tag:www.ncbf.co.uk,2008://1 2008-07-04T17:03:13Z Movable Type 3.35 tag:www.ncbf.co.uk,2008://1.208 2008-07-04T16:54:21Z 2008-07-04T17:03:13Z

This summer, children from all over North Tyneside are being challenged to read and get active by joining Team Read at their local library. Team Read is North Tyneside Libraries 10th annual Summer Reading Challenge and all children are...

Gaye Jamieson This summer, children from all over North Tyneside are being challenged to read and get active by joining Team Read at their local library. Team Read is North Tyneside Libraries 10th annual Summer Reading Challenge and all children are invited to take part. The Summer Reading Challenge organised by the Reading Agency, is encouraging children to make the most of the long summer break by reading and keeping active by paying a visit to their local library. ]]> This year the challenge has a sports theme, linking into the Beijing Olympics and the start of the 2008 - 2009 football season.Throughout the summer there's over a 100 free events in libraries, community centres and parks across the borough. The challenge kicks off with the Opening Ceremony at Tynemouth Priory on Tuesday 22 July - a fun day of sporting activities for children. Also watch out for Team Read Tuesdays, family fun days at the John Willie Sams Centre in Dudley, Churchill Playing Fields in Whitley Bay and Richardson Dees Park in Wallsend. Ask at your local library for a details of all events. You don't have to be a sports fanatic to take part in the Team Read, its all about the joy of reading and completing the challenge with achievable targets along the way. For more information about our events contact Wallend Library on 0191 200 6968 tag:www.ncbf.co.uk,2008://1.203 2008-06-29T08:22:22Z 2008-06-29T08:34:12Z

Watch this space for ongoing news on an exciting Anglo-French reading project involving schools in South Tyneside, North Tyneside and Epinay in France. Authors Rob Lewis and Korky Paul will work with the children in our local schools and will...

Watch this space for ongoing news on an exciting Anglo-French reading project involving schools in South Tyneside, North Tyneside and Epinay in France. Authors Rob Lewis and Korky Paul will work with the children in our local schools and will then visit schools in Epinay. The work will be mirrored by counterparts in France. Expect some interesting multi-media outcomes from this work. Children from North and South Tyneside schools will be visiting Gateshead CLC to create audio/video/animation content to contribute to the forthcoming project website: www.tyne2seine.org tag:www.ncbf.co.uk,2008://1.202 2008-06-28T17:06:35Z 2008-06-28T17:20:16Z

Appearing: Hartlepool (19th), Northumberland (20th) Author Website www.catweatherill.co.uk/ Publisher Puffin: www.puffin.co.uk Cat is a storyteller and writer. She was born and raised in Liverpool, where her grandmother saw an angel, her uncle fell off the Liver Building and her...

Appearing: Hartlepool (19th), Northumberland (20th) Author Website www.catweatherill.co.uk/ Publisher Puffin: www.puffin.co.uk Cat is a storyteller and writer. She was born and raised in Liverpool, where her grandmother saw an angel, her uncle fell off the Liver Building and her grandfather donated his shirt buttons to Beatles’ fans. Now she lives in Wales, a land of mist and magic. After school, Cat studied Drama at Hull University. She worked as an actor and singer then became a professional storyteller in 1998. Cat uses all the skills she has learned over the years in her storytelling. She’s a strong physical performer, graceful one moment, grotesque the next! She can be fast and funny, or bewitchingly still. Sometimes she sings. Sometimes she uses rhyme or rhythm. For Cat, telling a story means taking a listener on a journey. The road may twist and turn… it may grow dark and dangerous (Cat tells scary ghost stories!) … but then, unexpectedly, there’ll be a shimmer of light… the shadows will melt away… and you’ll find something wondrous. And whatever it is, it won’t be boring… Cat performs at storytelling and literature festivals both in the UK and abroad. She has enjoyed many sell-out shows at The Guardian Hay Festival, and appeared at the Barbican in London. Her international work includes the prestigious Festival d’Automne in Paris and Graz Tales in Austria. She also performs in arts centres, theatres, schools, museums, castles, woods and libraries, and in village venues under the National Rural Touring Scheme. On television, Cat has been a guest presenter on Carlton Television’s Heart of the Country, and on radio she has performed live for two million listeners on Radio 4’s Front Row. She has also appeared on The Verb (Radio 3) Go 4 It (Radio 4) and The Big Toe Show (Radio 7) Recommended Reads

