Alexander, your thank you is better than any other thank you! Just finished 5 weeks of writer’s residencies at Blackett & Braddock Public Schools. Their imaginations were rocket-fuelled and it is always a privilege to ride with them for a while “beyond the point of space”. Thanks again Westwords for the opportunity to let our minds collide. It was genuinely thrilling. p.s Lauren your pickle panda – a panda who lives in a pickle jar – was genius!
A lovely German review by Catherine Mahrenholtz about Vincent! Apologies for the dodgy google translation…..
“This novel is often reminiscent of Roald Dahl’s children’s books in its whimsical nature, but Lisa Nicol treats her characters in a much more warm-hearted way – everyone wants to book a short break at “The Grand” immediately. “Vincent and the Greatest Hotel in the World” is a philosophical-poetic fairy tale about family and friendship for children aged 10 and over.”
I could not love this book any more! @lisanicolauthor has once again blown our minds with a story so fabulously bonkers and so beautifully written that I had to just lie in a dark room for a good while and appreciate what I had just read….. definitely in the running for one of my favourite books of the year!
Rachel Robson, Children’s literacy specialist, Gleebooks, 31 August 2021
…a superbly crafted blend of wonder, action and remarkable characters.
Joy Lawn, Magpie Magazine, May 2022
What a beautiful story Lisa Nicol has written for us to enjoy. It is heart-warming and so full of love, but also loss. By the time you finish The What on Earth Institute of Wonder, you may just want to go out and save the world single-handedly…. This is definitely a book you will want to read more than once.
Sue Mauger, Glamadelaide, September 24, 2021
The What on Earth Institute of Wonder is indeed itself wonderful, a finely honed, multi-faceted little gem…
Kevin Steinberger, Magpie Magazine, Nov 21
From the moment I began to read this middle grade, speculative fiction novel, I knew it was a goodie…. It will make readers smile, yearn, feel sad and most of all wonder ….. A quirky, heartfelt, unique story of friendship, family and conviction that is sure to be eaten up by kids aged 9-13.
Renee Mihulka, CBCA’s Reading time, Nov 21
This is a hilarious, magical, quirky and just-a-little-bit serious tale about friends, family and the wonders of nature.
Kid’s Reading Guide 2021 -22, Handpicked and reviewed by Australia’s leading booksellers
Charming and surprising and mysterious and whacky. It hooked me from the beginning….One of those books you just put down and sigh with satisfaction.
Pamela Ueckerman, Middlegrade Mavens Podcast, Episode 98
…her writing wraps around me like a warm doona and I slip immediately back into my childhood. …I have to say, Lisa Nicol does not get nearly as many song dedications and street parades as she deserves.
Nat Amoore, Author and Critic, One More Page Podcast, Episode 62
This is a delightful story with elements of fantasy, environmental activism, family dilemmas and friendship all woven together with whimsy to create a charming story for young readers. … uplifting and warm, and quirkily appealing with a touch of the impossible.
Carolyn Hull, Readplus Oct 28, 2021
With adventure, family life, humour and drama a-plenty, I heartily recommend this for your readers from around Year 4 upwards.
Kid’s Book Review, 21 October 2021
Lisa Nicol’s whimsical way with words is becoming the stuff of legend. Her narratives are an intoxicating mix of wonderment, cheek and incredible heart; a strange combination but one that makes her middle grade novels fulfilling and memorable. The What on Earth Institute of Wonder perpetuates this premise while managing to incorporate an African forest elephant and a New Zealand Kakapo into the same sentence, never mind the same Kombi van!
Dimity Powell, Dim’s Write Stuff
The What On Earth Institute of Wonder comes out 31 August. I’m excited and nervous all at once…..
One elephant, one kakapo, one unlicensed teenage driver, one boy waiting for the world to end and a twelve-year-old girl with a very special gift.
Sal has always had an affinity with animals – especially the lost kind. But when two rare and endangered creatures appear out of nowhere, life takes a detour into strange and uncharted territory.
Join Sal, Bartholomew and Roy on a mind-boggling expedition into the secrets of the Animal Kingdom with only an invisible map of the human heart to guide them. (Unless, of course, you count the talking parrot.) What on Earth could possibly go wrong…?
Ah….I’ll let you in on a secret. A lot!
I’m so excited and nervous that The What on Earth Institute of Wonder is coming out on the 31st of August. If you adore animals and don’t mind a laugh, I reckon you’re going to love it. Well I hope you are. And there’s plenty of that in there too. Hope.
Stay tuned over the coming months for some sneak peaks and stories behind the story…
Elephants and pianos keep appearing in my work.
There are pianos and elephants at The Grandest Hotel on Earth. And the new book I’m writing has them too!
Elephants are the most majestic creatures. They fill me with awe and wonder. When I came across Paul Barton and his piano playing for elephants, I was captivated. I have watched his clips on YouTube many times over.
I particularly love this one.
Peter the elephant’s love of music is undeniable. The music delights him. He has to move his body and he has to woop and holler. (His mate seems to be having a pretty good time too!) I think Peter feels exactly the same things I feel when I listen to music that I like.
Take a look and see if you can relate to how Peter the Elephant feels when he listens to music.
You know it’s been too long between posts when you can’t remember how to log in to your own website. Which could be good for security. Say if someone dangled me by my feet over a cliff and yelled “tell me the password to your website or it’s all over baby!” I could honestly reply “Well I’d genuinely love to help you but I can’t remember.” Might get me out of that sticky situation.
I’m beyond excited about my new book Vincent and The Grandest Hotel on Earth coming out on 2 July! You won’t believe this place. It really is wilder than the African savanna, more fantastical that Disneyland and more magical than Shangri-La. Can I just say pocket dogs and sloths…and wait till you hear about the rooms….
It’s very exciting news!
Dr Boogaloo and The Girl Who Lost Her Laughter is being adapted for the stage as a musical by the frighteningly talented Yve Blake and Alice Chance.
Yve Blake
gotta love a girl who can pull off a koala-do
I’m trying not to get too excited because these things take time. And you should never count your musicals before the curtains part on opening night. But it’s hard not to get excited when you’ve heard the songs Yve and Alice have written. They’re beautiful and funny and moving too…
As a writer, hearing your characters turned into songs is completely magical.
And wait till you hear their ideas for Leonard! I have a feeling Leonard is going to love the limelight. He loves an audience, as you know!
