The sun is shining and the holidays are just around the corner, so what better excuse to roll out a list of recommended reads to see you through the summer. Here’s my pick of the top five reads for ten to thirteen-year-olds. Scavengers by Darren Simpson If you like stories where things aren’t quite what they […]
Read moreLooking for children’s books with strong, brave and independent female characters to inspire your children? We’ve hand-picked our top ten characters to celebrate International Women’s Day. 1) Winnie the Witch , 2+ Written by Valerie Thomas, illustrated by Korky Paul Winnie has been inspiring children around the world since her first adventure was published over thirty years ago. […]
Read moreBen Davis, YA author by day and superhero extraordinaire by night, shares his top three super villains of all time in celebration of his new series, Danny Dread. Greetings! I’m Ben Davis – author, citizen, eater of pies – and I am here today to talk to you about my latest book, Danny Dread. It’s the swashbuckling […]
Read moreTim Hopgood, author and illustrator shares his love of Louis Armstrong’s world-famous song What a Wonderful World and takes us behind the scenes of making it into a picture book and getting it published. One Father’s Day about five, six years ago my daughter gave me an old vinyl copy of Louis Armstrong’s rendition of What A […]
Read moreKathy Webb, Managing Editor at OUP Children’s Books gives us the inside track on working on the books that accompany the brand new 3D animated adventure film, The Boxtrolls – as well as the book that inspired the film. Last Saturday I took my family and friends along to the cinema to watch the new movie, […]
Read moreJulia Lee, author of The Mysterious Misadventures of Clemency Wrigglesworth examines the different types of childhoods experienced by the children in the Victorian setting of her new book The Dangerous Discoveries of Gully Potchard. In my latest book, The Dangerous Discoveries of Gully Potchard , I got to plunge back into the perilous Victorian world of The Mysterious Misadventures of Clemency Wrigglesworth . (I have to take a deep breath even to type those long titles!) It’s a […]
Read moreGreetings, space cadets! Philip Reeve reporting from the Reeve and McIntyre international space station (we built it out of some of Sarahʼs spare hats). Yes, for our new book, Sarah and I decided to launch ourselves into outer space. Weʼve even had some space costumes made so we can be properly dressed when we do […]
Read moreTom Moorhouse, an ecologist at the University of Oxford’s Department of Zoology and author of the brilliant debut The River Singers (out now in paperback) shares his tips on finding and seeing water voles in their real habitat. When I talk to classes of children in schools, I always ask them the same question: “How many of you […]
Read moreTatyana Feeney is author and illustrator of a brilliant series of books that tackle everyday toddler troubles. From losing a favourite blanket ( Small Bunny’s Blue Blanket ) to likes and dislikes ( Little Owl’s Orange Scarf ), her simple story and minimalist artwork speaks volumes. Where did the idea for her new book Little Frog’s Tadpole Trouble which deals with a new baby in the family come from? I have quite […]
Read moreGill Lewis, author of the award-winning Sky Hawk and White Dolphin tells us about the inspiration behind her extraordinarily moving new book Scarlet Ibis. What’s the story behind a book? Where does the inspiration come from? For Sky Hawk , White Dolphin and Moon Bear , I have a clear idea where the stories came from and what inspired them. With Scarlet Ibis , I’m […]
Read more