Interview with Nigel Lungenmuss-Ward, author of Freddie's Impossible Dream

Having known Nigel for a while, mainly through us both teaching on the same stretch of the East Anglian coast, I was thrilled to hear that he's about to publish his debut picturebook. As the first stop on his blog tour, it was a pleasure to talk to him about the book, Freddie's Impossible Dream, as well as chat with his nine-year-old son, Robbie, who's also the illustrator.

Hi Nigel. It's been a while! How would you sum up your new picturebook in a sentence?

It's a story about never giving in to your worries and chasing your dreams, no matter how difficult and how far away they seem.

Having your young son as the illustrator of the book is very unusual. What's the story behind that?

Robbie’s favourite hobby is drawing. Every spare moment he gets, he has a pencil in his hand. One day, I asked him what he wanted to be when he was older. He said an animator and an illustrator. When I asked him why he had to wait until he was older, he exclaimed, "I can’t be an illustrator yet, I'm only eight years-old!" So I made a deal with him and said, "I'll write a picture book, and you can illustrate it. Then we'll try to get it published." Now, Robbie's a published illustrator at the age of nine and I wouldn't have wanted to be on this journey with anyone else.

Has being a teacher given you any insight into what makes a good picturebook?

I would say that it has. I wrote the story with the intention of using the insight I have gained from my research into reading and the knowledge I have gained through being a teacher. I just hope I pulled it off. Also, having Robbie involved was fantastic. He is the target audience and the details he added to the illustrations were wonderful. An example of this is the crab character in the book. This was all Robbie's idea and I feel it will really resonate with the children that read the book and will add a different, fun dimension to the story. 

What's next?

I already have three other stories that I've written during lockdown. I just love writing, which is very handy as I have a head full of stories. The thing I am most looking forward to is watching Robbie's drawing style develop over time. My dream is to inspire children to write their own stories because, for me, books are the greatest gift you can give.

Hello Robbie. It's lovely to meet you. How does it feel to be publishing a book with your dad?

It feels good because I'm only 9 and I'm publishing a book. Working with Dad is good because I have known him my whole life and it is great to be working with him instead of some random person who I don't know.

Why is drawing so important to you?

I love drawing because you can be very creative and imaginative with it. I am really happy with the evolution of my drawing because I have gone from drawing stick men and now I can draw someone in a landmark easily. My favourite thing to draw is Spiderman.

Do you plan to work with your dad again in the future? Are there any other authors or illustrators that you would really like to work with?

Yes, I would definitely work with him again because making this book has been really fun and I want to sell enough books to buy an Xbox Series X. I would definitely like to work with Jeff Kinney because I really like his Wimpy Kid books. I'd also love to work with Dav Pilkey because I find his books funny.

Thank you both. Very best of luck with the release of the book! I'm looking  forward to having a read.

Freddie's Impossible Dream is being released on Thursday 17th December. If you want to purchase a copy, you can get hold of it directly from Miss Wright Publishing by using this link.

Bookshop Blurb by Karl Duke

This week's Bookshop Blurb has been written by headteacher and picturebook aficionado, Karl Duke. It's a beautiful piece about a children's bookshop that clearly plays an important role in Karl's life. He's definitely worth a follow on Twitter (@KarlDuke8) as he delivers a steady stream of fantastic book recommendations. Thank you Karl.

The Rabbit Hole

To reach a reading wonderland you really do need to visit The Rabbit Hole in the North Lincolnshire market town of Brigg. Hidden amongst its well-trodden streets, this shop of wonders nestles comfortably, like a Cheshire Cat on a tree branch, amongst the local shops and close to the old market square. And once discovered, its grin can be seen for miles.

Before entering you can feel your heart race, possibly like Alice felt before clambering into the rabbit hole. For any book lover you know that feeling of anticipation: it’s not catching the white rabbit that is your aim, but getting your hands on another quality book. Perhaps the racing heart is prompted by the many temptations that will face you, like a key on a three-legged table, a ‘drink-me’ miniature potion or a small ‘eat me’ cake that tempted Carroll’s heroine.  

As a collector of children’s books those temptations are very hard to resist.

