It’s now autumn and my summer was spent with family, writing and some book events in schools and libraries (from Truro to South London). In spring (as you can read further down), I was looking forward to visiting Shropshire for their Teenage Book Award. The long journey north was made wonderfully worthwhile by meeting dedicated librarians as well as students and ’sister’ authors Liz Laird and Sita… Continue reading
In April, I spent many hours reading entries for Tower Hamlets School Library Service Creative Writing competition. The theme was ’We need to make some changes around here’. Three months later, I have enjoyed meeting the writers behind the prize-winning stories and poems. It was lovely seeing so many proud family members too at the event,… Continue reading
My winter hibernation ended with visiting a couple of primary schools for the Tower Hamlets’ Library Service creative writing competition This is My Dream. With the help of Authors Aloud UK, a number of writers have offered workshops in Tower Hamlets as part of a project that explores human rights and that also involves young… Continue reading
For my e-interview with the Letterpress Project, click here. This year’s World Book Day got me out of my ’writing hole’ to meet young people in Caterham, Farnborough, Cobham (all south of London) and in Birmingham. It was such a pleasure sensing their enthusiasm and openness to entering the new worlds that books can offer.… Continue reading
In January, I began (in earnest) to sort through 40 years of papers for archiving. For a glimpse of the personal challenge, read ’Parting from papers’ on my blog. The picture below shows Sarah Lawrance and Kris McKie from Seven Stories in Newcastle as they begin to pack up my files on 12 February. 18 March 2015… Continue reading
In April, Rhodes University in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, honours Neil Aggett’s memory and legacy with the launch of its Neil Aggett Labour Studies Unit (NALSU) in the Institute of Social and Economic Research, along with the first Annual Neil Aggett Lecture and a Colloquium. The three days bring together labour and social justice activists who… Continue reading
Friday 5 April, 5.30pm. La librairie Book in Bar Aix-en-Provence. I also look forward to meeting students of English at Lycée Val de Durance in Pertuis and at Collège Mignet in Aix. Tuesday 23 April, 6pm. World Book Night at Canada Water Library, London. Hosted by BookAid International. Conversations about the love of reading with four very… Continue reading
The book that has occupied most of my time over the last five years will be published in October in South Africa by Jonathan Ball. Death of an Idealist: In search of Neil Aggett is the story behind the only white detainee to die in custody of apartheid’s security police. Thirty years ago, the death… Continue reading
My retelling of Aesop’s Fables with delightful illustrations by Piet Grobler (another South African – and illustrator of The Great Tug of War) is published by Frances Lincoln on 3 March. A number of co-editions (including Danish, Swedish, Dutch and Brazilian) are lined up and, to my great pleasure, my first South African editions, including my first translation… Continue reading
At the end of last year, I joined the End Child Detention Now campaign. Nearly 70 children’s authors and illustrators signed a letter of protest calling on the government to stop keeping child asylum-seekers in prison conditions. Karin Littlewood (who illustrated Baba’s Gift) and I visited Yarl’s Wood Detention Centre for a storytelling session with… Continue reading
