I’m going to jump right in and say that this is one of the greatest Christmas picture books of all time: Rosemary Wells is up there with Judith Kerr, Raymond Briggs and Shirley Hughes. Morris’s Disappearing Bag is a funny exploration of family dynamics, using Christmas as an elegant structural device. The story begins on … Continue reading
Stanley Lambchop, one of the more unusual heroes in children’s literature, first appeared in 1964 when he was flattened by a falling notice board in his slept. Flat Stanley saw him exploring the world from the unique perspective of someone who suddenly found themselves living a life in two dimensions. The original book was illustrated … Continue reading
In 1982 Joan Aiken was asked to write a practical guide on the art of writing children’s books. From the first line it is clear that she wasn’t entirely sold on this concept (‘There is no one way to write for children’), but concedes that there are many practical things that a new writer can … 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
