I am delighted to announce the launch of a new YouTube show, called Picture Book Club - telling the story behind the story!

Several months ago I mentioned on Twitter that it’s a shame that there isn’t a TV show that really focuses on and celebrates picture books. In the States I grew up watching Reading Rainbow, which was a fantastic show that celebrated books.

The tweet sparked a conversation amongst creatives. Mostly we all reminisced, but it was a conversation with fellow children’s author Fiona Barker that led to the Picture Book Club YouTube show. Fiona and I decided that we would do something, so we brainstormed ideas until settling on a nice and simple seven minute format. The introductions and ends were filmed in Swindon Old Town Children’s Library (the wall art is by the amazing Fred Blunt). Fiona visited, interviewed and filmed a number of children’s writers and illustrators. The first was Rob Biddulph, and in our very first episode we get to see Rob in action at the Wimbledon Book Festival. The episodes are weekly. We’ve got a fair few lined up for you, and we’ll see how it goes before planning more episodes. Check out the first episode below.