Mr Panda Fundraising Book Launch for Coram Beanstalk
Sat 8th Feb saw the fundraising book launch of We Love You, Mr Panda at Swindon Central Library, in aid of Coram Beanstalk. Amongst guests were public librarians, school librarians, teachers, fellow authors and illustrators and family and close friends. I recognised many guests, including winners of previous art competitions. Arlo, the boy who helped publicise the new Mr Panda library card, was there too. Leandra Lucas yet again delighted everyone with her latest cake creation - Mr Panda piloting his podgy plane over the book’s full cast of characters. Marc managed the raffle and sale of limited edition prints and badges, managing to sell over 100 tickets within 90 minutes. I was delighted that Coram Beanstalk volunteer Debbie won one of the raffle prizes, which included signed books, a signed sketch and a second Mr Panda cake by Leandra. The cake went to fellow author-illustrator Elena Arevalo Melville.
Altogether we raised £300 for Coram Beanstalk. Coram Beanstalk recruit, train and support volunteers to provide consistent, one-to-one reading support to children aged 3-13 who need their help. Their reading helpers give them the support they need to improve their reading skills, reading ability and confidence. They also provide training to people within the school community who want to help children learn to read for pleasure whilst improving their reading skills.
Thank you to everyone who came to support this very special event. I would especially like to thank Swindon Libraries for their continued support. I now look forward to the next fundraising book launch, which will be for Green Lizards and Red Rectangles and the Blue Ball. The venue and chosen charity are yet to be confirmed, although I can say that the event will take place in the summer. If you would like to be kept informed on future events please sign up to my newsletter at the bottom of my website.
Below are some photos taken by good friend, Terry Bassett. A video by South West Media will be posted here in due course.
For more information on Coram Beanstalk, including how to support their work, please visit www.beanstalkcharity.org.uk
Bournville Primary School Create Giant Queen's Handbag Map
Wow! Bournville Primary School is Weston-super-Mare created a giant map, based on all the landmarks featured in my picture book, The Queen’s Handbag. They had also reimagined the tale by coming up with their very own imaginative stories. While there, I held 2 class events and read several of my books. Below, I am showing a class how to draw Zibbo, the dragon from my book Amazing.
This is such a great example of how teachers can create fun activities and lessons, based on books.
Mr Matravars, thank you for inviting me to see all of the amazing things your pupils created!
Whistle-stop UK Bookshop Tour
Blackpool Tower
Last week I visited around 20 bookstores from Gloucester to Glasgow for Books Are My Bag, a nationwide campaign to celebrate bookshops. It was a whistle-stop tour incorporated into a weeklong road-trip to a close friend's wedding in Gretna Green. Each visit was somewhat spontaneous. Every time we took a pitstop, we sought out the nearest bookstores. Most of the stores we visited were Waterstones and WHSmiths, but we did stumble across the award-winning Booka Bookshop in Oswestry - a shop conveniently located near some friends - and Blackwell's and Forbidden Planet in Edinburgh.
It was great to meet and chat to so many booksellers, including fellow twitterers. I don't think I've ever visited so many bookstores in one week. From what I can recall, we swung by Gloucester, Worcester, Telford, Wolverhampton, Oswestry, Chester, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Blackpool and Stoke-on-Trent. It was a little crazy, I admit, but it was so fun! The only problem now... I need a new bookshelf.
Angel of the North is in The Queen's Handbag
Waterstones, Blackpool
The biggest bookstore in Scotland - Waterstones, Glasgow
Waterstones - though I can't quite remember which town this was in!
Drawings from Diss Corn Hall
Last Saturday, I held an interactive story-telling session and how-to-draw activity at Diss Corn Hall in Diss, Norwich. It was a lot of fun! Here are just some of the talented kids' drawings. Thank you to Diss Publishing Bookshop for providing books.
Edinburgh Book Festival
4 days, 5 events. Here are some photos from my fantastic stay in Scotland for the Ed Book Fest, in no particular order.
A banana shirt (a nod to Betty Goes Bananas) for one of my events.
All set for my Outreach event at Netherthird Primary School in Cumnock.
Author's yurt
Just before my second event
THE QUEEN'S HANDBAG goes to Edinburgh Castle, just like in the book!
With the lovely Vivian French at Netherthird Primary Shool in Cumnock.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Drawing simple animals at an Outreach event.
In the yurt with Steven Lenton and Philip Ardagh
In the yurt with the dynamic duo, Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre
