more in-depth interviews with children's
authors and illustrators about their lives and their work and regular<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">, </span>frequent<b> </b>children's<i> </i>book
reviews which don't feel like an afterthought or an adjunct to reviews of adult
books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Children's books and books for
young adults are not the poor relation of book publishing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More mainstream media outlets need to
recognise this fact.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">SM</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">: Mentioning illustrator names would be an obvious and
simple start!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And interviewing
illustrators as well as writers (<a href="http://www.jabberworks.co.uk/pictures-mean-business/" target="_blank">Pictures Mean Business</a>). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don't think the media has really twigged
that it's often the pictures selling the book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If they want to talk about, say, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stick
Man</i>, they'll get on Julia Donaldson, not Axel Scheffler. And the media
don't really know how to talk about illustration, either; there's no
vocabulary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they do feature Axel,
they'll ask very inane questions such as "Why do people like books with
pictures?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">FH</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">: I think it's important to celebrate the people who are
doing something, and hold them up as a commendable example for those who are
doing a little less. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's great news that <a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/coverkidsbooks-big-news.html" target="_blank">CBBC have their book club</a>; more of that would be very nice. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe other newspapers emulating <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site" target="_blank">The Guardian's children's book website</a>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe
people emulating <a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/coverkidsbooks-big-news.html" target="_blank">The Sunday Times's decision to expand Nicolette Jones's column</a>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just a little more space wouldn't
hurt!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">PP</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">We don't have enough coverage of books
per se. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no coverage of books at
all on the television, which is an absolute disgrace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the point of view of the economic
importance of the book trade, the vast number of people who read, the growing
importance of book clubs and so on, there really ought to be a television
programme on a mainstream channel. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
then children's books would be part of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><i>"You can write about children's books for an adult audience"</i></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-size: large;">Some people say children's literature
isn't literature. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do you think?</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b>FH</b>: I think a lot of adults don't realise how experimental children's fiction is. For example, at the moment, I'm reading <a href="https://twitter.com/SarahCrossan" target="_blank">Sarah Crossan's</a> <i>One</i>, which is a verse novel about Siamese twins, and very funny, and very sensitive, and human and brave and wide-ranging – and also very easy to read. But I think that's part of the issue. There's a lurking idea that if something is easy to read, it's somehow worthless, or worth less. And I don't think that's true. Writing something that does complicated things but is still readable is very much an art. </div>
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<b>FS</b>: As
Philip Pullman says, it's literature for an audience that includes
children. I think <a href="https://twitter.com/burstofbeaden" target="_blank">Jon Klassen's</a> <i>This Is Not My Hat</i> is a work of absolute
genius. Does that mean I'm
infantile? No, it means I know a good
book when I see one. I chose <i>A Wrinkle In Time</i> by Madeline L'Engle as
my book for the BBC's <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006v8jn" target="_blank">A Good Read</a>. Now, I
haven't read <i>A Wrinkle In Time</i> for 45
years, and I remember that book chapter for chapter. It seared itself into my consciousness. And children's books do that. Anyone who's interested in literature should
be interested in children's literature.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/coverkidsbooks-facts.html" style="color: #ff6e00; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />#CoverKidsBooks – The Facts</a></span><span style="font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/coverkidsbooks-one-year-on.html">#CoverKidsBooks – New Research, One Year On</a></div>
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<o:p><i style="font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://middlegradestrikesback.blogspot.co.uk/p/cover-kids-books.html" style="color: #ff6e00; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">#CoverKidsBooks</a><span style="color: #444444;"> invites you to join in a public conversation about children's books. Leave a comment, write a blog of your own, or tweet about it using the hashtag. Tell us why children's books matter to you, and what you'd like to see the media do to #CoverKidsBooks!</span></span></span></i> </o:p></div>
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SF Saidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08494052568322553484noreply@blogger.com3