Rory's Room of Rectangles - blog tour

I'm always delighted to take part in blog tours for books by author Ian Eagleton as he's one of the emotionally engaging children's authors that I know. Everything he writes comes from deep within his heart and Rory's Room of Rectangles (illustrated by Jessica Knight) is no exception. I loved everything about it. It's a book I've already shared with my class and it led to lots of fascinating conversations about different types of families. Phoebe, one of my Year 5 students, was extremely keen to write a review, which can be found below, along with a short interview with Ian.

Phoebe's Review

I really enjoying writing book reviews as I love reading. Rory's Room of Rectangles is all about a boy who misses his dad. His parents have split up and divorced, and his mum has a new partner. When his teacher tells them they're going to be making Father's Day cards, he really looks like he doesn't want to be there. He makes one and then tears it up in a bad mood. When he gets home, he feels left out and starts to worry if his dad is lonely. He goes to an art gallery with his step-dad. All of the different patterns and pictures in the gallery make Rory feel all different mixed emotions: confusion, joy, fear and happiness, as well as many others. But Rory has a surprise to come that makes him think that Father's Day might not be so bad.

Most people would enjoy this book but especially people who have gone through what Rory has. They can relate to it and understand how he feels at different times. I thought the way the pictures are set out and how colourful they are matches really well with the writing. When he draws his Father's Day card when he's really upset, it shows how much anger and emotion he's feeling in the pictures too. In the art gallery, there are lots of different emotions in the different paintings. I thought that was really clever.

I can empathise with how Rory feels because it has been a while since I've seen my dad and I don't see him very much anymore. Although the story sort of has a happy ending, I would say to Rory that he should always stay positive because better things are always coming his way. I really did enjoy it. It shows that even though people don't always have the family they thought they would, everyone is different and they should enjoy the family they have because that's their family. It really doesn't matter who the people in the family are as long as they love each other.

I would give this book 10/10 and when I am a school librarian next year, I will definitely read it to younger children.

Interview with Ian Eagleton

Hi, Ian. I hope you're well. Can you tell us a bit about your new book, Rory's Room of Rectangles?

Rory’s Room of Rectangles is a real celebration of blended families. It’s Father’s Day and Rory is feeling all kinds of BIG feelings. Who should he give his Father’s Day card to? He loves his Dad but Mum also has a new boyfriend called Tony, who’s really special to Rory. Who should he spend the day with? Will Dad be lonely and sad if Rory spends the day with Tony? A trip to a beautiful art gallery helps Rory understand his confusing and conflicting emotions.

Where did you get the inspiration from for this story?

Making cards for Father’s Day was always something I had to navigate carefully and gently as a teacher. There are so many families now that look different to the ‘mum and dad’ set up and it’s something children can become really aware of when they’re making any kind of card in the classroom for their family. I wanted to explore those difficult feelings.

My husband and I had also just adopted our little baby boy and agreed to meet our son’s birth father. It was a really lovely, positive meeting which was also very emotional and difficult. It got me thinking about different families and the different people who might be involved in our son’s life.

I also had a life-changing trip to an art gallery as a teenager – my parents took me – and I remember feeling overwhelmed, excited, and empowered.

Sam at Owlet Press was also another important driving factor in shaping the story. We had originally begun to explore adoption and same-sex family structures in the story but both felt that including a step-dad and step-family would be really important to lots of children.

Having written and published a middle grade novel earlier this year, how did it feel to come back to a picture book text?

Writing Glitter Boy was a fantastic experience. However, it was also physically and emotionally draining and took up the best part of two years. It’s a story about homophobic bullying, which is very close to my heart, and I was EXHAUSTED by the end of the process. In a way, it was lovely to return to writing a picture book – this is where I’m most confident and comfortable. However, picture books provide their own challenges. You have to write in a very concise way and make sure you leave room for the artwork and room for interpretation. You have to get your page-turns right to create a sense of rhythm and readability. However, I always particularly enjoy working on picture books with the team at Owlet Press, so in a way it was like coming home again!

The use of imagery, shape and colour to convey emotions is a really powerful tool. How did you feel when you first saw the illustrations for the book? Did you and Jessica Knight (the illustrator) have similar ideas on what the illustrations would look like?

I never actually spoke to Jessica about her artwork during the process! I learned very early on in my career that I am not an expert when it comes to illustration and it’s best for me to get out of the way and let these amazing professionals work their magic! Sam at Owlet Press and myself did have lots of conversations about what I was imagining in my head when I was writing though and I know Sam fed back all of our ideas to Jessica.

I was pretty blown away to be honest when I saw Jessica’s illustrations. They really are stunning – so warm and full of life! Both Jessica and I are both passionate about seeing different types of bodies in picture books and it was lovely to see so many different characters with different body shapes in the book.