The windows display recent publications, thought provoking imagery linked to historical events or artwork produced by children. Falling further into The Rabbit Hole mirrors Alice’s fall. It is difficult to stop yourself at each shelf, at each display, at each section. Books swim around you, some close by, some out of reach for now, but in the end you land, gather yourself and are drawn to the bookshelves of dark wood cabinets and bookshelves embellished by words and illustrations from every corner of the globe. But, where to go first?

One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree.

“Which road do I take?” she asked.

“Where do you want to go?” was his response.

“I don’t know,” Alice answered.

“Then,” said the cat, “it doesn’t matter.”

Taking the Cheshire cat’s advice, you may start your adventure by drifting left to the picture book section which includes a wide range of books with a moral or message. This positioning is intentional; our proprietors are passionate about providing opportunities for children to learn about past and present struggles, about diversity and people overcoming adversity. There’s always a hidden gem in there – a book which will make adults and children reflect: a perfect assembly or worship book. It is what I call their Reflection Section.

Moving along, there’s a lovely range of books taking us back to our childhood, including board books for our first readers; for many this will be the start of their reading journey. There’s the traditional and the new but all aimed to enthral. The gallery of picture books then continues; it is here you may find modern classics by Shaun Tan, Aaron Becker or Jon Klassen.

Across the floor (about the length of a table suitable for a Mad-Hatter’s Tea party away) is a great selection of chapter books – distinctly lacking in celebrity, for which I give them great credit – and often promoting authors who support schools in the local area. Here, you may find a Tom Palmer, an Onjali Rauf or a Chris Riddell in amongst classic literature (you may even find one called Alice in Wonderland) and chapter books aimed at younger readers.

The Rabbit Hole’s non-fiction section continues to grow and grow, and the quality mirrors what many believe is a golden-age of writing and design in this genre; the temptation here is never less than great. Small independent publishers increasingly have a significant say in this section and the range stretches across an island display often concentrating on historical, geographical and scientific texts.

Climbing a couple of steps, you can get lost in the small but perfectly formed section of books for adults, decorated with framed illustrations from the novel which provides the shop’s inspiration. Amongst many well-known authors, there is a real emphasis on the promotion of local writers and this can be seen in many of the choices available.

Like a white rabbit you may sniff out the ‘once-loved’ room at the back of the shop. Here, you will find gems for children and grown-ups, all reasonably priced with a superb mix of the old, new and sometimes the very new. You almost need to be the size of a shrunken Alice to scramble through a gap under the stairs to find the children’s books, but that, in all honesty, is part of the fun for our young readers. And for this particular adult.

The final hidden surprise for any visitor is for those who love the sound of vinyl and music memorabilia. Take the time to climb the staircase above the ‘once-loved’ and emerge into a cavern of classics. Music is always playing providing the soundtrack to a slow peruse of records from the past.

The proprietor’s Nick and Mel have created a miniature emporium, a place that seems to change your mood as you step from the grey-paved street into its glowing warmth. The warmth not only comes from the design of the shop - the way that the bookshelves surround you and entice you in with their vibrant colour and positioning - but from Nick and Mel themselves. I have been lucky to develop a lovely friendship with them over the last couple of years and now, even when I venture in again for another browse, they greet yes, but allow time to wander and wonder; they know my habits now, they know I will spend time searching for the new or perhaps reconsider an option which I put to the side on a previous visit. I’ve witnessed first-hand their care for young children who are beginning their reading journey and have created reading groups to further engage and excite. I’ve observed their kindness and thought for the older generations who are looking for that particular read which will allow them to sink into the chair and explore.

Everyone is a special guest at their tea party.

A sign of a successful bookshop is one that makes you ‘curiouser and curiouser’ and, unlike the white rabbit who is always in a hurry, you are never in a rush to leave.

For me, that’s The Rabbit Hole.

Website: www.rabbitholebrigg.co.uk

Twitter: @Therabbits21

Bookshop Blurbs by Dr Laura Ovenden

This week's Bookshop Blurbs are from Dr Laura Ovenden, teacher, English lead, reviewer for Just Imagine, OU/UKLA Reading Group leader and Reading for Pleasure advocate. Not only has she talked about her favourite current bookshops, she's also given an insight into the bookshops that were important to her as a child. A huge thank you to Laura for finding the time to put this together. If you'd like to write about your favourite independent children's bookshops, please get in touch.

