Playing by the book

Kidlit news and radio #5

Zoe — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:25:02 +0000

The coming week’s bookish radio delights to listen out for include:

Alan Garner – Elidor 4/4. Time’s run out for the Watsons and Malebron – can Helen help to save Elidor? 9.00 and 16.00 Sunday 5th February, Radio 4 extra

Frances Hodgson Burnett – The Secret Garden 1/5. Young Mary is sent to England after the tragic death of her parents. 9.30 and 16.30 Sunday 5th February, Radio 4 extra

Bookclub: Art Spiegelman talks to James Naughtie and readers about his graphic novel Maus. 16.00 Sunday 5th February, Radio 4.

Pick of the Week: Former children’s laureate Michael Rosen makes his selection from the past seven days of BBC Radio. 18.15 Sunday 5th February, Radio 4.

With Great Pleasure: Current children’s laureate Julia Donaldson, the children’s author, shares some favourite pieces of writing. 16:00, Monday 6th February, Radio 4.

One to One: Bridget Kendall talks to author Alexander McCall Smith about his work as an academic. 9.30 Tuesday 7th February, Radio 4.

The Essay: Happily Ever After - Every weekday night on Radio 3 at 22.45
“In this series of five essays, contemporary children’s authors and editors each look at a fictional family from children’s literature. They use it as a focal point to explore the changing portrayal of the family in children’s books, and consider both what it tells us about the society it reflects, and how relevant it is to determining a young generation’s attitudes to the future.”

Monday – Anthony Horowitz explores family dysfunction through Roald Dahl’s Matilda.

Tuesday – Anne Fine gives a feminist view of the nostalgia for our favourite childhood books.

Wednesday – Trish Cooke explores the importance of children’s books reflecting different cultures.

Thursday – Julia Eccleshare discusses Jacqueline Wilson’s thoroughly modern fairytales.

Friday – Michael Rosen considers the changing role of the family in children’s literature.

As to highlights from the rest of the children’s literature world, I have to share these two items with you:

A beautiful animation about the power and beauty of books – I urge you to watch this!

“Inspired, in equal measures, by Hurricane Katrina, Buster Keaton, The Wizard of Oz, and a love for books, “Morris Lessmore” is a story of people who devote their lives to books and books who return the favor. Morris Lessmore is a poignant, humorous allegory about the curative powers of story. Using a variety of techniques (miniatures, computer animation, 2D animation) award winning author/ illustrator William Joyce and Co-director Brandon Oldenburg present a new narrative experience that harkens back to silent films and M-G-M Technicolor musicals. “Morris Lessmore” is old fashioned and cutting edge at the same time.

“The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore” is one of five animated short films that will be considered for outstanding film achievements of 2011 in the 84th Academy Awards ®.”

And now for another way to share the love of books and illustration…

Save the Children (USA) has teamed up with five wonderful children’s book authors and illustrators to create a series of valentines cards which you can buy by making a donation to the charity.

4 of the 5 cards on offer from Save the Children

There are cards by Mo Willems (Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!), Kevin Henkes (Kitten’s First Full Moon), Ian Falconer (Olivia!), Leuyen Pham (Freckleface Strawberry) and Brian Selznick (Wonderstruck), and in return for a minimum donation of $25, you will receive a set of 30 limited-edition Valentine’s Day Cards (6 cards of each design).

Click here to find out more about Save the Children’s valentine’s day cards.

Win a copy of Usborne’s Write Your Own Story Book

Zoe — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:59:02 +0000

Thanks to the generous folk at Usborne I’ve got one copy of the Usborne Write Your Own Story Book to giveaway to one lucky reader.

This lovingly produced book is what inspired my short story yesterday. Ideal for 8-12 year olds, it’s full of tips on how to come up with story ideas, different perspectives to take on telling your tales, as well as lots of prompts to get your creative juices flowing.

Fun illustrations pepper the lined pages which are just waiting to be filled by your budding author. It’s certainly an inviting prompt to find a favourite pen and to sit down to enjoy stringing together words – a perfect gift in time for half term.

To be in with a chance of winning a copy of Usborne Write Your Own Story Book all you need to do is leave a comment on this post.

Please note:

This giveaway is open to UK readers only (apologies to everyone elsewhere)

The giveaway is open until 6am Friday 10 February when one winner will be selected using random.org

For extra chances to win you can

Tweet about this giveaway – you could use this text: Over at http://www.playingbythebook.net/?p=17921 @playbythebook is giving away a copy of the fabulous Usborne’s Write Your Own Story Book (UK only)

Follow @Usborne on Twitter

Link to this giveaway from your Facebook page

Please be sure to leave a separate comment for each extra entry.

Good luck with this! (And if you haven’t entered the other giveaway I have running at the moment, do click through and leave a comment )

A story, a story, let it come, let it go… (a review for budding writers told as a tale)

Zoe — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:20:15 +0000

Once upon a time there lived a slightly crazy mum with static hair that frizzed easily, giving the impression a small electric current was constantly pulsing through her. She had two delicious daughters who sought out stories every supper time, and because the mum had an obsession (resolutely unacknowledged, but plain for all to see) with tall tales and beautiful books, nearly every meal was seasoned with a selection of stories.

But one day some wicked words stuck in the mother’s throat and all she could do was scribble a request…

It over to you M and J,
I need a story from you today
I’ve got this “Write your Own Story Book”
Here… will you give it a look?

The eldest child shrugged her shoulders and scrunched up her face like a cold, wet flannel. “Do I have to?”

“This is not a twist the tale was meant to take,” thought the mother.

Fortunately the youngest child (appropriately fair haired, blue eyed and eager to appear angelic) went straight for a pot of pens; she saw a satisfyingly sweet-and-sour chance to get one over on her sibling.

No, it’s mine!
No, I want to write a story!
No, you can only write your name!
No, I’ve got lots of ideas!
No, give ME the pens!
No! NO! NOOOOO!

As if by magic (I do so hope our home is full of fairies and djinns) the Write Your Own Story Book turned into treasure worth fighting over! Fortunately this chunky book was built to withstand some rough and tumble, and as it fell out of the children’s hands onto the table a new spell was cast from its pages, netting the children and drawing them in.

Ideas were suddenly spilling out, bubbling over, seeping across the pages, the table, into pens and pencils and up through arms, even emerging as flickering smiles on the faces of the children. “Where on Earth?“, “Whose story is it?“, “Happily ever after?“, “Whodunnit?“. The book had transformed into a firework shop with ideas to spark stories. Words whispered different plot ideas, different ways of telling a story, different places to find inspiration.

Part secret journal, part recipe collection, the Write Your Own Story Book mixed excitement with promise with figments of the imagination. M wrote, J spoke, and both wove, pulling in and plaiting seams from stories they’d heard elsewhere and stories that emerged from a surprising, complex world seemingly deep behind their flashing eyes.

And the higgledy-piggled pile of letters that had jarred fast in the mother’s throat slipped sweet and loose like honey, warmed by crackling ideas and story embers as she listened to her daughters.

It was a good supper time.

It was a good story time.

***************************

Having not written a story in over 22 years, Usborne’s Write your Own Story Book seduced me into trying my hand at telling a tale for today’s post. I’m very grateful to poet and translator Elli for her encouragement and comments on an earlier draft. Elli writes very beautifully indeed – do check out her poems on her blog, Taking Words for a Stroll. Of course, any lack of finesse in my storytelling today is my responsibility alone.