	Wild Magic Puffin 9780141321141 Dark, magical and exciting, Cat Weatherill's new fantasy takes the legend of the Pied Piper and gives it an unexpected twist. Mari and her brother Jakob have followed the enchanted music and are now trapped in a world of wild magic. A world as cruel as it is beautiful. And all the time, they are being stalked by a fearsome Beast, who needs one of the children to break a centuries-old curse. But the price of breaking the curse is a terrible one ...A spellbinding and wild adventure, full of unexpected magic and danger.
	Snowbone Puffin 9780141318738 Flying ships and slavers, jungles and volcanoes! This is an epic and magical adventure story for children of 9+. Snowbone is the natural leader of a band of children on Ashenpeake Island and, when slavers threaten their world, she takes them on an incredible journey through jungles and volcanoes, marching across countries and flying over oceans. Desperate enemies and strange friends await them. Snowbone will keep them safe. The wild magic of Ashenpeake will protect them. But there will be a price to pay.
	Barkbelly Puffin 9780141318745 A fantastic epic and magical adventure story set in a beautifully realised world that's almost but not quite like our own. Barkbelly is a wooden boy, brought up by loving human parents, whose life falls apart when he accidentally kills one of his playmates and has to go on the run. His journey turns into a quest for his real home and his real mother, and takes in along the way the circus, fierce pirates and mysterious giant hedgehogs. Full of poetry, magic, and dark twists of fate, Barkbelly discovers what can happen when your dreams come true, but not in the way you expect.

]]> tag:www.ncbf.co.uk,2008://1.201 2008-06-28T16:20:14Z 2008-06-28T17:02:29Z

Appearing Hartlepool (12th), Gateshead (13th) Author Website www.nickward-illustration.co.uk Publisher Random House Nick Ward is the creator of several hugely popular picture books for chilldren. Don't Eat the Teacher!, published by Scholastic, has sold more than 700,000 copies worldwide and...

Appearing Hartlepool (12th), Gateshead (13th) Author Website www.nickward-illustration.co.uk Publisher Random House Nick Ward is the creator of several hugely popular picture books for chilldren. Don't Eat the Teacher!, published by Scholastic, has sold more than 700,000 copies worldwide and has been translated into numerous languages. Nick is also the writer and illustrator of the action-packed Charlie Small series. Nick lives and works in the country and his studio is an old Victorian school.
Recommended Reads

	Don't Eat the Teacher Scholastic 978-1407105987 It's Sammy the shark's first day at school and he's very excited. But when Sammy gets excited, he goes CRUNCH! Sometimes he nibbles his paintings, or chomps on the class story book, but when Sammy's excitement gets the better of him, the teacher is in for a big surprise!
	Don't Eat the Babysitter Picture Corgi 978-0552551151 A bright, funny, underwater adventure featuring a very hungry shark! Sophie and Sammy Shark's favourite babysitter, Anna, is coming tonight. But Sammy, like all young sharks, likes to eat things, and chaos ensues.
	A Rumpus in The Night Idea & Design Works 978-1600103032 Jamie wakes suddenly from a very scary monster dream to find a little monster has come back from his dream and into his bedroom! "A Rumpus in the Night" is an adorably, naughty night-time tale. Worthwhile Books, a division of IDW Publishing, is proud to present this new creation from the magical pen of Nick Ward.

]]> tag:www.ncbf.co.uk,2008://1.200 2008-06-28T14:29:10Z 2008-06-28T15:56:10Z

Appearing Middlesbrough (18th), South Tyneside (19th), Gateshead (20th) Author Website to be confirmed Publisher Lion Hudson CORAL RUMBLE has worked as a poet and performer for many years, and now specializes in writing and performing for children. She has...

