Thursday, 16 October 2014

TIPS ON STORYTELLING

Watch Hemi, Pat and myself sharing our advice for Booktrust Stories Tour -storytelling guidance video!


Wednesday, 15 October 2014

STORYTELLING

CLICK on the picture below to watch me tell my story "The Big Hair Affair" for Booktrust's storytelling training video

Storytelling


Wednesday, 10 September 2014


SATURDADS

A Booktrust scheme to encorage fathers to be storytellers and good parents


At Crossgates Leeds Library encoraging Dads to read to their children 
Catherine Vase, working with Booktrust to run the Leeds Get Dads Reading Hour storytelling workshop, said: “Most new parents experience a lack of confidence around lots of parenting issues, and reading is no different. Impassioning dads about creating, as well as reading, stories is important. Booktrust is forward thinking in its knowledge that only one in eight dads takes the lead with the bedtime read. My pilot sessions build confidence with these dad’s and let them know they have every skill they need to be great storytellers and parents. With the Get Dads Reading Hour workshops, we hope to facilitate all parents, but dads especially, in their inherent desire to give their children a flying start in life. Encouraging a love of books from an early age is a way to do this.”
Photograph by Richard Walker
Photograph by Richard Walker




Monday, 11 April 2011

Monday, 28 March 2011

HAPPINESS IS.....

.....me and bunny going for a stroll and saying "hello" to butterfly.....


Tuesday, 15 March 2011

PROUD AND PRIVILEDGED!

Here is a poem written by pupil at Parkwood Primary School, inspired by a creative writing session I led last year for "LINKLATERS reading and writing challenge". The theme last year was "My World". I love this poem and feel priviledged to have been part of its creation.

Myself and other poets, authors and illustrators visited schools in Hackney 2010 to deliver workshops in schools there, helping the pupils to be creative and develop their own writing and drawing skills.

Some of the pieces were selected to go into a book "OUR WORLD". I was really excited to see that the overall challenge winners for both the poetry and the drawing catergories came from workshops that I led........HOW WONDERFUL! A real affirmation that I CAN lead inspiring workshops, I say this because sometimes I am not sure how my workshops go down and if I have actually made any impact....so it is really good for me to get such positive feedback!

OVERALL CHALLENGE WINNER
DRAWING KS1

This picture was created by a pupil at Parkwood Primary School inspired by a workshop I led on "MY WORLD". The children used collage and drawing to create a picture of their ideal home!!

Truely a colourful and imaginative piece!

Friday, 4 March 2011

FAMOUS! ;-)

Look, I'm in the CAMDEN GAZETTE on page 6 this week, amongst the Royals no less.....I'm a Face in the News!

To see the whole newspaper CLICK HERE. It is a record of my visit to Cavendish School on the 23rd of February.

Friday, 25 February 2011

WORLD BOOK WEEK!

Here I am at The Cavendish School in Camden on the 23rd February 2011. They invited me in to their school to add a creative and exciting element to their book week. In the photographs you can see me reading and drawing from my lastest book "I Love You Mummy...Daddy!"

Wednesday, 26 January 2011

BOOK FESTIVAL

Here are some photographs of me at a book festival in Chipping Sodbury a couple of years ago, signing a picture of 'Flip Flop' from my book "The Penguin who wanted to Fly".

You can see MORE PHOTOGRAPHS here.

JAZZ HANDS!

Hello I am a monkey I'm cheeky and I have a cute nose......

I'm a bit older than my FRIENDS which is cool. But we are all friendly and warm and like hanging out together!

Wednesday, 19 January 2011

POOCH!

Hello I am Pooch.
I might look friendly, but I sometimes run after people on bicycles and yap at their ankles......

Tuesday, 4 January 2011


CROAK!

"Hello I'm a frog and here are afew of my friends"



"Happy New 2011....croak"

Tuesday, 28 December 2010

PORTRAIT OF ZAC

This one is of Zac too...I gave this one to his Mummy and Daddy for Christmas.

Portraits done in Graphite Pencil and Charcoal.

CLICK HERE to see other portraits.

Friday, 17 December 2010

Lion in 'Illustrator'

To line or not to line..that is the question.

Am experimenting with illustrator, it's fun!

Friday, 19 November 2010




'Anti-Bullying' workshops


Belonging to the group, recognising feelings and celebrating differences are themes the children explored this week when they took part in creating this wonderful underwater scene inspired by my book "The Penguin who wanted to Fly". It was part of 'Anti-Bullying' week in Merton, South London, where I have been visiting primary schools.



"Say No to Bullying!" Week













Workshops with Primary School children


It's been a busy week for me; I have been visiting primary schools in the Merton area, South London where I have been leading workshops with Reception and Years 1, 2,3 and 4. Here are some drawings by Year 2 at Abbotsbury Primary school. We did some role playing inspired by the first chapter of "The Totem Pole" that I illustrated. Then the children went on to some wonderful drawings that certainly reflect the uncomfortable and painful feelings children can experience when they are being bullied.

Tuesday, 19 October 2010

Reading my book!

It's Milla and Zac reading my book...well looking at the pictures.

"Daddy......If you were a meal, you'd be a big bowl of spaghetti, twisty, twirly and very, very messy!"

Thursday, 14 October 2010


BOOK OF THE MONTH!

My book "I LOVE YOU MUMMY...DADDY" is book of the month with my publisher!
CLICK onto the link below to see..


Thursday, 30 September 2010

It's me!

I posed for the illustrator, she took photos of me first in my living room at my childhood home, then created this amazing picture with coloured pencils...very 1980's style!

Yvonne Gilbert; the illustrator who drew the cover used to live down my road when I was about 10 years old. I think I got £7 for the job!!

Anyway, I think I can safely say that it was that experience of being on the front cover of a Judy Blume book inspired me to be an illustrator..... I did tell Yvonne Gilbert when I spoke to her on the phone a few years ago. I was working at Random House childrens book publishers, I had the job of returning artwork to illustrators that had been hanging around in the artwork cupboard for years. She had done alot of illustrations for Random House over the years.

Thursday, 2 September 2010

Look!

"Je t'aime, mamon....papa!"
Published by Ballon Media





"Ik hou van je, mama....papa!"
Published by Ballon Media

My book "I love you mummy...Daddy!" has been translated into French and Dutch!

Friday, 27 August 2010

Out this September 2010!
If Mummy was something Little Elephant could put on every day, she would be a big woolly jumper - soft, snug, and warm. If Daddy was something Little Bear could put on his feet, he would be a pair of wellies for splashing in the rain. But what would Mummy be if were a place, a fruit or a bird? And what would daddy be if he were a meal, a toy or a noise?

Find out in this adorable fun flip-over book, offering two stories in one!

Published by Gullane Childrens Books