Posts

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Fighting back against Kenya's alleged 'non-reading' culture

A couple of weeks ago, I ran a creative writing session in a school with about twenty 10 and 11 year old's. This is the place where I do voluntary work about once a fortnight and the kinds of writing exercises I get the kids to do is received…
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Beebopsbooks

Naomi & 'Beebop' (Livia) at Delamere Forest, celebrating the Gruffalo's 15th Anniversary Naomi writes a blog called Beebopbooks which promotes a love of children's literature and reviews various books for children and their parents. Naomi…
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The Twelve Dancing Princesses by Jane Ray

I absolutely love Jane Ray's books for children: her illustrations, laced with gold, are sumptuous and detailed with richly decorated borders and her prose sparkles and dances. I want to share 'The Twelve Dancing Princesses' with you today,…
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Pippi Longstocking

Ah, Pippi Longstocking. It is impossible not to love this girl. Gutsy, fierce and the ultimate powerful feminist, I think I'd secretly like to be Pippi. Anyway, something interesting happened yesterday whilst doing a Pippi Longstocking workshop…
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It's all about reading

I love these two little pictures that my daughter drew recently, just because she felt like it. I couldn't agree more, it really is all about reading. I say time and again to the children I work with that my number one tip for being a good…
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Ben Okri's ten and a half inclinations

The Royal Society of Literature once asked 10 writers to suggest the 10 books that children should read before leaving school. Instead of writing a list of books, this is what the writer Ben Okri wrote. Pure brilliance. 1. There is a secret…
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Physical Descriptions

If I've learnt anything through writing with children, it's to keep the premise of the sessions simple and then watch as the magic unfolds under its own steam. I'm currently rediscovering the wonder of The Hobbit with my eldest daughter and…
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Wilde Words

Illustrated by Lisa Congdon