I love the smell of new and secondhand bookshops and libraries. Growing up, Hendon Library in north London was like walking into a cathedral - a sanctuary from the traffic and bustle of The Burroughs outside.

My favourite secondhand bookshop was the Oxfam bookshop in St Ives and I was probably a bit abrupt on our last visit when I found it had been replaced with a different store, “But I don’t want kitchenware; I want Puffin paperbacks!”

When in London my local independent bookshop was Nomads on the Fulham Rd, which always seemed to welcome families and had a cavernous children’s section at the back with sofas and space for pushchairs. It was an oasis during maternity leave and went up a notch for sleep-deprived parents when a coffee shop opened inside it too. The travel book collection at Nomads was also in a league of its own, making me add to my list of countries to explore.

The Bookcase

In terms of independent bookshops, here in the Calder Valley we have The Bookcase in Hebden Bridge, which represents the pinnacle of resilience. Devastated by the floods we’ve had in recent years they have bounced back. There is a great clip of how the beautiful shop frontage doubles as a floodgate when needed: twitter.com/bbclooknorth/status/1228396992944054272. Although quite a small bookshop, it has a wonderfully curated children’s section. It also organises local author events and I spent a magical evening drinking mulled wine and hearing Horatio Clare talk abut his book The Light in the Dark.

Website: bookcasehebden.wordpress.com

Twitter: @bookcasehebden

The Book Corner

The more recently opened sister shop The Book Corner in Halifax offers even more space and a wider range of books. It occupies a corner of the magnificent Georgian Piece Hall and is light and airy. Its collection of children’s picture books is impressive. I really have to restrain myself when coming here as each table calls to me. Recommendations from staff are also thoughtful and tempting. Having recently watched an online event on Zora Neale Hurston, the owner immediately took me to copies of her work as well as Audre Lorde and others.What I have a tendency to do at all these bookshops is have a good look at the shelves of books that have been preordered by customers. Most of the books I read are recommended by people I know and peeking at the order shelf always whets my appetite for something left of field. Now you don’t get to look at those preorder shelves in large bookstores, do you?

Website: bookcornerhalifax.com

Twitter: @BookCornerHX

Bookshop Blurbs by Stephen Connor

A huge thank you to Stephen Connor, Y5/6 teacher, avid children's book reader and runner, for this week's Bookshop Blurbs. He can be found on Twitter as @StephenConnor7 or blogging about books and reading at inthetwelve.wordpress.com.

Both recommended shops are new to me but definitely sound as if they're worth visiting. They also take online and phone orders.

Five Leaves Bookshop, Nottingham

Five Leaves is buried away in the centre of Nottingham, a quiet oasis amongst the hustle and bustle. The owners have been supporters of the local independent literary scene for years, so it is great to see them standing on their own two feet and offering their expertise directly to the city. The shop (and in its guise as a publishing house) is passionately left-wing and is an advocate for the more marginalised sectors of society. The children’s section reflects this. It is wonderfully diverse, and each visit sees the collection of books sprawl just a little more up the walls and across the floor. The shelves are bursting with colour, with a variety of authors known and less so, and it is clear that the buyers have their finger on the pulse, as picture books from the US sit alongside new titles from UK publishers like Knights Of and Tiny Owl. Every visit is a joy, and leaves me a little poorer, but more than a little richer too.

Website: fiveleavesbookshop.co.uk

Twitter: @FiveLeavesBooks

Sam Read Bookseller, Grasmere

Sam Reads is, for me, the kind of bookshop that is what a bookshop ought to be: tight, wall-to-wall with titles, warm, and welcoming. Perched on the corner of a main intersection in the charming Lakeland village of Grasmere, the first thing to notice is its windows, full to the brim as they are of the most up-to-date titles. It is an ever-changing cast that showcases the treasure that lies within.

At the back of the shop, after a couple of nooks and crannies, is the children’s section, with books somehow balancing between perfect precision and precarious positioning. The titles are practically falling off the shelves, with a good poetry section, rows and rows of fiction, and a wall full of picture books to browse. This is another bookshop that clearly knows its stuff, and always seems to be one step ahead of its customers – which I think is how it should be. I always find what I am looking for, and, tellingly, always come out with something unexpected too. Sam Read's is always a pleasure to visit, but the service they offer online is just as personal. I have made the most of their service over the last few months and am looking forward to getting back soon.

