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Posts tagged with: Children’s literature

  • Tag: Children’s literature

Chapter 1 – The Leaving

LISTEN TO ME READ THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE WHAT ON EARTH INSTITUTE OF WONDER 

THE WHAT ON EARTH INSTITUTE OF WONDER

It’s an actual book. And it’s actually out. Just like the jasmine.

From today THE WHAT ON EARTH INSTITUTE OF WONDER is available in all good bookstores. It’s about a gang of friends who kidnap a rare African forest elephant. If I tell you any more than that, I might ruin the story but let’s just say kidnapping an elephant is not an easy thing to do even when it is the right thing to do. Which I’m not saying it is. There’s also a talking kakapo, an eight-and-a-half-year-old doomsday prepper, a villain with a fondness for wearing Peter Rabbit pyjamas and a lot of underage driving.
It’s a strange environment to be releasing a book but an even stranger time to live. As my mother always says ‘Just keep going!’

Meet Bartholomew Stagger

The What On Earth Institute of Wonder comes out 31 August. I’m excited and nervous all at once…..

Illustration by Cathrin Peterslund. Design by Atticus Mordue

Book Week

That suit! That smile! NEVER seen a grander Vincent than Lachie! And a Florence too with her emerald green musical shoes and a baby elephant by her side.

Brilliant costumes Sophie and Lachie. You take my breath away!

(There’s a rumour you have ideas for new rooms. Can’t wait to hear them!) Thank you SO much for letting me share.

The Grand has a new sign

The Grandest Hotel on Earth has a new sign! Unfortunately it was erected after the book was written so it doesn’t feature on the cover. But it’s up now. Imagine at night when there’s nothing but the stars and the moon and the hotel sign floating in the night sky. Must look incredibly Grand!

Even without the sign I think the cover of Vincent looks beautiful. The hotel was drawn by the wonderfully talented Nancy Liang and the cover was designed by Rachel Lawston. Nancy also animates her illustrations. Here’s an animated version of The Grandest Hotel on Earth. 

The Ballad of Dexi Lee

From the minute she woke and rolled out of bed

one thing was sure, there was trouble ahead

Meet Dexi Lee! Dexi Lee is an ordinary girl..

Except for one thing.

Her hands are GIGANTIC!

Everything she does leads to absolute chaos. But one day she meets some extraordinary animals and suddenly life doesn’t seem so gloomy…

Probably my most favourite thing about this book are the illustrations. They are paintings by the multi-talented Lucy Culliton. One of Australia’s greatest painters. Lucy loves to paint animals. She has a farm full of them. She has more pets than anyone I’ve ever met. You can tell how much Lucy loves animals from her paintings. When Lucy agreed to paint Dexi I was thrilled. It’s such an honour to have my work alongside hers. Here’s a sneak peak at some of the chaos poor old Dexi whips up…

And a dip at the pool made for battering seas,

tossing children like corks

into neighbourhood trees,

 

 

“A wonderful heart-warming tale of difference and happiness.”