Swallows and Amazons Forever

Five years ago I wrote about the experience of taking a baby to the Lake District. We go annually and some years the hills and meres are flooded with glorious light. Some years they are simply flooded. At present we tend to holiday in England, and whilst we've loved recent trips to Dorset, Norfolk and Kent, it is to the Lake District with its tempestuous weather and gloriously vibrant natural highs and lows that our spirits belong. Rightly, this summer it was inscribed as a world heritage site. There is no place like it. And it is here that we come closest to our dream of offering our little ladies the sort of authentic childhood that will allow them to feel truly free. The old-school, dam-building, boat-sailing, hill-climbing, nature-loving, camp-building natural education.

Culture-Grandad's favourite childhood book was Arthur Ransome's Swallows and Amazons, set around Coniston. I loved the '70's film as a child too and from the age of two Culturetot in particular fell completely and, perhaps unexpectedly for her age, in love with it. Likewise, with the advent of the new film, Culturebaby (now of course no longer that - a rapidly growing nearly six year old) has busily been trying to institute a Wildcat Island in her own school playground. This morning, bleary eyed, she arrived in our bedroom clutching Ransome's sequel Swallowdale. I fear I shall be bulk-buying the DVD as birthday gifts for her classmates.

Last year we hired a boat and channelled Swallow. This year we tracked down a holy grail for Ransome Fans -  Bank Ground Farm - the farmhouse where the children first plotted their adventures and from whose boathouse Swallow was first launched in the 1970s adaptation.

We also visited Blackwell near Bowness (the town featuring as Rio for the eagle eyed). Selfishly I adore this exquisite arts and crafts building and visit annually, but this year we were all delighted to discover that it was running an exhibition about Swallows and Amazons featuring props from the latest film and objects from the Ransome archive (borrowed from Blackwell’s sister museum, the Museum of Lakeland Life and Industry in Kendal), a semaphore trail and themed arts and crafts activities. A friend also took part this year in a Wild Cat Island Adventure. This is definitely one for next year's list.

In addition to our specific Ransome-themed adventures we've also been taking the time to live more like the children whilst we've been in the Lakes. We've donned our wellies and explored in all weathers, bathed in rivers (ok not me but the rest of the rabble did), set out on long walks, swung on rope swings, built dams and dens and generally taken the time to stop and look at nature.


Three walks I'd particularly recommend with little ones no longer in back packs are:


1. Walk from Elterwater to Ambleside (or vice versa) and do the return trip on the bus. It is around 4.2 miles and with some short exceptions, it is predominantly flat. The girls had the additional incentive of a trip to the lovely cinema in Ambleside as a reward for their efforts. The route takes you past Elterwater, a waterfall on the River Brathay and near a Roman Fort outside of Ambleside.

2. Pick up a Windermere Cruises Walkers' Ticket and follow a part-cruise and part-walking route from Ambleside. Depending which way you choose, this begins with a ferry ride across to Wray Castle, run by the National Trust. This Victorian mock-gothic building, complete with fake arrowslits, has been set up as a playground for children (of all ages) with dressing-up and games, a Peter Rabbit imaginative play experience, castle building and a great outdoor adventure playground. The Castle also has stunning views over Windermere and a much needed tea shop for this side of the Lake.


From here you walk the 4 miles to the Ferry House. This is a pretty gentle stroll and many also follow a similar route with bicycles. You can hire bikes and trailers from Lower Wray Campsite. We did this last year and it was an enduring enjoyable memory for the girls.

