Better than lunch...or cheese!

Yesterday at work we had the option of replacing lunch with a 'Wallace and Gromit' workshop...need I say more, there's no competition! What a treat it was...even though I love my food I could quite happily fforfeit lunch everyday to play with plasticine. The very patient Jim Parkyn from Aardman taught us in only a hour to make a Gromit lookalikey, the fascinating thing was that even though as a group our individual Gromits were all different shapes and sizes; fat, thin, tall and small, they 'all' still looked liked Gromit! Here's my attempt, he's a bit wrinkly and more of a 'Grandpa Gromit' but still he's 'my Gromit'. I was going to attempt to do a quick little iStopMotion sketch but his head has just fallen off, so he'll have to have a little repair first! Many thanks to our excellent teacher Jim and I hope you've fully recovered!

Winston's Wish...

If you are a lovely person thinking of buying a copy of Rabbityness or any other book for that matter, please consider buying it from the link below. As a donation will automatically go to 'Winston's Wish' a very worthy charity which helps bereaved children.

http://www.littleparachutes.com

My Best Ever Easter Present...

Although I 'love' big chocolate Easter eggs, my best ever Easter present was for 'Rabbityness' to be chosen by Julia Eccleshare's for her article 'Pick of Easter Reading' in Saturday's Guardian Review. Sooo chuffed!
http://www.guardianbookshop.co.uk

A night to remember...

Wednesday 4th April was a very memorable night. We celebrated the launch of my first picture book 'Rabbityness' in Heffers lovely book shop in Cambridge. I was very touched by so many friends and family coming to support this little book and welcome him on his journey into the big world of children's books. Amy Ellis filled the book shop with the wonderful sound of the didgeridoo and children created and decorated their own instruments. What a fantastic launch for 'Rabbityness'...bon-voyage!

A very happy night with...

Family...

...and friends

...the sweetest new addition

...whilst music played

...and children created

...with special guests who read and listened!

To order or reserve a book please visit http://bookshop.blackwell.co.uk/jspHeffers

HURRAH!!!...'Rabbityness' is out...

...a 'real book' with proper turny-over pages and everything!:)))

http://www.childs-play.com/news.html

Latest News - 26th Mar 2012

Brand new picture book- 'Rabbityness' now available

We are delighted to announce that our brand new picture book, 'Rabbityness' by Jo Empson, is now available to buy!
The design of this book is stunning with unique, eye-catching artwork showing bold splashes of bright colour set against jet black silhouettes.
The somewhat difficult theme of 'loss' is also tackled with heartfelt sensitivity, making it a fanastic edition to any bookshelf or library.
We are sure you'll love it just as much as we do, so don't miss out, order your copy today! http://www.childs-play.com/bookshop/9781846434822.html
http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/basket/
http://www.guardianbookshop.co.uk 

Lovely Review from a lovely and very inspiring lady

News from CILIP Youth Libraries Group - March 2012

                                             
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WELCOME
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March always feels like a month of promise – the clocks go forward, heralding the start of lighter nights and spring and the possibilities of the good summer we are always promised ( I know it usually doesn’t materialise but we have to be hopeful that this year it will!! ) This month you can look forward to another bumper packed issue full of information and some great give-away offers from our publisher friends. Hope you enjoy browsing through it and don’t forget – if there are any features or new categories that you think would be helpful to you and that you would like to suggest for inclusion in future newsletters please let us know.

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FEATURED PUBLISHER OFFER:  
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CHILD’S PLAY (INTERNATIONAL) LTD
Children’s Books Consultant and YLG Honorary Life Member, Wendy Cooling is so excited about ‘Rabbityness’ by Jo Empson being published this month by Child’s Play that she can’t wait to tell you about it!
“An exciting new talent has entered the world of children’s books; Jo Empson’s first picture book is fresh, quirky and wonderfully designed, a complete book to go back to again and again. ‘Rabbityness’, as the title and cover suggest, is set in the world of rabbits and in this world, a little removed from our own, the author/illustrator tackles the difficult subject of loss. The book is very child-friendly and will enable readers to think about loss and come to understand that there is joy in memories and in the future, as well as times of sadness. Many children simply see the fun of the book and want to do some Rabbity painting, but the real magic of it is that it quietly speaks to the child who needs its message.

The text is a treat to read aloud and the words leap through the pages just like Rabbit, the most extrovert of rabbits, does. He does lots of rabbity things but he also loves to paint and make music, in fact do unrabbity things. His disappearance is a blow to his friends but he has not left without thinking about them and enabling them to experience the joy of doing unrabbity things too.
The illustrations and the words work perfectly together to give the story both colour and wonder. Jo Empson uses colour with great confidence and so in fact it’s words, pictures, colour and design working together to make a complete book - don’t miss the end -papers as they’re part of the story too. This book will stay with me always, I love it and I love the look in children’s eyes as they notice the difference between front and back end-papers. Look carefully, enjoy - and yes get your paint brushes out - and join me in the queue of people looking forward to this illustrator’s next book.”
Rabbityness by Jo Empson will be available to buy in April.

 

'Rabbityness' Book Launch

Please come and help me celebrate...