Book events – Page 4 – Bookmonitor – news from around the world

Tell Me a Dragon

‘My dragon is made from the sun and the stars.

Sparkled with stardust,

all night he follows the silver moon path

across the sky….’

An excerpt about the first dragon in the book, ‘Tell Me a Dragon’ by Jackie Morris, published by Frances Lincoln.

At Books Go Walkabout we held an author event in March with Jackie at William Tyndale Primary School, London, as part of their Bookweek adventures.

Jackie had the classes spellbound and intrigued as she talked about the places in West Wales where she writes and gets inspiration. The children all live in the city and a far cry from the wildness of the Welsh coast.

From a painting Jackie completed at the school, the Year 5’s began to use water colours and explore making a wash of colour.

Lots of fun and lots of learning.

Sue Martin

Books Go Walkabout Dolphin Booksellers

Twitter @booksgo

Sue, Jackie…after lunch!

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World Book Day 2014 Hong Kong and Australia

Books Go Walkabout is in Kellett School,Hong Kong during March 2014, celebrating World Book Day with a world book conversation. Based in Cambridge, UK we bring live conversations between authors and children across the world.

We are part of The World Book Day events!

Year 5 students at Kellett School are working on a project about China and Books Go Walkabout is bringing Australian award winning author, Carol Wilkinson via a video link, direct to the classroom.

Carol has written the award wining Dragonkeeper series set in Ancient China during the Han Dynasty. A slave girl, Ping, saves the life of an ageing dragon and escapes her brutal master. Pursued by a ruthless dragon hunter, the girl and the dragon begin an epic journey across China.

A great start to our events for World Book Day and for extending good books across the world.

Sharing stories, back in time, journeys into China…

Dolphin Booksellers – the best in children’s books always on line

The Dragonkeeper Trilogy

Dragonkeeper by Carole Wilkinson is published by black dog books, an imprint of Walker Books Australia

Dragonkeeper is the first book in The Dragonkeeper Trilogy

The stories are set in Ancient China and as the three books develop over time, the dragonkeepers are set challenges to ensure that the dragons are safe and free from harm.

In a country which has dragons at the heart of its culture there are all sorts of dangers and perils in which the dragons find themselves. They need a dragon keeper, but dragon keepers are born and have special characteristics. To be a true dragonkeeper is a destiny for only a few.

The Dragonkeeper is set in Ancient China during the Han Dynasty.

A slave girl, Ping, saves the life of an ageing dragon and escapes her brutal master. Pursued by a ruthless dragon hunter, the girl and the dragon make an epic journey across China carrying a mysterious stone that must be protected.

It is the story of a young slave girl who believes she is not worthy of a name but finds within herself the strength and courage to make this perilous journey — and do what must be done.

As a story of adventure and courage, this book has it all!
For all those setting out on an adventure in life, from childhood to adulthood, this gives some real insights into challenges, friendships and journeys.

At Books Go Walkabout we are pleased to be bringing this book to the year 5 students at Kellett School in Hong Kong, as part of their studies and literacy programme. We are even more delighted to be bringing Carole Wilkinson direct into their school by live video links to have a conversation and to talk with the children.
We’ll keep you posted and this is just the start of our adventure in Hong Kong.

Sue Martin
Books Go Walkabout

It’s Not Fairy

You know the favourite children’s saying, “It’s not fair!”

Well Ros Asquith has changed it into a It’s Not Fairy. She flaps around all night, she’s a fairy on a mission and you don’t want to mess with this fairy.

A picture book for all the family and across the world, there are children everywhere declaring how unfair things are.But the fairy can get tired of complaints.

‘I’m sick of your squawking,

Now give me a break.

Or I’ll bake you all

In a Fairy cake.”

Published by Frances Lincoln this is a good book to buy for the half term hols. Buy through Dolphin Booksellers to get the best price from Amazon.

Dolphin Booksellers – the best in children’s books always on line

Two New Titles from Jane Nissen Books

These two classics are brought back to life by Jane Nissen Books, beautifully presented and a joy to read or to re read.

Bringing classic children’s books back into print is the mission for Jane Nissen Books and as Jane says,’ To enable a new generation of readers to discover for themselves high quality timeless titles that should not be lost’.

The Lost Prince is the story of two boys brought together by fate and given an enormous task of adventure to find different people across Europe. They set out with little money but high determination and courage.

King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry is the story of the Godolphin Arabian, who travelled in around 1724 from Morocco to Cambridge.

It’s a great story and more than worthy to be read.

Click on the book covers and buy both as a treat for Christmas… I bet you will find yourself reading at least one of them before you can get it wrapped!

Sue Martin

Dolphin Booksellers – the best in children’s books always on

Authors in Schools

William Tyndale Primary School
Art and Literacy Month October 2013

Through our Authors in Schools projects, Ifeoma Onyefulu and Cheryl Moskowitz gave some amazing presentations to children in eight classes in October. From writing hearing about Nigerian Traditional Tales to writing a Cinquain poem the children were given some real insights to writing in different genres.

Ifeoma read one of her stories from The Girl Who Married a Ghost and other stories a book of folk tales from Nigeria. The story was The Girl who Married a Ghost.

The children were soon enthralled and straight away saw the problem that the girl had and just why she married a ghost, ‘She was too choosy’ said one child.’ She shouldn’t have married at all!’

After lots of discussion the children
drew some pictures of the story
and the ghost appeared with the girl.

Cheryl has developed a great technique for the whole class to give something in writing a shared Cinquain.

