I just want to wish all my readers Happy Midwinter! My new book Tyger is set at Midwinter, around about now, but in a strange alternate world where there is no Christmas, but there is Midwinter... and this year, Midwinter Night falls on the night of December 21st.
So here's a short video all about it:
Happy Midwinter – and Happy Reading!
I'd like to say a very big THANK YOU to Paul Gibson-Barton and all the amazing students and staff at Welton St Mary's Academy for the wonderful welcome they gave me when I visited them last week!
It was a total pleasure to talk to Years 4, 5 and 6 about reading and books. This is a school where they've been reading my books for a long time now, so it was wonderful to see that a lot of them had already read Varjak Paw, or Phoenix, or even Tyger!
There were lots of fantastic questions, although we didn't quite have enough time to answer all of them! So if anyone from WSM would like to ask me another question, or to say anything about the visit or my books, just leave me a comment below!
It was also wonderful to do a workshop with Year 4, who'd just been reading Varjak Paw, and to see some of the work they'd been doing with it. They had created these amazing story maps, and were able to tell the story themselves by using them!
And finally, it was a total pleasure to sign books for everyone who'd ordered a book. HAPPY READING to everyone at WSM – and thank you again for a fantastic visit!
Amazing news – Tyger is the Foyles Children's Book of the Year!!!
This is an absolutely incredible thing for me. When I was a child, my grandfather would sometimes take me to Foyles on Charing Cross Road as a treat. It was his favourite bookshop, and it became mine, too. It's still where I go when I want to remember why I love books and bookshops, so this award means the world to me!
Dave McKean and I spent an amazing evening in Foyles Charing Cross Road. We talked to lots of customers and staff, and signed lots of books.
I want to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone at Foyles for an evening I will never forget, and for making Tyger their children's book of the year! And if you would like to order one those signed copies – with a free exclusive art print – just click on this link or the pictures below!
I want to say a massive THANK YOU to legendary Headteacher Chris Dyson, inspirational librarian Aimee Allpress, and all the amazing children and staff I met when I visited Parklands Primary School!
I had seen pictures of Mr Dyson's incredible assemblies on Twitter, but I was absolutely blown by the joyful atmosphere in the assembly, where I handed out certificates to some brilliant young readers, writers & mathematicians!
It was then a total pleasure to talk to Years 6, 5, 4 and 3 about reading, writing and books. Mr Dyson had with incredible generosity bought a copy of my new book TYGER for every single child, and at the end of these sessions, it was an extraordinary and wonderful thing to hand them out as gifts to everyone.
At the end of the day, the brilliant school librarian Aimee Allpress showed me the display they'd made about my books in the library, and inducted me as an honorary member into the school's Parklands Perusers reading club, and gave me a badge that I will wear with pride!
Thank you so much again for a truly memorable school visit! Happy Christmas – and Happy Reading Every Day – to everyone at Parklands!
