Summer reading for kids

JOY OF READING

Why I love the Grinch:

Rob Biddulph on rhymes and inspiration

Best-selling author/illustrator Rob Biddulph’s picture books have won many awards and are loved by children all over the world. Rachel Bailey talks to Rob about being chosen as the Official World Book Day illustrator for 2019/20 and his newest book ‘Show and Tell’ which is published in August.

Are all your books written in rhyme? Why? Yes. Rhyming stories are the ones I enjoy reading out loud the most. I love the way that the children at my live events join in as I read, and sometimes finish off the lines for me. I guess it’s a bit like remembering song lyrics. There is also a lot of potential for humour within the rhyming structure, and that’s really fun to play around with. A great example of a funny rhyme is How The Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr Seuss. It’s just perfect, and my favourite children’s text ever.

I think I initially used the rhyming structure as something to hide behind. I spent years working on magazines and newspapers with some of the best writers in the world and I guess that as a result I felt I wasn’t worthy of the title “author” and that if I wrote in prose it would expose me as a charlatan. Writing in rhyme, I thought, was more like puzzle solving. I do really enjoy the writing process. It doesn’t come easily – sometimes those stories that take about ten minutes to read can take up to a year to write. I believe that rhyming stories should be perfect – no half rhymes, no speeding up to fit in more syllables – and that is really hard to do. There’s nothing worse than a bad rhyme. When you finally have your story working smoothly all the way through, the sense of achievement is amazing. We’re a bit late in congratulating you on being chosen as the Official World Book Day illustrator, but what has that involved? I had to come up with the look and feel for the entire campaign. We wanted it to be character based so I came up with lots of little bookmark people. I thought it would be good to have hundreds of different ones, dressed up in all kinds of outfits (a bit like the sausage dogs in my book Odd Dog Out) because then, hopefully, every child would have at least one character that they could relate to. Then it was a question of producing the artwork, promoting the big day and then finally going on the WBD Tour. I’ve also had to go on telly a few times (I even went on Blue Peter and got a badge!), visit 10 Downing Street, and present an award at the British Book Awards. Also, I’m off to the Houses of Parliament in a few weeks to make a speech. All very exciting stuff. I really love being involved with WBD – it’s such a great charity and I’m really passionate

COMPETITION

Show and Tell will be available in hardback from 8 August priced £12.99.

Families have two copies to give away. Email your details and put ‘Show and Tell’ in the header to editor@familieswestkent.co.uk and two people will be picked at random on August 20 to receive a copy. Visit Rob’s website: www.robbiddulph.com or follow him on: Facebook: @robbiddulphauthor Twitter: @robbiddulph Instagram: @rbiddulph

about encouraging children to read for pleasure, which is what the whole WBD movement is all about. Which book do you wish you had written? Probably How The Grinch Stole Christmas, for the reasons stated earlier. I mean, just look at this verse: The Grinch hated Christmas! The whole Christmas season! Now, please don’t ask why. No one quite knows the reason. It could be his head wasn’t screwed on just right. It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight. But I think that the most likely reason of all May have been that his heart was two

sizes too small. So, so good!

We’re looking forward to reading your new book, Show and Tell, next month. Have your children ever taken you into school for ‘Show and Tell’? Ha. No, I’d be far too embarrassing! I have visited their school quite a few times to read my stories and do some drawing, however. I usually try out my live show there before I take it on the road. If I can survive my own daughters’ criticisms I can survive anything! Rob Biddulph’s picture books include Blown Away, GRRRRR!, Odd Dog Out and the Dinosaur Junior series. His books have appeared as a CBeebies Bedtime Story including Odd Dog Out which was read by Tom Hardy in 2017. He won the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize in 2015.

Summer Reading

Picture Books Kind: A book about Kindness, foreword by Axel Scheffler and pictures by 38 kind illustrators. A beautiful book illustrated by the very best from the world of children’s illustration. As well as a visual feast, this is a book which tells children all the fantastic ways they can be kind. With a portion of the profits from sales going to the Three Peas charity, you couldn’t ask for a more delightful book to share with your child.

Books for 5-8yrs olds The Bolds Go Wild by Julian Clary The latest instalment of funny adventures featuring The Bolds Family, a pack of hyenas trying to stay disguised as humans. This time the Bolds are in trouble when Grandma Imamu arrives from Africa. She is not impressed with the youngest Bolds’ human traits and sets out to take them back to their wild roots with surprising results! Containing humour for both young and young-at-heart, a great summer read.

Books for 9-12 yrs Malamander by Thomas Taylor Eerie-on-Sea is a strange town with a secret. When Herbert Lemon (Lost-and-Founder at the town hotel) meets a mysterious girl looking for her lost parents, his life takes a new, exciting turn. A super adventure, with an excellent cast of nautically named characters, this a super read for those who enjoy mysteries and thrillers.

Reviews supplied by:

147 High Street Sevenoaks TN13 1XJ 01732 452055 www.sevenoaksbookshop.co.uk

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