Do you have any favourite artists? Do you like visiting art galleries?

I’m going to answer this with my ‘teacher hat’ on! I’ve done some amazing art projects with children based on the Brazilian artists Romero Britto. His work is full of colour and fun. With one Year 4 class, we once made a huge replica of Tiger in a Tropical Storm by Henri Rousseau, using mixed media. We took over a whole corridor with this jungle-themed display and it was beautiful. As a child, I LOVED all the artwork in the Ladybird books. There were a series of fairy tales and traditional tales and the illustrations were so ornate and atmospheric. I also loved the illustrations by Vilhelm Pedersen in the original version of The Little Mermaid.

I’m also going to include some children’s illustrators I love, because let’s not forget that they are artists too! I love Dapo Adeola’s sleek and modern style, Harry Woodgate’s warm and gentle pictures, Garry Parsons’ humour, Clara Anganuzzi’s use of colour, and Clara Vulliamy’s wit and verve.

In terms of art galleries, when we go away we always try and visit an art gallery. We had a honeymoon in Canada and I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the art galleries there. when I was studying art at GCSE and A-Level, my parents took me to the Tate Modern which was an amazing experience, too.

Tell us five surprising / fun things about yourself.

I’m actually a qualified personal trainer, spin instructor, and yoga teacher too!

I LOVE Mariah Carey – my book Glitter Boy is about a young lad who loves her too. I think everyone knows this about me though!

I used to want to be a merman.

I have a dog called Oscar who is full of life and very mischievous.

My comfort show on TV is Poirot and Marple!

Rory’s Room of Rectangles by Ian Eagleton, illustrated by Jessica Knight, is out now, published by Owlet Press. www.owletpress.com

The Rage of the Sea Witch by Roland Chambers - blog tour

Abandoned for the summer holidays in the Charles Darwin Museum, Billy must restore a stolen walrus ivory necklace to its rightful owner. But how, when it was taken over two thousand years ago? Who or what is Sedna, the terrible sea witch of Inuit legend? And what is a shaman anyway? Billy is about to find out!

It's always exciting to be invited to contribute to a blog tour and I'm thrilled to be the first stop on the tour for The Adventures of Billy Shaman: The Rage of the Sea Witch by Roland Chambers.

When Billy is abandoned by his parents for the summer (yet again), he finds it hard to feel anything stronger than disappointment and annoyance. After all, he's used to it. He finds himself left in a strange house with only Mr and Mrs Cript for company. Well, apart from a 200-year-old talking tortoise brought back from the Galapagos Islands by the scientist and author, Charles Darwin. Billy soon realises that there's a huge amount for him to learn about his new home, which turns out to be full of fascinating historical and scientific exhibits, and finds himself caught up in a fantastic adventure involving time travel, an Inuit sea witch and Pytheas, an ancient Greek explorer.

The myriad of ideas in the story initially bounce around in several seemingly unrelated directions but it all hangs together superbly, building towards a gripping resolution. Billy is an extremely relatable character and one that lots of children will empathise with. His determination to make things right and look for the best in every situation are virtues that everyone can aspire to. Although it's a relatively short book, I love the ambitiously wide scope of the narrative. Billy travels in time and to various locations around the world in ways that somehow make perfect sense, making it easy to suspend disbelief and get swept along in his exciting adventure.

As well as being an entertaining read, The Rage of the Sea Witch raises some important questions about who actually owns different museum exhibits around the world. Do they belong to the museum that they're being displayed in? Or do they belong where they were originally found? It would be a fascinating discussion to have with a class of children as there are so many real-world examples to use.

After finishing the story, I was delighted to read that Billy will return in a follow-up adventure, The War of the Heavenly Horses, when he travels back over 2,000 years to the beginning of Imperial China. If it's anywhere near as engaging as the first story, Billy Shaman will very quickly become a must-read character. Highly recommended for children with an interest in travel and exploration, and an ideal book for lower Key Stage Two.

The Adventures of Billy Shaman: The Rage of the Sea Witch by Roland Chambers is out 13^th April published by Zephyr in paperback, priced £7.99.

Twitter: @RolyChambers | @_ZephyrBooks | @ed_pr

That's Mathematics by Chris Smith and Elina Braslina - blog tour

It's always exciting to find an engaging and interactive children's book about maths, and That's Mathematics, published by Mama Makes Books, is one of the best I've seen for a long time. It's based on the lyrics to That's Mathematics, a song by American musician Tom Lehrer, which can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VZbWJIndlQ.

Counting sheep...when you're trying to sleep,

Being fair...when there's something to share,

Being neat...when you're folding a sheet,

That's mathematics!