From the first line being the subject and having 2 syllables,
to the second line being a description and having 4 syllables
to the third line being the purpose and having 6 syllables
to the fourth line being how it feels and having 8 syllables
And the fifth line reflecting the start and having 2 syllables.

All the children took part and voted on the words and lines to be used so it was truly collaborative and very effective.

An examples of the poems created…

Water
Blue sea, salty
Drinking the turquoise waves
Relaxing in the swimming pool
Swish, swash

You can discover Ifeoma’s work on Amazon.co.uk here…

You can discover Cheryl’s work on Amazzon.co.uk here…

Sue Martin

Books Go Walkabout and Dolphin Booksellers

School Librarian of the Year

This year two librarians have been awarded the School Librarian of the Year, a celebration at the Hotel Russell in London, on 7th October.

Ginette Doyle, Chair of the SLA School Librarian of the Year Selection committee said:

“They are not joint winners, but each deserves the accolade of School Librarian of the Year.”

Photo from Philip Cooper Photography

“It was an extremely strong, and international, Honour List. In the end we chose two librarians both working in different ways to bring their libraries into the heart of the school and learning.

Candy Gourlay, author of the award-wining Tall Story and recently published second novel, The Shine, presented the award to:

Hilary Cantwell, librarian at St Paul’s Community College Waterford, Republic of Ireland.

Hilary gained expertise in New York schools and public libraries before joining an Irish government programme to create school libraries.

St Paul’s has 430 students and is in a rural county with the highest unemployment in Ireland. It is affiliated to the Irish government’s inclusion programme, Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools.

John Iona, librarian at Oasis Academy Enfield, Middlesex.

John creates award-winning resources, delivers the school’s Extended Project Qualification programme and plays a significant role in curriculum planning and support. The school has 1,100 students of which up to 70% have English as a second language. John actively promotes reading for pleasure with a number of initiatives including Reading Games.

A great celebration and the awards a real reflection of the importance of reading and literacy in schools.

Dolphin Booksellers are pleased to celebrate this achievement of the School Library Association.

Sue Martin

Dolphin Booksellers- the best in children’s books always on line

Jackie Morris and Help Musicians UK in Covent Garden

card Jackie Morris was in Covent Garden on 12th September, well actually, in the beautiful Swiss Church in Endell St, Covent Garden, to show her new Christmas card design and to talk about her life in writing and illustrating.

The talk was on behalf of Help Musicians UK and proceeds from sales of Jackie’s designed card will go to support musicians of all ages and Jackie also donated prints of her work to be auctioned.

Jackie talked about how she includes all of her life into her art and writing, her walks at St David’s and into the fields and with views across the sea and hares racing across the fields.

Engaging, creative and just beautiful,and sitting in the midst of the London hubbub, it is easy to drift away into that delight of the Pembrokeshire countryside and wish you were there.

JM hare Her latest book,The Song of the Golden Hare, published by Frances Lincoln is out in print in October. It’s a must!

Follow Jackie’s work through her blog and on facebook. You can buy the cards too from Help the Musicians and you can buy her books, details on her website.

We are pleased to work with Jackie on getting her stories and books to the children, who don’t have much chance to see them.

Sue Martin

Dolphin Booksellers – the best in children’s books always on line

The Philippa Pearce Memorial Lecture 2013

Kevin Crossley-Holland,celebrated author and President of the School Library Association, delivered an enchanting and beautifully crafted lecture:

‘Footprints on the Grass: Speaking of Gardens and Children’s Books’ to a full house at Homerton College Cambridge on 6th September.

The theme of gardens was delicately drawn into ways in which children use imagination within places where there is space, beauty and security.

Kevin talked about John the Peddar from Norfolk, is journey to London following a dream about a pot of gold, only to turn back and return home where the pot was in his back garden.

‘ The greatest treasure in the world is on our doorstep, but you may have to go away and come back to find it.‘

There were many references to Philippa’s writing, and especially her most famous book, Tom’s Midnight Garden.

Philippa Pearce died in 2006, but respect and affection for her writing is as strong as ever. In her memory, a series of lectures is now underway, each intended to celebrate excellence in writing for children.

The inaugural Philippa Pearce Memorial Lecture was held on 11th September 2008, at Homerton College, Cambridge, and focused on Philippa Pearce’s own writing and contribution to children’s literature. Subsequent lectures have ranged more widely and speakers have included Michael Rosen, Michael Morpurgo, Philip Pullman and Malorie Blackman.

The 2014 Lecture will be given by Frank Cottrell Boyce.

Kevin’s speech was filmed and will be available on the Philippa Pearce Memorial Lecture website soon. http://www.pearcelecture.com

Poetry for Children

Poetry will be back in the mainstay of children’s learning at school. Frances Lincoln have just published a brilliant array of books in a series called, Poetry for Children.

Titles and authors include; Kathy Henderson with The Dragon with a Big Nose, Cheryl Moskowitz with Can it be about Me?, Brian Moses with The Monster Sale along with Roger McGough, Grace Nichols and Wes Magee.

The new Primary National Curriculum, to be introduced from September 2014, will bring a focus on poetry. The Bookseller said,

“The move could help to boost children’s poetry publishing output, support poets in schools and encourage booksellers to revitalise their limited children’s poetry offer.”

Take a look at the Frances Lincoln poetry books, and from our Dolphin site go to Anytime Book Shop and shop via Amazon. When you buy books through Dolphin we will donate 20p per book to supporting children at school in Nepal(or at least getting to school as the recent monsoons have meant a long break!).

Sue Martin

Dolphin Booksellers – the best in children’s books always on line