3. A favourite ramble is the walking route up the Langdale Pikes. The walk is quite hard work, with sections that need to be scrambled up, but both children managed it well. Compared to some of the more lengthy walks, this one has a clear target (the tarn), which kept them motivated. This walk really has it all - a river and sections of waterfall, a good climb, stunning views all the way up, and a tarn half way up the mountain which transports you right to Middleearth (you half expect to stumble across the door to the mines of Moria round the corner). For the pre-history buffs amongst you it is also a hugely important heritage site: the Langdale Axe Factory. In the Neolithic period, the 'new stone age' (from 10,000 years ago), people were beginning to learn to farm and stone tools were needed to exploit the land or clear areas of forest. Early Cumbrians mined the hard greenstone in the remote volcanic rocks of Langdale to produce axes, and the evidence can still be found today (though despite being an archaeologist I have sadly never yet spotted an axe as I've treked the pikes). It is unclear whether these particular axes were used for work or whether they had a more ritual significance (they seem at least to have been exported out of Cumbria), but if the latter, it does make sense to me. You can clearly see as you gaze from the mountains across the panorama of the heart of the Lakes below, that this is truly an extraordinary, even other-worldy place. The climb back down always seems a little longer, but there's the promise of a cuppa or icecream at the bottom. The National Trust owns The Sticklebarn pub at the base of the pikes. It's friendly and you know your money goes towards caring for the local environment.

This year we prepared for the Lakes with a back-pack of relevant reading material. We read some Beatrix Potter and about the Stone Age before we went, and took Ransome's Swallows and Amazons with us for bedtime. However, for our walks we wanted to observe as we went and took an explorers kits, complete with binoculars, torch, insect observation pot, tape measure and set of interactive books. For the last couple of years Culturebaby has loved the Usborne spotter guides. We have a couple of vintage ones and some of their new series. We included Wild Flowers, Country Walks and an Insect Sticker Book in our pack, along with a guide to trees. Both Nosy Crow and The National Trust, and Walker Books, have each brought out their own guides to help children learn, experience and really look at nature around them. First up is the excellent accompanying book for the National Trust's initiative to get children to have a more outdoorsy natural childhood: 50 Things to Do Before You're 11 3/4. This is a brilliant idea and the accompanying book allows children to work out what sort of explorer they are (and meet associated characters that journey with them - which is always a winning formula). For each activity achieved from blackberry picking to cycling, climbing a tree to growing butterflies, the child has a space to record the date, any notes and gain a sticker. This was the most used of our guides this year as it can be easily completed on the go. Recently published to accompany this is the Go Wild in the Woods adventure guide. With great illustrations and full of facts it details how to get along in nature. The children are particularly taken with the sections on which vegetation makes good toilet paper and how to determine which animal has been in the area from their tracks and poo. They also received an Out and About Night Explorer set with torch, backpack, measuring equipment and book which covers everything from nocturnal animals and plants to spot to star charts. It's an exciting package and makes an excellent present.

Walker Books' version is similar in intent but different and complementary in execution. The books are based on the classic We're Going on A Bear Hunt, and they include a beautifully illustrated guide to what you may find in nature (this is great and covers topics as wide as the water cycle and weather to rock composition) and a project book based on each of the challenges the children in the classic book face. Little scientists are invited to measure rainfall and observe cloud formations, and there are activities for every season. One parent wondered whether the connection to the childhood classic alongside more advanced scientific content might put off a school child, but I think it would depend on the individual. Culturebaby is rather nostalgic and the theme and well known characters actually captured her interest.

I've found having little ones, rather than proving restrictive, has immersed me in nature more than I may have otherwise been. They want to splash in puddles and ride their bikes in the rain, snow is something to be sought out, autumn leaves are a joy and the first flowers of spring are anticipated and observed. They want to know the names of plants and I've had to reacquaint myself with the long forgotten names of scents. And everywhere I must slow down to the pace of miniature wellington boots. I need these guides as much as the children and the bonding activities they contain will hopefully provide for the children treasured memories like my own, of a childhood spent under the elements.

Disclaimer: We received copies of the new Walker and Nosy Crow books for review purposes. All other materials are our own, as are all opinions.

Top Ten Picture Book Dads (and a giveaway)

This is a quick post to celebrate and honour all the fabulous Dads out there on Fathers' Day. I never could have realised until I became a parent quite how generous my own father has been with his time and energy throughout my life. So nappies were never his bag, but I have wonderful memories of walks, camping and boats, old houses and nature; learning to paint with watercolours on a beach; and painstakingly handcrafted wooden puzzles that have been passed to the next generation. Living on the outskirts of Manchester, Dad supported my friendships by ferrying friends to and fro from our house to the other side of the city, he manned the lights at am-dram rehearsals, and (though I was immensely cross at the time) he came to collect me from club nights and escort me safely home. I'm grateful for his amazing selflessness and love him very much. My little Culturebabies are also blessed with a wonderful father who is so full of life and love for them. Here's a little selection of, what I think are some of the best depictions of fathers or father figures and their relationships with their children in our picture book collection.