Website: samreadbooks.co.uk

Twitter: @SReadBooks

It would be great to hear about people's favourite children's bookshops across the UK so if you'd like to let us know why your local ones are so special, please get in touch.

Bookshop Blurbs by Rich Charlesworth

Now, more than ever, we need to celebrate and support independent children's bookshops. Rich Charlesworth, teacher, English Lead, children's book aficionado, UKLA regional representative, Empathy Lab judge and all-round inspiration has written about three of his favourites, explaining what they have to offer and why they're important to him. He can usually be found with a tea and a biscuit in one of the bookshops below, or on Twitter at @rcharlesworth.

The Alligator's Mouth Bookshop

The Alligator’s Mouth Bookshop in Richmond, SW London, is a welcoming sanctuary for children’s book fans. The name comes from a quote by Lemony Snicket:“A book is like an alligator's mouth – if you see one open you often end up disappearing inside”. Tony, Margaret and the team are children’s book enthusiasts through and through: they live and breathe books. I’m reminded of the bookseller in Shinsuke Yoshitake’s ‘The iWonder Bookstore’ in their ability to match the right book for the right customer. Full of recommendations which cover the whole gamut of text types (from non-fiction, poetry and picturebooks to graphic novels, Young Adult fiction and beyond), there’s always something to tempt you in.

Website: thealligatorsmouth.co.uk

Twitter: @alligatorsmouth

Round Table Books

Located in the beating heart of Brixton, this is a bookshop that prides itself on reflecting and inspiring the community that it’s based within. Round Table Books unequivocally celebrates underrepresented children’s books, writers and illustrators. The shop was originally set up as a one-week-only pop-up shop to mark publisher ‘Knights Of’ turning one. Thank goodness it decided to stick around! After a successful crowdfunding campaign, the store is here permanently and is the go-to place to pick up texts that showcase the wide range of experiences, emotions and lives of children around the UK and beyond. You may be lucky enough to find some signed copies and even spot a visiting author as Knights Of HQ is within the store.

Website: roundtablebooks.co.uk

Twitter: @BooksRound

Gosh! Comics

However tempting it is to begin this recommendation to visit this bookstore with an ‘OMG‘, I’m going to refrain from doing so. Visiting Gosh! is like someone turned your most frequently perused Comic and Graphic Novel bookshelves and fashioned them into a shop. Split over two floors in trendy Soho, Gosh! really has a huge variety of texts. They cater for every type of visual reader with stylish children’s books, graphic fiction and translated texts, alongside well-established runs / series. With staff recommendations adorning the window displays and tailor-made advice indoors, you can’t help but gush about Gosh!

Website: goshlondon.com

Twitter: @GoshComics

Three fantastic recommendations Rich, thank you so much! Even though the shops aren't currently open for customers to visit, they all offer a home delivery service via their websites so do please consider using them.

It would be great to hear about people's favourite children's bookshops across the UK so if you'd like to let us know why your local ones are so special, please get in touch.

Bookshop Blurbs by Josh Seigal

With it apparent that independent children's bookshops are facing an extremely tough time at the moment, it's vital that we support them as much as we can. Josh Seigal, the poet, performer and educator, has written about two of his favourite stores and explains why they're important to him.

Pickled Pepper Books, Crouch End, London

I started writing poetry for children in around 2010. In 2012, as a complete unknown, I decided that I wanted to perform in front of live audiences. I had heard of Pickled Pepper Books from my friend, fellow poet and Crouch End resident Lewis Buxton. And so it came to pass that, one day, I walked into the shop and asked if I could perform my poems to some of their customers. They took a real punt on me, and said yes. I will be forever grateful for this opportunity, and I feel that it kick started what has since become a career in performance. This is a really lovely bookshop, with a fantastic boutique theatre space attached. Everything about the shop smacks of pure class, and I can highly recommend spending a few hours perusing the shelves.

Website: www.pickledpepperbooks.co.uk

Twitter: @pickledbooks

Children’s Bookshop, Muswell Hill, London

Not far from Crouch End is this similarly fantastic bookshop. They stock an ample range of poetry, which is always a plus, and they are forever obliging and friendly when I go in there and somewhat cheekily ask to sign my books (which they stock - again a plus). They regularly feature visits from Michael Rosen, who lives nearby, and really can be relied upon for all your children’s literature needs.