 

Each page of the book is linked to a line from the song and is made up of three sections: a short piece of mathematical information about the relevant song lyric, an Explore This challenge and a Try This game or task. Having attempted a couple of the tasks with the pupils in my class, it's clear that they're designed to generate lots of mathematical discussion. Author Chris Smith has pitched the text perfectly for Key Stage Two children, although the book could also be enjoyed by younger children with parental support. Elina Braslina, the illustrator, has contributed some fantastic artwork which really supports the text and helps explain many of the concepts being introduced.

At the back of the book are the answers to the various challenges. There's also a useful section for parents, which provides suggestions about how to get the most from the book, and a glossary explaining the mathematical terms used.

It's the kind of book that children will love reading and talking about with a partner. It could also be used with a whole class, perhaps when introducing new mathematical concepts or looking for a new way to explain an idea. It's fun, it's accessible and it makes children think, the perfect combination for non-fiction texts. Highly recommended.

Frankie's World book review by Phoebe

Being one of the judges involved in selecting the books for the Empathy Lab book list is always a highlight of my year. This year's primary collection is absolutely outstanding and contains some wonderful graphic novels. Choosing one to focus on was extremely hard but, in the end, I went for Frankie's World by Aoife Dooley, simply because so many children in my class have read it and can relate to the characters. I asked one of my pupils, who is an enormous fan of the book and of graphic novels in general, to share her thoughts about it.

Hi, my name is Phoebe. I am in Year 5 in Mr Biddle's Class, and I read Frankie's World by Aoife Dooley. This book is about a girl who is called Frankie. She doesn't process the world the same as most other people and this is because she is autistic. She lives with her sister Abbey, who is six, her Mam and step-dad, Jerry. Also, she has her very best friend, Sam. They don't really have many friends but one thing they do have is each other! Frankie has special routines and habits, she hates her food touching and she doesn't do very well in social situations. Her Mam signed her up for karate (thinking it would be a good idea). It actually turned out it wasn't that bad. Frankie doesn't live with her real dad, she barely even knows him! Frankie was on a mission to find her dad throughout the book. Towards the end of the book she finds her dad and finds out that he's also autistic and also that she has a lot in common with him! One downfall she had was that her dad was the boyfriend of her bully's mum. (Frankie wasn't very happy about this.)                                                     

There were lots of things I loved about this book. One was that the only colours it actually uses are blue, orange, white and black. In the back of the book, it has all different ways to learn about autism and how to support people with autism. There are many ways to be empathetic and how to be a good friend. You can learn a lot about empathy by reading books. If autistic people are going through a tough time and you have some time to spare, let them talk to you and let them tell you how they are feeling. It costs absolutely nothing to be a real friend. A real friend would support you and cheer you on, not someone who would do the opposite. Just like what you would want other people to do for you. I love graphic novels and this is definitely one of my favourites. Not only that but lots of people in my class have read it and they all love it too. I think it is a book that is fun to read but also a book that has an important message about supporting other people.

Personally, I would rate this book a 10/10!! Also, I am looking forward to reading more books by this author and illustrator, Aoife Dooley. She has a lot of talent and that's a fact.

Buy the book here: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/readingforpleasure

Bookshop Blurb by Patrick Carroll

After a short break, it feels as if the time is right for the #BookshopBlurb series to return. This week, teacher Patrick Carroll (@pynchonic) writes about one of his personal favourites, Wonderland Bookshop in Retford (@Wonder_Bookshop). Thank you Patrick!

Wonderland Bookshop in Retford is one that you won’t forget after visiting it. Why? Well, not only do they have a tea party on the ceiling, but the shelves are stacked with a cornucopia of books for children and young people that cover every form of interest and celebrate the creativity of authors. If you want to test that out, then just ask Helen or Dave (the owners) who have a vast knowledge of books – hence their recent award as Independent Bookshop of the Year 2022 for the Midlands. This warm and inclusive environment is one that should definitely be on your list of independent bookshops to visit.

It is for this reason that not only do I go with my family to purchase all manner of books, but why we also used Wonderland to buy books for my school. You see that knowledge from people who have actually read the books and understand how to engage a reader is much more important to us than going via online giants. We wanted a rich variety of texts that the children would relate to and thanks to Wonderland, that’s exactly what we got – as well as a 20% discount. Instead of just having the usual celebrity suspects, we now have a range of texts that offer diversity, enjoyment, challenge and new perspectives.

Alongside that, online giants don’t offer that personal touch of inviting in authors to do book signings or hold special events such as the one that we recently attended. At one end of the shop, the wonderful Hannah Gold was talking about her award-winning bestseller The Last Bear as well as her latest marvel The Lost Whale. Meanwhile, the equally fantastic Lydia Monks was in another area reading from her latest treasure Adoette, as well as teaching an engaged audience how to draw different animals. This is special, this is unique, this is what makes Wonderland Bookshop. 

