The Dark

Written by Lemony Snicket,
illustrated by Jon Klassen,
published by Orchard Books 2013.

What do you do when you are frightened?
Pretend it is not there or wait for help? Not Lazlo.

Lazlo lives with the dark, but he is scared.
What does he do ?
He gets out his torch, and dares to go where the dark is.

He faces the dark, he talks with the dark, and he is no longer afraid.


Year 5 tell me this is a story about conquering your fears.
Whenever I take a picture book out of my bag, they kindly smile at me as if to say "she doesn't realise how old we are.'

Yet as I begin to read, there is not a sound, not a whisper... just enchantment.

Why would you write about this  Lemony Snicket ?
Now, Jon Klassen why did you get involved in illustrating such a story?

Go on, just ask them:
http://www.bookish.com/articles/lemony-snicket-and-jon-klassen-on-going-dark

The best of friends....

'A good book is the best of friends, the same today and forever'.
(Martin Tupper).

How to Catch A Star

Written by Oliver Jeffers. Published 2007
by Harper Collins Children's Books.

Anything is possible...

This touching story by Oliver Jeffers, reminds us all of what it is like to hope and reach out for the impossible.

A story of possibility and friendship for all of us, no matter how old we are.

How do we teach  our children to write like a writer, and not like a  "text- typer"?

Have you met Oliver Jeffers? Allow me to introduce you. 

 He'll tell you how he starts to write , and he'll make you laugh at the same time. 

The Heart and the Bottle

The Heart and the Bottle written byOliver Jeffers.
Published by HarperCollins Children's Books 2010.

The books of Oliver Jeffers just touch your heart, whether it is in a bottle or walking along the beach.

'The Heart and the Bottle' is  the story of a little girl whose heart is full of wonder and delight until one day, when faced with emptiness, she puts her heart away in a place where she thinks it will be safe.

From that day on how her life changes. Her wondering and delights, her questions and her thoughts all disappear.  Until she meets someone 'smaller, and still curious about the world'.

This is a story of resilience and hope. 

http://www.oliverjeffers.com/picture-books/heart-and-the-bottle

Listen to Helena Bonham Carter read just a little ...but it is more than enough ( for now).