Firstly we'd like to introduce a new book for 2016 from Sean Taylor and illustrated by Emily Hughes, whose stunning work Culturebaby was fortunate enough to peruse in its developmental phase last summer. A Brave Bear is a beautiful portrait of a father and child who set out together on a simple adventure. Full of joy and fun, the story also charts the progression of little bear's growing bravery with such a solid support to guide him, pick him up when he falls, comfort him, carry him and give him the self confidence to conquer challenges himself. The writing is beautiful and uplifting and the illustrations are exquisite. At bedtime on a recent holiday, two year old Culturetot begged Daddy to take her on an adventure (round the surrounding site), and, no matter the time, he did. This gorgeous book encapsulates that excitement in simple discoveries, the joy of quality time alone with a parent and the optimism such devotion can bring: "On the way home, the sun was glowing. The air was glowing... Even tomorrow was glowing".

This theme of the importance of quality time and passing on the awe and wonder of life from generation to generation continues with When Dad Showed Me the Universe by Ulf Stark and illustrated by Eva Eriksson. It was originally a popular Swedish classic and this English volume from Gecko press (which specialises in English versions of curiously good books they discover from around the world) is a really original read about a father who really wants to show his son the Universe. Keen to make it a special occasion and daring adventure, the surprise is kept as such until all streetlights are left behind and in the wilderness the Dad lifts up his child to reveal to true magnificence of the night sky. Peppered with scientific facts which betray the passion of the father for science, and humorous interludes, this story is rather unusual. On the face of it, it is a great adventure with a father and a comic ending. But it is also rather more interesting for older readers too. The father with his head in the clouds fails to see the mess on the ground he wades into; he worries that a great adventure has been ruined because it contains such a moment. The delight and message, of course, is that even if the best made plans are imperfect for the child, both the intimacy and wonder of sharing a parent's passions are utterly unforgettable. 

A humorous caricature, and one of Culturedad's all time favourite picture books, is the ingenious Anthony Browne's irreverent and distinctively illustrated My Dad. The book begins "He's all right my Dad..." and goes on to list a cocktail of attributes from the normal to the fantastical. The book oozes pride in a father figure, who no doubt inspired this author we know and love. It is catchy, quirky and memorable. We've bought it several times as a present for the men in our lives.  

There's always space on our picturebook shelves for the simple and heartwarming. There are numerous Dad portraits like this around, but one of the cutest is Walsh and Abbot's I Love Dad, which depicts a day in the life of a toddler dragon, hanging out with his Dad. Nobody compares; no one can provide so much fun and entertainment "...make a bedtime story so fantastic, a lion's roar so drastic, a plastic man's kung-fu kick so slick". Its a lovely reminder that little people find joy in the simplest of things. It's about being present.

Culturebaby's current laugh-out-loud favourite is Mabbitt and Blunt's new This is NOT a Bedtime Story. Disatisfied with a repetition of the usual and rather mundane pink kitten tale, Sophie surprises her father with a dramatic revision of the bedtime story inspired by items around her room and featuring lions, helicopters and robot dinosaurs. Recovering from his shock, Dad gets rather into the swing of things. This delightfully subversive depiction of the importance of story time with a parent, the need for space for imagination and creativity and a challenge about what a girl might like to read, is really fun. Culturebaby has demanded this one at least five times in the last couple of days. I even found Grandad perched on the bottom stair reading it, with both girls chuckling beside him.

We've also been enjoying a new read from Michelle Robinson and Nick East. Goodnight Spaceman features two little boys who dream of joining their dad on his adventures in space. In his introductory letter to readers, Tim Peake the astronaut, says "I see my two young sons looking up at those same stars and I remember experiencing the early feelings of wonder and excitement that I now see on their faces... I hope it may inspire a new generation of boys and girls to look up at the stars and not just ask questions, but to go and seek answers of their own." This cute picture book is both informative and smacks of pride at the career of a much loved father. But perhaps it is also useful for children whose father is at times or always rather more distant than they might like.

