​AND NOW...
​THENEWS

I'm a more chuffed than something that chuffs for a living. BECAUSE... drum roll.... Jim Reaper and The Glove of Death has been picked as one of the year's top 50 children's books by the Children's Book Award peeps. ​I love them deeply.

If you haven't read it, yet, then why don't you..... It'll spook, thrill and amuse you beyond your wildest dreams. Is that going too far?...

For the full list click here: YAY BOOKS!
WONDERFUL ARTICLE about STORY TELLING (I can help you with that)

WHY KIDS SHOULD WRITE STORIES... Those who have heard me talk will understand when I say TOLD YOU SO! 
 ROBOTS! ROBOTS!
READ ALL ABOUT IT!

HEY, YOU LOT. YEAH, YOU - THE ONES I'VE TALKED TO IN SCHOOL HALLS AND CLASSROOMS. LISTEN UP! You may have thought I was being over-dramatic about the rise of the robots and how you, as brilliant humans, could combat them by arming yourself with literature... But just look at this. It's EXACTLY what I was warning you all about... Which goes to show that people who make things up sometimes know what they're talking about!

Read all about it here... ROBOTS READING BOOKS - NOT NECESSARILY A GOOD THING....

SNAIL OF THE WEEK

You know I love snails, right?

BOOK I'VE
JUST READ

Just so this page isn't all about me, I'm going to give you bite-size reviews of books I've recently read and loved - books that will stretch your mind, tickle your ribs or just plain entertain...

DREAMING THE BEAR
by MIMI THEBO
(Oxford University Press)

Excuse me while I just take a minute to get over reading this book... ahem. Thank you. Right. THIS BOOK with its brilliant simplicity gets right to the heart of a story about a girl and a wild bear. There are moments of suspense, sadness, love and loss. It focuses on a few characters and a small but powerful plot that's guaranteed to stay with you. If you love the wild, the unknown, the impossible... you don't need to dream. Just read this book.
​Age 7+ 
#DreamingTheBear #adventure #nature #kidlit

WED WABBIT
​by LISSA EVANS
(David Fickling Books)

First off, let me tell you - you will NEVER have read anything like this before. This is Alice in Wonderland stuff, although a lot funnier and with fewer rabbit holes, despite there being a large rabbit involved. Prepare to snort your way through the adventure, but don't think it's just funny without foundations. This book will make you go ha-ha and then oh....I see. 
​Age 8+ (all the way up to adults)
#WedWabbit #sidesplitting #clever #kidlit

JOE ALL ALONE
by JOANNA NADIN
(Little, Brown)

Imagine if your parents went away on holiday without you. No parents - cool, right? Hmmm, maybe not. In this story Joe understands what it's like to be truly alone, and if you think that could never be a bad thing, just read the book and get back to me. This is beautifully written - it tumbles excitement with fear, friendship with hardship; but don't worry, hope is always a day away. 
*now a BBC Children's series (but read the book first!)
​Age 8+
​#JoeAllAlone #brilliant #moving #kidlit

THE LIGHT JAR
by LISA THOMPSON
(Scholastic)

Okay, so before The Light Jar came the highly acclaimed The Goldfish Boy but for me, this is the one that ticked all the boxes. It's atmospheric, hovering somewhere between hard reality and soft-focus dreamland, as a boy who is on the run with his mum finds bravery. Or perhaps bravery finds him. It's full of charm and 'glowing' with fantastic characters - and every one, everyone, has their own story of acceptance and of finding inner strength. 
​Age 7+
#TheLightJar #touching #dramatic #kidlit