Appearing Middlesbrough (18th), South Tyneside (19th), Gateshead (20th) Author Website to be confirmed Publisher Lion Hudson CORAL RUMBLE has worked as a poet and performer for many years, and now specializes in writing and performing for children. She has been published by Oxford University Press, Scholastic, Collins, Macmillan, Heinemann and Hodder, and is now considered to be one of the country's leading children's poets. Coral works widely in schools, from day visits to residency work, and feels 'at home' as she used to be a teacher herself. Coral often performs and gives workshops at arts centres, bookshops, libraries, theatres and festivals, and has recently been involved in a tour of Waterstones and Borders bookshops around the South East. Coral's collection of poetry from Lion Children's Books, Breaking the Rules, is a fun-filled anthology of poems that break the rules in more ways than one; from the consequences of breaking rules and conventions to breaking the rules of poetry itself. Coral's second collection for Lion is My Teacher's As Wild as a Bison: Poems about the Great Outdoors. In both these anthologies, Coral has used all her experience gained in teaching to create collections that are not only fun, but educational - books that will be welcomed by teachers as they look for interesting ways to fulfil the national curriculum.

My Teacher's as Wild as a Bison Lion Hudson 978-0745949543 Children will enjoy reading poems about many of the typical adventures and mishaps that occur when they go outside. There will be poems featuring school camps, family picnics and church outings, with related themes of animals, nature and weather, awe and wonder. As in her previous collection, Breaking the Rules, Coral writes with insight and humour, using a variety of different verse forms, enhancing both the book's visual and educational appeal. 'Rumble has a dash and delight about her work.' Michael Rosen

Breaking The Rules Lion Hudson 978-0745948577 Teachers should welcome this collection from Coral Rumble which includes both fun and challenging poems with many that break the rules of conventional layouts.

]]> tag:www.ncbf.co.uk,2008://1.199 2008-06-28T13:38:59Z 2008-06-28T13:51:27Z

Appearing Northumberland (19th), North Tyneside (20th), Gateshead (21st) Author Website www.barbaramitchelhill.com/ Publisher Andersen Press I was born in a town called Rochdale which is in Lancashire. There was just me, my older brother, Roger and Mum. My dad had...

Appearing Northumberland (19th), North Tyneside (20th), Gateshead (21st) Author Website www.barbaramitchelhill.com/ Publisher Andersen Press I was born in a town called Rochdale which is in Lancashire. There was just me, my older brother, Roger and Mum. My dad had died when I was a baby so Mum had to work very hard to look after the three of us. We lived in a street just like Coronation Street and we didn't have much money. On the opposite side of the street was a great big cotton mill which made our house very dark. We had to keep the light on all day. I went to Derby Street School when I was three. Once I'd learned to read and write, I loved writing stories, turning them into books and illustrating them with my drawings. I also liked dressing up and acting out the stories with my friends. I stayed at Derby Street School until I was eleven when I went to Rochdale Grammar School. Then I turned into a very lazy teenager. I didn't much like lessons because I wanted to leave school and become an actress - but Mum wasn't happy about that. So I stayed on and went to college (now Warwick University) and became a teacher. I was happy teaching because I liked children very much - except the really naughty ones, of course! After I got married and had two daughters called Susie and Sally, I began to write stories. Every morning, I would teach in a school at Bridgtown in Cannock and every afternoon, I would write stories before the girls came home from school. But I became busier and busier as a writer and so I decided that I would have to give up teaching. Even though I don't teach any more, I'm lucky enough to meet lots of children. My writing has taken me all over the UK to schools, libraries and book festivals. I've also visited schools in the Caribbean, Germany, Malta and Singapore where the children might look different - but I find they are just like children at home. Now my daughters are grown up and they have children of their own - Louise, Lucy, Max and Tom. I love to read stories to them. I'm lucky enough to live in a village in Staffordshire in a large sunny house with a big garden - nothing like the tiny, dark house where I was brought up. I have a dog called Ella (a border terrier) and enjoy taking her for walks over the fields. It's a great way to think up stories. When I'm not writing, I like to read or go to the theatre or listen to music or dig in the garden or see friends and family. There just never seems to be enough time to do everything I want to do!
Recommended Reads

