News

Before putting the shutter down at the shop last night I spoke to all the toys and explained why we all needed to take a little holiday. So, they've all promised to look after each other and to take turns reading stories. I've banned drawing on the walls and partying too late into the night.

At the end of my first day at home I'm already missing them and you all dreadfully!

Today I've been wondering what we can do to help.... so, I have popped some useful links and resources and recommendations here. As we hear about other wonderful offers we will keep you updated - I promise.

Okido Magazine- a science and art magazine is a wonderful resource for 3-7 year olds. You can sign up for a subscription online. You can also enjoy their website and the free resources they have put up there.

Authors of Funny Books

Mac Barnett - Kid Spy storytime on Instagram a chapter every evening - (can be watched after the event) 

Phoenix Magazine - a brilliant comic from David Fickling Publishers.

Check out their offer on facebook

https://www.facebook.com/pg/phoenixcomic/posts/

Middle Grade Fiction Authors

Lisa Thompson- insta live

Piers Torday- instagram book readings

Abi Elphinstone- youtube resources and check out authorfy

Scoop Magazine is a wonderful resource for children 8+ who like reading / books/ stories and you can sign up to receive the magazine.

Suggested resources: •

Authorfy- sign up for free and their resources are brilliant!!!

Walker Books YouTube channel - We have an array of authors interviews, readings and book trailers available to watch

Simon and Schuster Publishers-

Downloadable activities on our website: https://t.co/lV9lRZejlp?amp=1

Teaching resources & book notes on TES: https://t.co/NtQAOd0Brh?amp=1

Children's YouTube videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyK02hpIHfPA1ZkVGy7MiiZ-ey0VnsDwJ

Toppsta.com is a great resource for getting reading recommendations for your children by age and interest. They are also launching a new #ToppstaBookClub running every weekday on Twitter at 10am.

• BookTrust – the charity BookTrust have a number of book reviews, interviews with authors and illustrators, and tips and advice on sharing stories as a family.

• CLPE – The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education – CLPE have a number of free Primary materials and teaching resources from their Power of Pictures project • National Literacy Trust also host a number of resources on their own page as well as the child friendly site http://www.wordsforlife.org.uk/

• CBeebies Bedtime stories – There’s a delightful array of picture book readings from Cbeebies bedtime stories available on iPlayer

• Down the Rabbit Hole podcast – DTRH is a radio show dedicated to children’s books, broadcast on Resonance FM and then available to download as a podcast. They have 70 episodes available to listen to now, packed with reviews and book discussions and author and illustrator interviews.

Art Activities

DJECO- who we love have posted some activity sheets for you to print out and use

http://www.djeco.com/kids/en

...we all look forward to seeing you all again soon

x

 

Thanks to everyone who joined us over Half Term. It was a wonderful week full of events- from Beadoir, Creative Short Story Writing, Emily Haworth-Booth 'The Last Tree' Event, Celebration of 'Little People Big Dreams, Scoop Magazine and STEAM workshop rounded the week off.

 

Wowzers!!

We will be announcing more events shortly. Scoop Magazine and Beadoir will be back at Easter and due to the success of the short story writing workshops we ran at half term we will be setting up a regular creative writing class for 9+ on Wednesdays 4.30-5.30pm (do register if you are interested).

 

 

Join us to celebrate the Little People Big Dreams series...Come dressed as your favourite person from the series and have your polaroid picture taken and the best dressed will receive a prize.

There will be stories , puzzles and colouring all based around Little People Big Dreams Series.  A writing activity based around who inspires you.......................

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To enter our Summer Competition just send us a postcard from your holiday and we will enter you into our summer raffle

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Moments like this make the sun shine!

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This week I was lucky enough to attend Walker's young fiction preview evening in Hoxton. I headed straight over after putting the shop shutter down. And I was lucky enough to arrive just in time to hear the first author being interviewed by Anna James (author of Pages & co)

Having read Malamander it was wonderful to hear how Thomas Taylor had come to write this brilliant adventure. He spoke of how he'd explored various genres and age ranges before finding his voice for this middle-grade fiction. Having a large exuberant dog he has found himself walking on his nearby beach several times a day. And gradually a fascination with the flotsam and jetsam one finds as a beachcomber and a sea mist or two and he had the start of a story world as you'll be able to appreciate once you've read this wonderful adventure...

Thomas' 5 word synopsis of Malamander was - 'Eerie Sea-Side Beach-Combing Mechanical Mystery'

   

We were lucky enough to have a visit from Thomas the following morning- so we popped the kettle on, got a plate of cakes from @jadeboulangerie and asked him if he'd mind signing copies of his book for us. We also talked him through our competition and asked him to decide where Herbie Lemon's Lost & Founder hat had been misplaced but not to tell a soul. Thomas wrote the answer and placed it in an envelope which he sealed.....