Next is a much loved classic The Railway Children, retold in the simplest of forms by the wonderful Usborne and their picture book collection. With beautiful illustrations from Alan Marks, E. Nesbit's tale of a family struggling at the arrest of their father, the resilience and optimism of children and the way in which they help to save him, is made accessible to the very young. It's also an important tale to include in a selection of stories about fathers. There will be times in every child's life when their father might feel weak or vulnerable, suffer shocks and familes may experience hardship. It's a good message that children can play a part in the recovery - and save others through their own strength and love.

Finally, I've selected a trio of wonderful books about grandfathers. For many of us, these important  paternal figures will feature strongly in our young lives, and navigating this relationship and the process of eventual loss is a lifechanging one. In the tale of Peter and the Wolf  (a favourite is Ian Beck's edition), the grandfather is the father figure in Peter's life. In a dangerous environment he tries to protect his cheeky and disobedient charge from a wolf who gobbles up the household duck and is eventually captured by Peter. Thundering out his necessary discipline in the serious tones of the bassoon, this role of parent as protector is an crucial depiction. We adore the narrated musical version of this tale, and we've been particularly loving the Royal Ballet's dvd of their production as part of a set of four ballets for children.

A recent discovery in our local library is the tear-jerking My Grandpa by Marta Altes. Depicting the process of aging and how a child might deal with the changes they encounter in a much loved relative, this little and expressively illustrated book stays with the reader. At times Grandad behaves like an old man, sometimes like a child; he loses things and at times the child must be his eyes. But then there are the times for adventure, cuddles and the passing on of history. The book oozes with emotion and would prepare any child in a similar situation to continue to love unconditionally - just as they themselves are loved.

Finally, one of my absolute favourite books of the last year is the beautiful Grandad's Island. It is hard to read - I haven't seen many adults make it through without tears - but it is also one of the most uplifting depictions of handling the loss of a loved one that I've ever encountered. Syd loves his Grandad and spends a lot of time with him, but then one day Grandad takes Syd on a journey to a wonderful island. Here Grandad no longer needs his stick, renovates a little house, and participates in a range of wonderful adventures. Eventually Grandad breaks the news that he will be staying on the Island and Syd must return. Along with the brilliant book Rabbityness, this is a must read for any child dealing with the loss of a loved one - or needing a reminder that even when distant, our loved ones always remain near to us.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

With apologies to international readers, we can only offer this prize as a hard copy to entrants from the UK. 

Books to change children's thinking...

To celebrate World Book Day today, I thought I'd share a selection of the recent books we've discovered that have genuinely made us stop and think, have a good discussion and perhaps even resolve to do something differently. As a child, I was rather taken by a series of classic books my parents owned; collectively entitled "Books that have Changed Man's Thinking". I'd like to think that the editors were enlightened enough to have me, a female, in mind with their sweeping '70s collective nouns and, whilst I agree with many of their choices from Homer to Huxley, I often believe that it is the simplest of books that can often be the most profound - and none more so than those designed for children. Many of these books have genuinely inspired wow moments for me as a parent, several - without fail - provoke tears, but all in some way have served to remind me to celebrate the joy in life, embrace difference, and serve as a catalyst for change; all crucial messages I want to pass on to my children.


1. Henry Tate by Bruce Ingman was my personal book of the year in 2015. Many of us visit the Tate and appreciate the enormity of the collection we are privileged to view (and for free) but perhaps fewer are aware of the passion and generosity of the man responsible for this astounding gift to the nation. With photographs of art encased in a cartoon world and a text so simple even my two year old adores it, Ingman presents an enchanting tale of Henry Tate. Henry was a boy who worked hard and built a business from the bottom up, fell in love with art, collected and collected and ultimately decided that it was not only for him to enjoy - he wanted to share it with the nation. Following a rejection of his offer to the National Gallery (ever wondered why the NG's art contains nothing modern?), he built his own gallery, filled it with his beautiful art and we can visit it (and 3 others) today. The girls adore this book with its amusing text and stunning artwork. It's a tale of philanthropy and enterprise and the impact of generosity in a tangible way on their own experience.

