Gruffalo's Mommy is Crowned Children's Laureate

Julia Donaldson, who is known by millions of children the world over as

the creator of the Gruffalo has been appointed the new children's laureate.

Donaldson takes on a role that was dreamed up by Ted Hughes, then poet laureate, and his friend Michael Morpurgo, to mark a lifetime's contribution to children's literature and highlight the importance of children's books.

"The laureateship is an honour but it's not the kind of honour you can just bask in, so I'm planning to have quite an active two years," she said. "I'm hoping to bring some drama and music to the job. I always act out my own stories with lots of audience participation so I'm planning to do lots more of that. I hope to encourage and inspire children to act stories out, though it's too early to say whether there will be one major theatrical event." 

Donaldson, who is so clever and funny, has written 120 books for various age groups. But her unwavering superstar is the outwardly ferocious Gruffalo, written in deceptively simple verse with illustrations by Axel Scheffler.

With only 700 words across 32 pages, the tale of an anxious mouse struggling to keep his courage up and a cowardly monster was instantly recognised as a classic. It has won several awards and has now sold more than 10.5 million copies and been translated into languages including Polish, Hebrew, Lithuanian and Russian.

The sequel, The Gruffalo's Child, won a best children's book award in 2005 and the original was voted the best bedtime story of all time by BBC radio listeners in 2009. The Gruffalo has recently sparked a multimillion pound merchandising operation on a scale that gives Paddington Bear a run for his money.

You can find a range of Julia Donaldson’s books at www.imagikids.co.za

Happy Reading :)

Introduce Your Children to a Colourful Land of Living Letters

When my little girl came home with a colouring-in of an ‘A’ dressed like an Apple and started jabbering about Annie Apple, Bouncing Ben and Clever Cat, I was intrigued. This looked like a well thought out way of helping children to remember the alphabet both audibly and visually. So I did what any modern Mom might do – I looked up Annie Apple and I uncovered the wonderful world of Letterland. 

Letterland, originally developed by Lyn Wendon, is a  phonics based approach to teaching reading, writing and spelling for to 3-8 year olds. Children are taught shapes and sounds of letters by giving them imaginary names and shapes and presenting them as living things in the fictional land of Letterland. Letterland characters transform plain black letter shapes into pictogram characters. By translating the full range of dry phonic facts into engaging stories, children are motivated to listen, to think and to learn. These stories explain letter shapes and sounds, allowing children to progress quickly to word building, reading and writing. 

Children find Letterland to be exciting and colourful and it is used extensively at pre-primary level in South Africa. It has also been used to help teach young children English in foreign language countries like Russia. The pictogram characters of Letterland provide teachers with opportunities to use English in an engaging, conversational manner when teaching children and this leads to an expansion in vocabulary and grammar.

Mom’s can order a range of Letterland books at www.imagikids.co.za and use them creatively at home to reinforce what their children are learning in the classroom as they take their first steps towards learning to read.

Happy Learning to Read :)

The Enchanted Wood: 

A Perfect Place to Escape to After the Bustle of a Busy Day!

The Enchanted Wood is one of Enid Blyton's most memorable and truly imaginative stories, capturing a world where almost anything can happen if you just believe in the magic of nature and its creatures.

Many moms will have fond memories of discovering the world of The Enchanted Wood. There was the delightfully gentle Silky the Fairy, the wonderfully jolly Moon-Face the truly bizzare Saucepan man covered in clanking pots and pans, who along with a host of other strange and mysterious folk, live among the branches of The Magic Faraway Tree.

I must admit, I was a little jealous of Jo Bess and Fanny when they discovered that they had all of this wonderment and adventure right on their doorstep. What child wouldn’t be envious of visits to the Land of Presents, the Land of Goodies or the Land of Do-as-you-Please! Then of course, there are all the delicious treats made by Moon Face and Silky….Google Buns and tea, Toffee Shocks and Pop biscuits oozing with honey. And after all of that, they still get to ride down to the bottom of the tree on the Slippery-Slip!

In the updated version of the Enchanted Wood, some of the more old- fashioned names have been changed to suit modern childrens’ perceptions. Fanny’s name has been changed to Fran and Bess is now Beth and of course, cousin Dick is now Rick. The new illustrations are less attractive but the original story has been preserved in its entirety and I still found myself being swept away into the magical lands, along with my two children, who could not wait for story-time every night so we could find out what was in store for the folk of the Faraway Tree.

All of the books in the The Faraway Series are available at www.imagikids.co.za
Happy Reading :)

Authors Who Rock : Michael Morpurgo

From Vital Imaginings and Inspired Daydreams, 

Great Stories are Born…

Michael Morpurgo is one of those authors who writes with such clarity and lyrical beauty that his words seem to reach out and pull you in so far, that you can almost feel, taste and smell the world that he his telling you about. 

This gifted man grew up in England and started his career off as a Primary School teacher. It was while reading to his pupils everyday, that he began to make up his own stories which the children found far more captivating than the mundane books provided by the school. He quickly realised that storytelling was magical for him and was definitely his true calling.

Today, Michael lives with his devoted wife Claire and a whacky Cockerel called George who just loves to scratch up all the flowers in their garden. Michael is barred writing at home as he loves to write on his bed, propped up by pillows with his notepad on his knees and has stained one too many sheets with ink and sandy footprints. So with Claire’s help, he has built his own storyteller’s hideaway in the country, where he now immerses himself in his story writing.