	Dog Snatchers - Damian Drooth Andersen Press 978-1842706497 When a neighbour's dog goes missing, Damian and his gang of detective apprentices are called in to help find it. First they try posters - but for some reason the newsagent is not happy that they have super-glued their hand-drawn posters to his window. Then they try a decoy. And when that doesn't work, they resort to 'rescuing' dogs that have been left on the street, and taking them back to Damian's shed. As angry dog owners bear down on them, very luckily the original missing dog turns up!
	Serious Graffiti Andersen Press 978-1842706503 Damian Drooth is electrified to hear the Headmaster tell everyone off about graffiti in one of the school toilets. He immediately wants to bring all his powers of detection to bear to find the perpetrator - with his class of willing detective apprentices. What with sorting out a handwriting test, and looking for matching paint, he needs all the help he can get! But even Damian isn't expecting to be accused of the crime himself! Can this phenomenally lucky and outrageously successful investigator extricate himself, and still catch the criminal? Of course he can!
	Storm Runners Andersen Press 978-1842706404 Two girls find themselves alone on a remote Scottish island - with a laboratory of evil scientists who are prepared to play havoc with the weather to gain control. They must escape from the island, and get the evidence back to Edinburgh, before the scientists become unstoppable. It is a mad race across Scotland closely pursued by these villainous scientists.

]]> tag:www.ncbf.co.uk,2008://1.198 2008-06-28T13:16:34Z 2008-06-28T13:29:56Z

Appearing: South Tyneside (12th), Newcastle (13th), Northumberland (14th), Gala Day Author Website www.lizmillion.com Publisher Liz is the youngest of three children and was brought up in a very happy home in Darlington. After getting a distinction in her Art...

Appearing: South Tyneside (12th), Newcastle (13th), Northumberland (14th), Gala Day Author Website www.lizmillion.com Publisher Liz is the youngest of three children and was brought up in a very happy home in Darlington. After getting a distinction in her Art foundation course in Art and Design she moved to Kingston upon Thames, Surrey to do a BA in Illustration. After her degree she moved to Brighton and lived by the sea, which is where she got her first break with Walker Books. After four years away Liz move into a flat with her sister in Darlington and completed six books in two and a half years of being freelance. She also does workshops in schools and works as an A' Level supply teacher. Hobbies and Interests Drawing, animals, cycling, drinking the odd pint or six, arm wrestling, dancing to 70's disco tunes, talking, falling over, laughing at people falling over and annoying everyone with my loud voice. Good Points Friendly, funny, confident, honest, caring, outspoken, reliable, smiley, good at impressions and silly voices, loyal, ambitious and likeable. Oh and modest. Did I mention good looking? Ha ha. Bad Points Loud, brash, insensitive on occasion, grumpy on a morning, slightly controlling, bad at sums, critical, never listens to important information and believe that I am always right. Favourite things in life Philip, jelly sweets, being my own boss, inventing characters for books, my grandparents, music, walking round the river with my brothers' brown Labrador, Maggie. Lying in, hammer horror films, tropical fish, strong tea and sunny weather. Vice Watching too much telly when drawing at home and picking up irrelevant information from it, not exercising enough, looking in the mirror too much and being nosy. Favourite Smells Freesias, baby bubble bath, my pillow, cut wood, bonfires, marzipan, coffee shops and strawberry milkshakes. Favourite Foods: Cheese, rare steaks, chicken, chips, bacon frazzles and curries. I love puddings. Ambition To be happy and healthy and to keep making people smile. To keep children interested in art as a career. For my books to be on every kids bookshelf. To host my own art programme on telly like Tony Hart! Favourite Colour Far too many gorgeous colours to choose from, perhaps a bright orangey-red or an inky navy blue. Most Embarrassing Moment Far too many to mention! I am so clumsy. I'm constantly bumping into things, dropping china, smashing cups, tripping over dogs and kids. Always putting my foot in it especially by talking loudly about a person who is right behind me listening! What would you have done if you weren't an illustrator? Probably been a kids T.V. presenter, a loud holiday rep or an animal mad zoo keeper. Recommended Reads