Website: www.childrensbookshoplondon.com

Twitter: @childrensbkshop

Thank you Josh - they sound wonderful. Both also offer a delivery service which can be accessed via their websites. To find out more about Josh and what he can offer, visit his website or contact him on Twitter at @joshuaseigal. I've been fortunate enough to see him perform his poetry a couple of times and highly recommend booking him for a school visit.

It would be great to hear about favourite children's bookshops all over the UK, so if you'd like to let people know why your local ones are so special, please get in touch.

Bookshop Blurbs by Amy Wilson - a #BookshopDay post

As A Girl Called Owl by Amy Wilson was one of my favourite books of 2017, I was absolutely delighted to hear about the forthcoming release of Owl and the Lost Boy. I'm equally delighted to host a guest post from Amy about Bookshop Day, which takes place on Saturday 3rd October.

Amy Wilson’s favourite bookshops

Oh, a bookshop! Naturally one of my most treasured haunts, just stepping in through the doors is an adventure. I quite often get lost in them, forgetting what I came in for and wandering on until I’m rescued by a bookseller, or one of my children. Here are some of my local favourites:

Books on the Hill, Clevedon: A gorgeous bookshop, really active in the local community. The children’s section is bright and welcoming, and Alistair is a book-loving wizard who always makes time to chat.

Website: https://www.booksonthehill.co.uk  Twitter: @booksonthehill

Chepstow Books: I love this bright, warm bookshop, tucked at the bottom of St Mary Street. Bookseller Matt has supplied books for several of my author events, and always has a warm and friendly welcome – and a lot of knowledge to help a lost reader!

Website: https://chepstowbooks.co.uk  Twitter: @ChepstowBooks

Max Minerva’s, Westbury Park, Bristol: One of the area’s newer independent bookshops, cosy and so helpful. I turned to bookseller Jessica during lockdown when I wasn’t sure what I wanted to read, and having mumbled vaguely about things I liked I very soon had a beautiful pile of previously undiscovered treasures.

Website: https://maxminervas.co.uk  Twitter: @maxminervas

Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights, John Street, Bath: A palace of a book shop, recently expanded and heaving with goodies. There are some lovely twisty book-crammed corridors to explore, and the children’s section has been beautifully designed and decorated. Look out for author’s pens on the ceiling!

Website: https://mrbsemporium.com  Twitter: @MrBsemporium

Waterstones Cribbs Causeway, Bristol: A bustling bookshop, always welcoming. Children’s bookseller Mary is a star, so friendly and on a mission to help young readers find their next adventure.

Website: https://www.waterstones.com/bookshops/cribbs-causeway  Twitter: @WaterstonesCC

Bookshop Day is on Saturday, October 3 and exists to promote all high street bookshops. Do support your local bookseller this week, if you can, and if you’re not planning to visit a shop this weekend why not tweet about your favourite shop. Be sure to tag @Booksaremybag and use #ChooseBookshops.

For anyone who doesn’t know where their local bookshop is, you can use this handy link to the Bookshop Search: https://booksaremybag.com/bookshops.

Amy Wilson

Amy Wilson is the author of several magical middle grade stories, including A Girl Called Owl, published by Macmillan Children’s Books. Her new story, Owl and the Lost Boy, can be enjoyed as a standalone or companion to A Girl Called Owl.

To find out more about Amy and her books, or to book her for a virtual or real-life visit to your school, please go to her website https://amywilsonbooks.com. Amy tweets at @AJ_Wils.

Directory of independent children's booksellers

Many independent children's bookshops and booksellers are currently in a very vulnerable financial position and need sustained customer support if they're going to survive beyond the next few months. This map is in no way fully comprehensive but hopefully it's a useful starting point to help find your local children's bookshop. Any further suggestions for additions to the map would be hugely appreciated, please add them in the comments box below.

If you do end up buying a book as a result of this map and you have a few seconds spare, do let me know by posting a comment - it would be great to know that it's being used.

