Dartmouth

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I had a lovely morning in Dartmouth Library on Thursday. I then went on and had a lovely afternoon in Kingsbridge, wher I didn’t have time to take pictures, but thanks to Wendy for arranging everything.

The Castle hotel was having a bit of afire, so the centre was in a bit of a state of fire enginness. Here are some pics from the morning – Really liked the tower of profiteroles in the cake shop window!

Ysgol Y Foryd

When last I visited Ysgol Y Foryd, I think it was still called Towyn Infant School. They still have the drawing and pictures that I did up on the walls – it’s always interesting to see them! I left behind a couple of big books last time. The Libraries recued them for me and I was finally reunited with them yesterday – and very pleased to be too – I only ever had one copy of Slug Makes a House, and it’s such fun to read in the big edition.

It’s unusual to meet a male Early Years teacher, and Mark Patterson made an impression on me last time I visited. He has a wonderful way with the children. I watched him work the electronic white board, flipping from a photo of me drawing to a drawing program, he got a child out to draw on the screen as I’d shown them how to do. Instant electronic recording and teaching – just what the electronic whiteboard does really well.

You can see the pictures at their website here.

Thanks a lot for a great day everyone, especially ElenHaf Jones, from Conway Libraries, who sorted everything out and “minded” for the trip! Remember to get town to the Library, borrow all my books and make Elen happy!

Ysgol Maes Owen

I visited Ysgol Maes Owen today in Towyn, on the North Wales coast, a trip that had been organised by Conwy Libraries. All the children had lots of questions and some had researched my website so well, they knew more about me than I did!

I did lots of drawing with the children. It’s always amazing how, if they follow the instructions, they all draw the same picture but each one is different, reflecting the style and personality of each child. The ones that were reluctant all did really good drawings too.

Thanks for a great day everyone.

Hamworthy Library Opening – Poole, Dorset

Last time I visited Hamworthy Library it was squatting in the old school gym. and having to move the bookcases every night for the Judo Club, while the new one was being built.

Yesterday was the official opening of the new library and I’d been asked to come and read some stories. When I arrived, the place was crammed and buzzing. I’m sure the organisers were thrilled with the response. Wallace and Grommit were keeping everybody happy.

It was very noisy! I was between the facepainting and the bookmark making stands. Being lunchtime. my audience kept wandering off but quite a few returned too! We did some lovely Ricky Rocket drawings, and then I was interviewed by Maree Perkins, a journalism student who was filming and taking note of everything. She seemed very passionate about Journalism and we had a short chat about where it’s all going online. She’s very keen on preserving free online access to newspapers but, sadly, like everyone else, she had no idea how she was supposed to be paid for it! You can read her blog post about the day here.

Thanks everyone for an amazing opening day and good luck for the future.

World Book Day

Dartmoor – charred remains

Moorland fire on dartmoor

Dartmoor stone walling

Dartmoor stone walling

Dartmoor old and even older bridges

Dartmoor old bridge

Dartmoor rocky outcrop

Dartmoor moorland fire

Dartmoor ponies

Dartmoor prison seen from the school hall!

Princetown school sign

Starlings in Poole

I spent the morning in Tavistock Library being Viking Vik for Whitchurch and St Peter’s School. I’ve visited the library a few times now and always have a good time there.
We had a lot of fun being vikings, telling Vikig Vik stories and teaching the children a few words of Norwegian – “hi” alway goes down well!

After lunch, Library Manager, Jude Jeal, who had organised my visit and I drove up to the high moorland of Dartmoor to Princetown school. The school is at the other end of the village to the prison which dominates the scenery for quite a distance.

The school has the most beautiful hand-painted and gilded sign. so nice to see real signwriting for a change. We had a load of fun but my outfit was criticised because I wa sswearing glasses – not historically correct – It was suggested I should have gone to Viking Specsavers!