2. Pass it On is a new book from an author whose work we love: Sophy Henn. It's a children's version of the idea that good works and joy are there to be passed on to others. If we use what simple gifts of love we have to lighten the lives of others, we spread beauty and it always comes back to support us in the times we too need to be cheered. With an emphasis on finding delight in small things, this book is a joy for all readers - big and small.

3. Another lovely book with a similar message is Alisa Burrows' The Jar of Happiness. There once was a little girl called Meg, who invented her own kind of happiness, put it in a jar and carried it everywhere with her - sharing it with all who needed it. But then one day she couldn't find her jar and became sad. Happily her friends came to the rescue, teaching her their own unique ways to create happiness - from smiles and hugs to happy thoughts. Armed with an arsenal of joy, she no longer needed her jar alone.

4. The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde is one of my favourite childhood books and comes in a number of versions. With Wilde's beautiful prose and the message of Easter through the eyes of a child, I eternally fail to get through this classic without a hankie. A hard-hearted giant throws children, who have nowhere else to go, out of his garden; it is his garden and his alone. But without joy present the frost and snow and hail and wind move in, bringing with them a perpetual winter. Then one day the giant is awoken by birdsong; the children have broken into the garden and with them comes the spring - the trees bloom and flowers spring up. However, one corner of the garden remains in winter - a spot where a small child is unable to climb into the tree alongside his peers and reaches up to the trees to no avail. The giant's heart is melted and he goes to the garden and helps the child reach the trees, which immediately bloom. His kindness is rewarded with a kiss and the giant is healed; he knocks down the walls and the children make his garden their playground once more. The children return daily, except the little child he loved the most. The giant grows old and frail with the children all around him, but he is always hoping that the small one will return... and one day he does, but scarred with wounds on his hands and feet. The giant, enraged, asks who has dared to hurt his friend, but the child tells him that these are the wounds of love. Once he let the little child play in his garden, and so today the child explains that he will be taking the giant to his own garden - paradise. The version of this story we discovered beautifully illustrated and abridged by Alexis Deacon stops at the point the Giant bestows his garden upon the children and all find happiness. This in itself is a beautiful and profound tale for the very young. However, for 4 year old Culturebaby we also love the full version. I have a vintage version illustrated by Michael Foreman and Freire Wright from 1978, but there are others out there too.

5. Isaac and his Amazing Asperger Superpowers by Melanie Walsh dropped through our letterbox last week and is an extremely refreshing and positive exploration of life from the perspective of a child with Asperger's. Isaac explains that "You might think I look just like everyone else, but I've got special superpowers that make me slightly different to my brother and the other kids at school. However, some children don't understand this and call me names." He goes on explain that his brain works a little differently - why he loves to give facts, has so much energy, forgets to say hello and sometimes says things that people find rude. The book focusses on the amazing strengths children with autism can display and why they also struggle with certain environments. This book should be essential reading for all children.

6. Cat's Colours by Airlie Anderson is one of the most stunning books we have discovered in a long time, with a coda that never fails (after many many "again!"s) to make Culturebaby sigh with delight. Cat is surrounded by grey and is consequently having rather a grey day; but she decides to snap out of it, look for the colour in life and as she notices the vivid hues all around her, she begins to take something of each of them into herself. At the end of the day, dappled with rainbow markings, she settles down to rest. She delivers a litter of technicolour kittens; gifting the beauty she received from the world back into it again several times over. A simple and stunning message with exquisite illustrations, this is my favourite new book of 2016.

7. Where's the Elephant? by Barroux is a brilliant graphic exploration of the effects of deforestation. Illustrating the concept perfectly through almost entirely wordless pages, the impact of a simple search for three animals in a rapidly reducing habitat is immense. The child is invited to find the elephant, parrot and snake, who initially are tricky to find. Then their habitat is decreased and decreased until there is nothing left to hide them. And they leave. This is a deep and prophetic tale of the importance of saving our world before it is too late.

