It’s been nearly 25 years since Philip Pullman published Northern Lights, the first part of the His Dark Materials trilogy. Since then the books have become classics and are partly responsible for kickstarting the current boom in children’s publishing. Northern Lights has also spawned a movie adaptation, stage play and now a magnificent BBC … Continue reading
One off the most visually striking picture books of 2016, Robert Hunter’s adaptation of Land of Nod by Robert Louis Stevenson, not only illustrated a much loved poem, but like all good picture books added an entire new dimension. Hunter uses a combination of digital and hand drawn techniques in his work, creating a perfect … Continue reading
Pull Frank Cottrell Boyce’s debut off the shelf and there’s not much to distinguish it as a ‘Christmas book’, the cover is dominated by pleasant blue sky and it’s only the presence of a rather careworn Nativity Donkey that suggests we’re about to enter festive territory. But Millions is one the great contemporary Christmas stories, … Continue reading
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years, you can’t have missed Luke Pearson’s intrepid beret wearing adventuress Hilda – although under a rock is exactly where you’ll find Hilda in her new book, which takes us deep inside the mountains near her home, a vast networks of tunnels and caves … Continue reading
It’s a great pleasure to welcome Beatrice Alemagna and hear about the books that shaped her as a reader and helped make her a creator of unique picture books. Martin Salisbury singles her out for praise in his selection of 100 Great Children’s Picture Books writing that her ‘constant urge to experiment – graphically and conceptually … Continue reading
Ed Vere is back with a new series of picture books about a scrap of a black kitten called Max. The second book, Max at Night, was published this month in which the kitten turns superhero, fearlessly prowling the city at night. Ed’s picture books draw on classic comic book action and have bold graphic design elements, so I was interested to find out about the books that shaped him as an author. Continue reading
There’s fierce competition out there, but I think Emily Hughes is the most exciting new artist making picture books today. Her first book Wild came out in 2013 and became an instant classic. It’s about a feral child who could out-wild Max from Where the Wild Things Are, her home a living, breathing natural world. … Continue reading
In the post Harry Potter age readers have become used to a dizzying number of children’s books which inevitably become series. Title after title appears year upon year, as surely as the tide pushes the sea onto the shore. They have their day in the sun and are washed away when the next wave hits. I’m … Continue reading
David Lucas is a picture book maker in the classic mould. He works with simple shapes and beautiful decorative patterns to create stories that have a timeless feel. His storytelling is deeply rooted in fairy tale and fable, communicating simple but profound truths about our world all delivered with a sly sense of humour. But … Continue reading
Judging by the two picture books she has created for the über cool indie publisher Flying Eye, Rilla Alexander knows more than most about books to save your life. Her first, the boldly titled The Best Book in the World explores the incredible benefits of living a life spent with with your nose buried in … Continue reading
Like many people I returned to reading children’s books as an adult, through J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books. This inevitably lead me to Philip Pullman, and then a little later to a writer who I think deserves to be mentioned in the same breath. Philip Reeve’s Mortal Engines quartet showed just how mind expanding children’s … Continue reading
There’ve been a spate of belated children’s book sequels lately – Alan Garner’s been back to Brisingamen and Judith Kerr’s followed up The Tiger Who Came to Tea. Now Pat Hutchins has brought out the sequel to one of my very favourite picture books, her perfect debut story Rosie’s Walk. But Where, oh Where, is … Continue reading
The Puffin Club was the groundbreaking venture launched by editor Kaye Webb in 1967 that changed children’s books forever. The club broke down the barrier between authors and young readers, bringing them together at Puffin parties and in the pages of Puffin Post. Webb helped create the world our children our now lucky enough to inhabit, … Continue reading
It’s been twenty years since Philip Pullman published Northern Lights, the first part of the His Dark Materials trilogy. Since then the books have become classics and are responsible for kickstarting the current boom in children’s publishing. Northern Lights has also spawned a movie adaptation, stage play and a two further novellas set in the … Continue reading
I’ve been having a bit of a Beatles week, listening my way through their records and revisiting their films. All of which provided the backdrop against which I read two recent picture books by the Superhairies – the creative team of artist Angus Mackinnon and writer James Thorp. The Lobster, Weasel, Puffin, Unicorn, Baboon, Pig … Continue reading
You can’t beat a good flood. Ever since Noah got fed up with the rotten weather it has provided inspiration for countless end of the world stories. From Pat Hutchins’ The House That Sailed Away to J.G Ballard’s Drowned World, the end of the world as maritime adventure narrative has been a compelling one. The … Continue reading
‘Even if Einstein thought it was theoretically possible to travel in time, he never proved it, and if all the minds at the great universities haven’t managed to do it yet, then the likelihood of a 1920’s bungalow managing to invent a time machine, unaided, is very, very small. Time travel is far too complicated … Continue reading
Back in May I wrote about a fabulous, strange old book about two warring nations, one fat and one thin, who live far beneath the surface of our own world. Originally published in the inter-war years, Fattypuffs and Thinifers simultaneously offers comment on the Great War and a warning of the war that was yet … Continue reading