International Boyface Day, Thursday 1st December

What is International Boyface Day? by James Campbell

The Boyface books seem to have a peculiar appeal to all sorts of children. When I wrote them, I tried to do so without including anything topical or specific to any particular era. My hope was that they could be read forever. I also tried to make sure that the themes in them are eternal. These themes are family, loyalty, friendship and the continual journey of a young person learning how to deal with the world and themselves. Boyface is very innocent but learns all sorts of things about the world as he progresses through his journey as a stripemonger.

The plan with International Boyface Day is that schools will be able to access some great online workshops with me and Mark Weighton. Mark specialises in showing children how to draw in ways they probably haven't encountered before. He treats every child as an artist. In my workshops I start from a similar assumption. That everyone can create stories. I use the Boyface books to show how I turned ideas into books and then encourage the children to do something similar.

My hope is that this day will grow each year until we are able to add all sorts of things to the day. Quantum Physics. Zoology. Disgusting Pancake Making. Etc.

Schools can register interest in International Boyface Day via https://www.boyface.org/sign-up.

The Woodcutter and the Snow Prince by Ian Eagleton - blog tour

It was a pleasure to be asked to join the blog tour for Ian Eagleton's latest book and I accepted the offer immediately. I'm a huge fan of his previous work, both as a writer and as an educator, and my admiration grew even further after reading The Woodcutter and the Snow Prince. It's genuinely beautiful; a modern, inclusive, festive fairy tale overflowing with empathy. It's a book full of love and a book that needs to be celebrated. Over the past week I've shared it with three different classes, from Year One to Year Five, and they've all adored it.

Oh, and Davide Ortu's artwork...what can I say? I knew that Ian would find it a challenge when I asked him to write about his favourite illustration because they're all so wonderful, and so I think it's only fair that he's bent the rules and written about four. Enjoy!

Silent Woods and Mirror-Like Lakes: My Favourite Illustration

by Ian Eagleton

Now, before I begin, I have to tell you that picking one favourite illustration from The Woodcutter and the Snow Prince has been very, very difficult!

I could have chosen the endpapers, which I adore. I love seeing maps in picture books and Davide Ortu’s ones are magical! Don’t you just want to explore this strange, wintry kingdom!

I could have chosen the four illustrations where Kai, the lonely woodcutter, is sat at home waiting for his Snow Prince. Davide has imbued Kai with such sadness and confusion that my heart breaks for him. The framing of each of these illustrations is interesting too. In the final illustration, when Kai eventually decides to go and find his prince, it’s almost like he has broken out of his confines and is about to march across the page. Very clever stuff!

I might have even chosen the moment when Kai rushes through the melting, cracking ice palace as daggers of ice shower down upon him. I love the drama and peril in this illustration and that we are looking down upon Kai as he staggers up the creaking staircase.

Certainly, Davide’s artwork is so ornate and beautiful that everyone I’ve spoken to seems to have a different favourite illustration! My dad says his favourite is when the Snow Prince and Kai are watching the Northern Lights and my husband’s favourite is the final double page spread as it’s full of such warmth and joy.

Ultimately though, I’ve been asked to choose one illustration and I’ve chosen this.

There’s actually very little text on the page but I knew this was a moment in the story for me, as the writer, to get out of the way and let Davide’s stunning artwork do the heavy lifting.

It’s from the beginning of the story when the Snow Prince whisks Kai away on his first journey. I loved The Chronicles of Narnia as a child so I am over the moon that the Snow Prince has a chariot made of ice which is also pulled by majestic snow bears.

If you look closely, you can see Kai’s face is full of wonder as they fly over ‘silent woods and mirror-like lakes’ and your eye is taken on its own journey around the page with the swooping swishes of shimmering blues and deep, rich purples. It feels like they’re going to zoom past us any minute now and there’s a real speed and movement to the illustration. There are so many intricate details too, like the patterns of the foliage in the enchanted woods and the delicate snowflakes falling.

I’m sure if you ask me tomorrow, I’ll choose another illustration as my favourite. That’s the beauty of a picture book like this – there are so many hidden details and themes and I never get tired of poring over Davide’s cinematic, enchanting artwork.

Perhaps you could curl up by the fire with a hot chocolate and just spend some time enjoying the artwork in The Woodcutter and the Snow Prince! I’d love to hear which illustration you like the most, on the understanding, of course, that it might just change.

The Woodcutter and The Snow Prince by Ian Eagleton, illustrated by Davide Ortu, is published by Owlet Press. Out now, £7.99 paperback. www.owletpress.com