8. Little Home Bird by one of our favourite authors Jo Empson (of Rabbityness) is a well-timed new tale for our little, recently moved, household. Little Bird loved his home, his favourite branch, his nest and his beautiful collection of things... but then the wind blew cold and it was time to fly south. He tried to take all this things with him, but they weighed him down and gradually he shed them - blessing a range of grateful creatures who had a great need for them along the way. Eventually he reached a land where the wind blew warm and he could rest and establish his new life with his family. He no longer had his favourite things, but he found new ones and a host of new friends. A beautiful meditation on the necessity of leaving things behind and the real meaning of home, this book has other layers and would be excellent reading both for children moving house or those who must live between two homes.


9. Continuing this theme of memory and value, The Paper Dolls by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Rebecca Cobb is perhaps Donaldson's most moving work. A loving mother helps her little girl make a chain of paper dolls, which become the child's most beloved play things. They accompany her on adventures, they face perils and experience wonders with her and all the time laughing and singing "You can't get us. Oh no no no! We're holding hands and we won't let go. We're Ticky and Tacky and Jackie the Backie and Jim with two noses and Jo with the bow!". Then sadly one day a little boy snips and destroys them, believing they are gone forever; but of course they aren't - they fly singing into the girl's memory. They join her most treasured things and as she grows into a girl and a mother they remain in her memory and she too helps her own little girl make some paper dolls. This stunning book shows the real value of legacy, and how our acts of love and creativity with our children (and those of my own mother with me) will always live on.

10. Another, perhaps lesser known, Donaldson and Sharratt collaboration is the ingenious What the Jackdaw Saw, a  picture book about the importance of understanding each other. Dedicated to all deaf children and their families, this story follows a journey of a jackdaw who flies along inviting animals to his party. He is perplexed that they do not reply but in each case they continually touch their head. Eventually he flies headlong into a stormcloud and, failing to see the hazard, a tree. He exclaims "Why didn't they warn me?" and in turn he is told that each animal was indeed trying to tell him of the danger - why didn't he see them touching their head? Danger! Danger! The jackdaw understood the problem and learned how to sign.

11. Already big fans of Iggy Peck Architect, I was delighted to discover the Mighty Girl masterpiece Rosie Revere Engineer by Andrea Beaty and illustrated by David Roberts. Rosie loves making things; gadgets and gizmos and machines for doing wonderful things. She hides them under her bed where noone can see. She was once unabashed but, after she created a wonderful gift for a favourite relative who laughed at her offering, she lost her confidence to share her inventions. Then one day she heard the dream of her great great aunt (herself once an engineer) to finally fly and set herself the task to create a flying machine and propel the old lady into flight. With the wisdom and support of this wonderful old lady Rosie discovers that true failure can come only if you quit. With a wonderful canter through some of the feminine aeronautical successes of the last few centuries, this quirky book exhorts children to stand and cheer at each perfect failure, get up and try again.

12. Finally, a wonderful book we discovered last year and is on my 'to buy' list, is the inspiring The Man With the Violin by Cathy Stinson and illustrated by Dusan Petricic. The book is based on a true story about the famous musician Joshua Bell who dressed in normal clothes and played in a subway station in Washington D.C. in 2007. Over the course of an hour's experiment, thousands passed but only seven people stopped to properly listen. However, the musician noticed that it was the children who often wanted to stop - but were hurried on by their parents. This book imagines the experience from the perspective of a child. I've discovered since I've had the children that I'm often in a hurry but I'm slowed down by their natural curiosity and infectious joy in the smallest and simplest of things and I'm often delighted to see what they see - whether we are in museums, concerts or in nature. It's a continual lesson for us all to stop and listen and look at the wonder in life around us and never to let genius and beauty pass us by.

"You give a little love and it all comes back to you...You know you're gonna be remembered for the things that you say and you do..."

Bugsy Malone

Disclaimer: We received some of these books for review purposes, others are from the library or owned by us. All views are entirely my own.

Five Minutes Peace Blog Tour: An Audience with Mrs Large

We are delighted to be taking part in a blog tour to celebrate both Mother's Day and the 30th anniversary of our friends the Large family. Household names, and loved by children and chuckling parents alike, we love reading together and relating to this adorable family of elephants.