Michael stokes up inspiration for his stories by keeping his eyes and ears open and his heart fresh. He draws from the children in his life, people and places, history, listening to Mozart and he spends a lot of time daydreaming while he works on his farm. 

“For me, the greater part of writing is daydreaming, dreaming the dream of my story until it hatches out. The writing down of it, I always find hard. But I love finishing it, then holding the book in my hand and sharing my dream with my readers,” says Michael.

Michael was chosen as Children’s Laureate (Distinguished Children’s Author) from 2003 until 2006 and has written over 100 books, among which his favourites are Butterfly Lion, War Horse and Private Peaceful. You can get all of these books at www.imagikids.co.za along with a host of other hugely successful books written by this legendry children’s author.

Recommended Books :

Alone on a Wide, Wide Sea

Butterfly Lion

War Horse

Kaspar

Running Wild

Kensuke’s Kingdom

Dancing Bear

Private Peaceful

Shadow (Latest Release)

Happy Reading : )

39 Clues Takes Kids on Whirlwind Ride Through History

The 39 Clues is an exciting series of ten adventure books, combining reading, online gaming and card collecting. The series has got kids around the globe hooked and rumours are afloat that Steven Spielberg has been chosen to direct the first movie scheduled for 2012.

The first book introduces readers to the powerful Cahill family and begins with the death of the Cahill clan matriarch Grace, who changes her will at the last moment, giving her descendants the choice between an inheritance or a clue. 

Siblings Amy and Dan Cahill find themselves faced with an unusual choice: inherit one million dollars or participate in a perilous treasure hunt. Cahills have determined the course of history for centuries, and this quest's outcome will bring the victors untold power which will affect all of humankind. 

Against the wishes of nasty Aunt Beatrice, their reluctant guardian since their parents' deaths, Dan and Amy accept the challenge, convincing their college-age au pair to serve as designated adult. Pitted against other Cahill teams, who will stop at nothing to win, the siblings decipher the first of 39 clues and are soon hot on the historical trail of family member Ben Franklin, to unearth the next secret. 

Adeptly incorporating a genuine kids' perspective, the narrative unfolds like a boulder rolling downhill and keeps readers glued to the pages. As the siblings work together to solve puzzles and survive dangers, they develop into well-drawn individuals with their own strengths and personalities. The book dazzles with suspense, plot twists, and clever humor and gets readers clambering to get their hands on the next book and the next clue!

So if you want to keep your kids out of mischief and completely glued during the next school holidays, get them The 39 Clues. The whole series is available at www.imagikids.co.za

Happy Reading!

James and the Giant Peach celebrates 50 years!

This year Roald Dahl’s classic James and the Giant Peach, celebrates its 50th Anniversary. 

Dahl has been delighting young children, since 1961, with his marvellous story of an orphan, James Henry Trotter, who is forced to live with his horrible aunts, Sponge and Spiker, and who embarks on a magical adventure inside a giant peach. 

According to the author’s website, this was the “first major book” he wrote for children and they simply fell in love with his magical, humourous story-telling. Roald Dahl possessed the ability to captivate the imaginations of young children and make them laugh. His stories have been able to get millions of children world-wide hooked on reading.

A major highlight of the anniversary festivities will take place during Puffin's "September is Roald Dahl Month" celebration which ties in with the late author's birthday on 13 September. On 28 September, Quentin Blake, illustrator of James and the Giant Peach and other Dahl classics, will hold a live Webcast, during which he will talk about his work with the author and take questions from his online audience. Anyone interested in taking part, can register for the event here.

Of course, Roahl Dahl has written many other classics too. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is the one that my kids can't get enough of. I think its the thought of swimming in a river of chocolate that gets my son's imagination in a spin.

Some of the most popular Roahl Dahl classics are just waiting to entertain your children at ImagiKids.

www.imagikids.co.za

See you next week.


Happy Reading....

Hello Book Fans,


Kids all over South Africa will be chomping at the bit to go and see the new animated 3D feature film, Jock of the Bushveld, which hit the cinemas countrywide today. 'Jock' fever has certainly swept into our household and the kids are definately not letting us off the hook. Everytime my daughter sees a snip advertised on the telly she calls me to come see, just in case I forget. I have even been formally issued with the list of Jock items that are desperately needed, including T-shirts, 'Jock' Dog biscuits for our two mutts, Jock stickers and of course the Jock of the Bushveld picture book based on the movie. 


Well, lucky for me I just happen to have a few of those available, at my fingertips. Move over 'Jock', today is the much anticipated 'Go Live' day of my new online kids bookstore, ImagiKids. So if you are being pestered and nagged to stock up on Jock of the Bushveld memorabilia, look no further. Log on to www.imagikids.co.za and get them a copy of the beautifully illustrated picture book, fun-filled activity book or super cool colouring-book and that should quieten the nagging hordes, at least for the time being anyway.

About the Books

This delightful movie tie-in book is set in what is today the world-famous Kruger National Park. The story centres around Jock’s adventures with his master, Fitz, during the late 1880s. In the bushveld, every day can be an adventure if you know where to look! It's fun to explore and it's fun to be free – especially if your name is Jock and you can sniff out something new behind every bush and under every stone. But what does his mother always say? Take care and be aware! A beetle can be your buddy and flying ants are fantastic fun – but an eagle? Now that's a different story . . .

I hope you found Post useful and enjoyable. I will be posting something interesting every week. So until then.

Happy Reading...