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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