Five Minutes Peace, the story we are celebrating in particular, documents one mother's quest for a moment of peace in a busy day. Many of us know the sadness of continual lukewarm cuppas, the silence that speaks volumes (of mischief) if a toddler slips away, and the unparalleled delight upon returning to work of a trip to the toilet alone, but Mrs Large is having a trying day alone with her brood of three and is determined to have a child-free break. Granted it is perhaps a bizarre decision to opt for a bath, but we can support her optiminsm and sympathise with the utter failure of the exercise. Well, almost failure... she does achieve a heroic three minutes and fourty five seconds.


We leapt at the opportunity for this blog tour to ask the author Jill Murphy a few questions about herself and her books, some of which came from Culturebaby and her little friends. We hope you enjoy her thoughtful replies as much as we did.

From the Minis:

1.What was the first story you made up as a child about?

 My first story was ‘The Lonely House’ which I wrote and illustrated when I was six. It was about a dilapidated old house which desperately wanted a family to come and live in it. I stapled it together so that it would look as much like a real book as possible.


2. Did you always want to write stories? 
 It was the only thing I really enjoyed doing. Sometimes I lined up my three best toys and tried out my stories on them.


3. Was the Large family like your own? 
 The Large family was based on some friends of mine who had lots of children.

4. Could we see you draw live one day? 
 I will hopefully be at some literary festivals later this year and I will show how to draw illustrations.

5. What day of the week was Five Minutes’ Peace based on? Was it a Saturday?
 It was a Monday which was the day we always went shopping together.

From the Mummies:

6. What was your most inspirational children’s book you read as a child?
 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (illustrations by Pauline Baynes) and The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I also loved the Rupert the Bear Annuals at Christmas.

7. Which artists inspired you in your illustrations?
 I especially loved Pauline Baynes’ illustrations and spent hours copying them and sticking them on my wall. Imagine my delight when, many years later, Pauline Baynes wrote a fan letter to ME, saying that she loved my illustrations and had bought lots of copies my book ‘My Last Noo-noo’ for her great nephews and nieces! If I had known that my illustration-heroine would pay me such an amazing compliment all those years later, I would have been a very happy little girl!

8. If you had five minutes of peace what would you choose to do with it above all else?
 I love to walk on the beach with my dog.


9. The gender roles are quite traditional, is that something you deliberately set out to do and if you were writing the stories now would it be different?
 I never set out to make a point or instruct. I just write whichever story comes out of my head and then hope that my readers will like it.



10. What characteristic or wisdom are you most proud of learning from or inheriting from your own mother? 
 To be true to yourself and not to give up at the first fence.

To celebrate 30 years of 5 Minutes Peace, Walker Books are giving one lucky winner the chance to win a Five Minutes' Peace pampering kit, including £100 Treatwell vouchers to spend on spa treatments of your choice, plus a signed edition of Five Minutes' Peace, relaxing tea, bath salts, candles, and chocolates! Five runners up will receive a signed copy of Five Minutes' Peace.

To enter, just email competitions@walker.co.uk with 'Pamper' in the subject line and let them know how YOU would spend five minutes' peace!  The competition closes on 18th March. Head over to the Picture Book Party website here for further details.

Join some of our great fellow bloggers over at their blog sites too and get some free activity sheets to occupy your own boistrous brood here.

29 February: beingamummy.co.uk
1 March: www.mamageek.co.uk
2 March: deepinmummymatters.com
3 March: culture-baby.net
4 March: mummymishaps.co.uk
 

Never Poles Apart: Popper, Penguins and the Persistence of Friendship...

The last few months were rather more Penguin themed than one might normally expect for a British summer, with Culture Uncle travelling half a world away to the Falkland Islands where, other than a whale skeleton and swathes of sand and snow, the majority of his pictures included a plethora of penguins in a variety of picturesque poses. Apparently they are also rather smelly, a fact that in no way seems to have deterred Mr Popper and his long suffering wife in a delightful new musical we were invited to sample at London's Cadogan Hall.