Thanks everyone for a Vikingtastic day! I headed off across Dartmoor on my way to Poole in Dorset. It was a beautiful journey, bright and clear. I’ve not been acrosss south dorset before. It’s very beautiful.

Starlings in Poole

As I came into Poole I was held up at the traffic lights. I saw everyone else looking o9ut of their windows at a flock of starlings wheeling around above us. My camera was on the seat next to me and I took this shot as they flew past and before the lights turned green.

Ivybridge Library

Yesterday afternoon I began my South Devon Viking Vik Spectacular! Stowford School came in and Librarian Helen Cooper and her gang at the library were ready in their Viking outfits. Even the Ivybridge Library rhino mascot was dressed up. My wife and daughter were up late the night before helping me get the outfit finished. The cats had got my helmet and ripped the mapie wings off so I had to make a new hat. We had a load of fun and the children were last seen walking down the road shouting viking chants of, “Wo ho ah!”

The Viking Belt Buckle

My Viking Belt Buckle

Okay, I realised that you’d like to see my Viking Belt Buckle. It’s made out of aluminium armature wire that sculptors use, and the snakes’ heads are made out of the ever-wonderful Milliput If you don’t know about Milliput, I’d say it was almost more useful that Duct Tape. I use it all the time to fix and make all sorts of things and no, I’m not on commission.

March is Book Month

Never mind World Book Day on Thursday, this seems to be World Book Month. I’m Visiting 12 Schools and three libraries this month! I’m hardly going to be home. I’m looking forward to visiting The Sir James Henderson School in Milan, later in the month.

At least I hope I will be visiting. I had everything set up to fly EasyJet from Bristol, but they cancelled one of the flights, so I had to arrange to go BA from Heathrow. But The BA cabin crews may well go on strike! I suppose I could go the long way, via Eurostar, But I need to be back in time for visits back home.

Meantime, I’m desperately getting my Viking Costume finished for World Book Day, which I’ll be spending in Tavistock Library and Princeton Library on Dartmoor. I’ve made my Viking belt buckle and I hope my daughter is quilting my tunic as I write.

They don’t tell you about this stuff in Wannabeanauthor school.

Bling My Coach

Please vote for the Pink Car Rally coach to win the bling my coach competition by voting for them here
The Pink Car Rally is in aid of a fledgling children’s charity, called the Little Princess Trust, which provides children who have lost their hair (primarily through cancer treatments) with ‘real hair’ wigs. If we win this competition, we can take 49 pink passengers on the coach and if each one raised an average of £50 Sponsorship, we could raise in the region of £2500 for the charity!! How fantastic would that be? It means that the charity could provide wigs for 8 more children!! We NEED to win!! Please help us…..

Please look at the short film, which is introduced by Gail Porter, on the Little Princess Trust’s website (www.littleprincesses.org.uk) It tells the story of how the charity helped Melissa….

Hadley Learning Centre – Telford

I had a wonderful day yesterday, at the Hadley Learning Centre in Telford. It is an extraordinary Cathedral of Learning, comprising both Secondary and Primary Schools with Nurseries, Children’s Centre, Library, and Arts and Leisure centre, all built in a huge, circular donut of a building.

The Library is fab, with a huge wall of glass facing the inner circle. I was looked after by a fantastcalyy enthusiastic team who had been working hard to promote the day, which was part of The Big Draw. It was such a busy day, I forgot to take photos.

I gave a couple of talks. One about Viking Vik and the other about Monster Boy. After reading a story I showed how to draw the characters. I was particularly pleased that so many of the adults joined in and had a go too. I got to talk to all sorts of people about drawing. Some brought artwork in to show me too.

There were lots of other things going on, lots of sticking and glueing. The Dance studio was converted into a forest full of furious activity where wild creatures were drawn and created to populate the woodland scene. Great fun.

A wonderful success – due, as ever, to brilliant organisation and enthusiasm from the Telford Library Crew. Many thanks to you all.