Lots of Brilliant Stuff

Well I've had an exciting week, hobnobbing with publishers and Rowena House (celebrated for the publication of  her War Girls  story only yesterday) recording more Ask a Publisher podcasts. So indebted to Sara O' Connor who introduced us to some of the major players in children's publishing.
We have a summer ( and then some) of enlightening listening for you. The next podcast is up a week on monday. Come back next Sunday to find out who...

All 29 entries for The Chalkface Challenge have been posted to Sparsholt C of E Primary School and there's an extra bonus for this year's entrants - second school has come on board to review the opening excerpts. I'm very grateful to Ben Illis, one of our shadow judges who introduced us to Chewstoke Primary Academy eight miles south of Bristol - where his nieces attend. Schools and uncles are officially wonderful!

The Carnegie and Kate Greenaway medals will be announced in London tomorrow at lunchtime and according to carnegiegreenaway.org.uk the event is being live streamed.  These prestigious awards are judged by librarians and shadow judged by young people. They were part of the inspiration for the Chalkface. I'd love to add a children's librarian to our panel of shadow judges - if any are reading and fancy joining Ben Illis, Karen Ball, Jasmine Richards and Amber Caraveo do get in touch or leave me a comment.

Do you like our new banner? I have to say I've loved every one and Paul Morton's stunning blue whale  is no different - his colours are fabulous. Check out Paul's featured illustrator post for pencil recommendations and his gallery for more brilliant colour and cute penguins.

Philippa's inspiration on Monday featured my Willy Wonka - the wonderful Gene Wilder and something I didn't know - Roald Dahl, the inventor. Of course he invented marvellous stories, characters and a whole vocabulary of delicious new words but, as well a valve for draining fluid from the brain - just brilliant. Creativity, and I imagine that most if not all W&P readers have a good supply, can't help oozing out in all kinds of directions.

Many thanks to Jodie Hodges for being our Agent Confidential this week and answering readers questions and to Nick for taking me to John's lovely post about his dad's paintings - what a lovely way to celebrate father's day. I wish I'd thought of that -  my dad was an inventor, only unofficially, but he did have a Caractacus Potts shed and an impressive collection of spanners.

Next week...
For the midsummer solstice we have a new Creature Feature from folklorist, Ken Lymer on Unicorns,
Americanisms from Catriona Tippin
and Heather Chapman is featuring the illustrator and national treasure I and probably everyone most associates with Dahl, the Brilliant Quentin Blake.

Hope it's a great week!





Jan Carr



Jan Carr is the editor of Words & Pictures. Her fiction is all over the place, she blogs occasionally and loves to write in magenta. You can contact her at editor@britishscbwi.org.

1 comment:

  1. That's terrific news about the second school for the Chalkface Challenge, and what a lot of entries! Good luck, everyone.

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