Mr Popper is singleminded in his Polar obsessions. He reads everything he can get his hands on, delights in learning facts and corresponding with current pioneers of arctic exploration. Then one day his cosy home in an English backwater is turned upside down by the arrival of a new pet, a gift from one of his explorer contacts; a genuine penguin. He christens his new lodger Captain Cook, and proceeds to introduce his (semi) lead trained pet to the neighbourhood.

Picture Courtesy of Cadogan Hall

This heartwarming story has a number of emotional twists and turns as his penguin gets sick - it transpires out of loneliness for his own kind... A mate and eight other miniature penguins follow and the Poppers find themselves letting the outside in to keep their brood as happy and at home as they can. Ultimately, the penguins must be occupied and find fame as a talented and spectacular attraction, before, as is always the case, the call of the wild finally beckons them home. But what will Mr Popper do without his friends? 

The danger of a show aimed at younger children is that it either becomes pantomimesque (I'm afraid I'm not a fan) or overly simplistic. Happily Mr Popper's Penguins lapsed into neither of these. The story was engaging and fast moving yet intelligent (with real facts about the arctic), the songs were both fun and had good parts and harmonies, the penguins were brought to life by clever puppetry. There were sadder moments in the story when I could see the audience was visibly moved. It was sweet, heartwarming and the children really enjoyed it (as did we). 

Culturebaby continued to sing the theme days after and talked about the show, so when I set up their seasonal Christmas play tray we included a family of penguins to play in the snow. These scenes are so simple to create and effective for imaginative play. I include a small Christmas tree for them to dress with miniature decorations; wooden and felt snowflakes, stars, reindeer, bells, and other items to collect, count and sort; themed clips for fine motor practice and various characters and models to bring to life.

 

We've also been re-acquainting ourselves with some of the loveliest Penguin themed literature in our collection. It appears that the titans of children's writing and illustration have also decided that the penguin shall be typecast as loyal and unusual companion and we have been reading a trio of heartstring-tugging tales of belonging and friendship.

First - Polly Dunbar's Penguin, a simple yet profound tale about the importance of patience and effort in the labours of love. Ben receives a present of an unusual pet penguin and his efforts to engage and entertain seem to go entirely unrewarded; Penguin remains silent... that is until Ben lands in trouble and his companion finds a voice. Every effort was worthwhile, and none of it was forgotten. For parents, this adorable tale also speaks to the patience of waiting for a toddler to find their true voice, and the unparalleled joy of that first "I love you Mummy".

Next, the classic Lost and Found from Oliver Jeffers. This time a boy finds a Penguin at his door, who looks sad and begins to follow him around. Unsure what else to do, the boy decides that the best solution is to return the little chap to his native South Pole. Together they voyage across land and sea; the boy tells stories and the penguin listens. Finally as they reach their destination and the boy deposits his charge, both realise that the true goal was the journey and their bond. Companionship was the solution all along and they return home united.

Finally, one of our favourite author and illustrators, Petr Horacek, has produced a new and stunningly beautiful book Blue Penguin about the sadness, challenge and joy of finding a place to belong and the journey towards being both accepted and comfortable in ones own skin. Penguin feels like a penguin and acts like a penguin but he is blue. " "...you're not like us" said the other penguins and they wandered away." Poor blue penguin was lonely and sad and he dreamt at night that a beautiful white whale would come and rescue him. He sang and sang, and slowly another penguin heard and came closer and closer. She begged blue penguin to teach her this beautiful song, which was so magical that it captivated the other penguins too. Finally when the whale arrived to answer the call, Penguin finally realised that he was valued and accepted and no longer needed to be rescued. He was loved for who he was. Petr's Penguins are so extremely cute and his signature use of colour is luminescent and beautifully bold. Culturebaby wanted this book again and again. It is definitely my favourite of his (many fabulous) works to date and carries a crucial message for our little people about tolerance and the value of authenticity.

Mr Popper's Penguins is currently on tour (at the Lowry in Salford until January and then on to Kingston) - dates can be found here.

Disclaimer: We were invited along to Cadogan Hall to review the new musical Mr Popper's Penguins. We were also given a copy of Peter Horacek's Blue Penguin by the fabulous Walker Books for review purposes. This new book was published in November. All other materials are our own.