Dear Deer Class

Dear Deer Class,

So Year Six, your time as a pupil at Moorlands is coming to an end. I normally write a letter to my class at the end of the summer term to reflect back on our year of reading together, but this one feels very strange as our journey was cut short halfway through. I know you'll agree that we’d already been lucky enough to enjoy several wonderful novels, including Floodland, Ella On The Outside and Seven Ghosts, some hilarious short stories by Paul Jennings and loads of incredible picturebooks and poetry. Is there a better book to read during the cold, dark months of November than Seven Ghosts? I honestly can’t think of one. And then, there we were, about four chapters into The Light Jar, when our school suddenly closed for many of you.

There were so many books that we’d already discussed reading together in the second half of the year. I can’t believe I won’t get to read you Boy In The Tower by Polly Ho-Yen. I know you’d absolutely love it, so please, please make the effort to read it in Year 7. It really is outstanding! The books we talked about are still all out there, on the shelves of libraries and bookshops, so read them anyway and then, when I bump into you a few years from now, I'll expect you tell me all about them - and you know I’m not joking!

Even though we don’t get to finish the year as we'd hoped and read everything that we'd planned to, I know that you've all become hugely passionate readers. I know because you’ve showed me every single day.

Because you have the confidence to read books by a wide range of authors. Because you were all desperate for the chance to have your turn organising the Reading Recommendations shelf. Because you understand that reading is far more than books, and that magazines, newspapers, riddles and jokes all count.  Because you ran Poem Of The Day and made sure it happened, even when I forgot. Because you always got excited if a brown parcel was delivered to the classroom, just in case it was books (and yes, it always was). Because I could hear you talking about books and making recommendations on the way to assembly, even though I pretended I couldn't. Because one of you hid our class book when I was away as you didn’t want me to miss out - thank you! Because the first conversation I had with most of you each morning was about what you’d read the previous evening. Because whenever I walked past the library on the way to lunch, I'd see you reading stories to younger children. Because a whole group of you started your own comic that became more and more popular as the year went on. Because you were all happy to end the afternoon with a story, every single day.

In fact, now that I’ve started, let me break it down even further…

Hannah C, you’re a reader because you’ve recommended more books to me this year than I have to you! I love that you’re so passionate about Emma Carroll’s stories and that everyone in the class always listens when you talk about books.

Charlotte, you’re a reader because you stood up in class and shared your Poem Of The Day with everyone. I know how hard it was and I’m so proud of you for doing it.

Seb, you’re a reader because I can confidently state that nobody else in the country has ever made a David Attenborough bookmark! You were the driving force behind our class comic, Baby Fish and Octo Fairy, which eventually ran to about eight issues, and I loved reading it as much as the rest of the class.

     

Harley, you’re a reader because you still talk with excitement about our visit from SF Said. You passionately told people about how good Ghost Stadium by Tom Palmer is and encouraged so many of the class to read it. You also loved the book about the world's best footballers which, for some strange reason, didn't contain any Ipswich players.

Max, you’re a reader because you reminded me virtually every day for about six weeks to get hold of the last two books in the Who Let The Gods Out? series. I’m so glad that they lived up to your expectations.

Tyler, you’re a reader because you read the Mr Wolf’s Class graphic novel series and you loved them. And then you read them again. And then you read them again. And that’s absolutely fine.

Hannah H, you’re a reader because whenever it was time to read What’s That In Dog Years?, you’d be one of the first people to grab a cushion and move to the carpet. I was always impressed with how carefully you selected the books to read to the younger children at lunchtime.

Alfie, you’re a reader because you have the confidence to read what you know you’re going to enjoy and don’t mind if other people disagree with your choices. You're often one of the first to try out new books and you’re open enough to give your honest opinion on them.

Jack, you’re a reader because you know everything there is to know about our class collection of graphic novels. You enjoyed New Kid, Smile, Glitch and many more over the year. Just as impressively, you always seemed to know who else was reading them, how far they’d got and what their opinions were.

I could go on for longer but I won't, as I think I’ve made my point. I have wonderful memories of you all as readers and I want to thank you for being such a passionate and enthusiastic class. You always wanted to broaden your reading, you always wanted to talk about books and you always wanted to share your recommendations.

Anyway, the summer holidays will soon be upon us and we've all got a lot of reading to be getting on with; my pile of unread books seems to have become three piles of unread books over the past few weeks. Have a wonderful summer break and make the most of every single minute at secondary school. Find the library, make friends with the librarian and, most importantly, keep reading.

I’ll miss you all.

Mr Biddle