	Little Red Riding Hood Walker Books 978-1406316797 Little Red Riding Hood is going to see her gran. But Big Bad Greedy Wolf will catch her if he can! This title helps to read the rhymes and flip the flaps for a fun-packed retelling of a fairy tale.
<	Goldilocks and the Three Bears Walker Books 978-1406316735 One day as Goldilocks explores, she snoops around and sees, a house that's almost hidden by the bushes and the trees.
	Noisy Neighbours Kingfisher 978-0753415535 "Noisy Neighbours": George likes peace and quiet, but his neighbour Harriet rides a noisy motorbike and Louis plays the trumpet. They work out a rota for noisy and quiet days. "Just in Time": George completes a crossword with a bit of help from his friends, and then Harriet rushes him to the newspaper office on her motorbike so he can enter the crossword competition. The "I Am Reading" series provides just the right balance of challenge and support for newly independent readers. Large, easy-to-read type, satisfying stories by top writers and cheerful full-colour pictures help children make the transition from picture books to chapter books. Each book includes a bookmark flap, tips for beginner readers and either short, numbered chapters or two short stories.

]]> tag:www.ncbf.co.uk,2008://1.197 2008-06-28T07:36:10Z 2008-06-28T07:40:03Z

[photo: Sue Ratcliffe] Appearing: South Tyneside (10th) Author Website www.livimichael.com Publisher Puffin: www.puffin.co.uk Livi Michael’s first children’s book, FRANK AND THE BLACK HAMSTER OF NARKIZ, was published in 2002. It’s funny, fantastical and a must for all hamster-lovers. Most...

[photo: Sue Ratcliffe] Appearing: South Tyneside (10th) Author Website www.livimichael.com Publisher Puffin: www.puffin.co.uk Livi Michael’s first children’s book, FRANK AND THE BLACK HAMSTER OF NARKIZ, was published in 2002. It’s funny, fantastical and a must for all hamster-lovers. Most hamsters are tame, gentle and seemingly happy to be left alone; Frank is different – he’s a hamster with a mission and his motto is ‘Courage!’ Frank’s adventures continue in Livi’s second book, FRANK AND THE CHAMBER OF FEAR. The Basics Born: March 15th 1960 Jobs: University lecturer, Writer of books for adults Lives: Diggle, Saddleworth First children’s book: FRANK AND THE BLACK HAMSTER OF NARKIZ The Books Livi Michael has written four books for adults and began to write for children in 2000 when she wanted to amuse her seven-year-old son over the summer holidays. She started writing when she was seven years old and never stopped! If she hadn’t been a writer Livi thinks she would have been “a very sad person or, alternatively, an Arctic explorer�?. The FRANK titles are special for their humour and originality and appeal hugely to readers of fantasy fiction as well as to animal-lovers. What She Says... “My book (FRANK AND THE BLACK HAMSTER OF NARKIZ) is about my hamster, Frank, who is very adventurous and fond of escaping. This made me wonder where he thought he was going and I looked into the history of hamsters, which was fascinating. Before 1930 they all lived in the wild in Syria. One day a scientist discovered a mother and her twelve babies, and all the hamsters kept as pets in the world today were bred from this original thirteen. Now no hamsters live in the wild at all – they all live in cages in our houses. At this point I knew I had a story… Livi’s advice to would-be writers: 1. Make time to write. 2. Don’t give up. 3. Keep asking questions. Livi Michael has two sons, a dog called Jenny – and of course a hamster called Frank! There are more FRANK titles to come and Livi is moving to a new area with THE WHISPERING ROAD, a historical novel, the story of children on an amazing journey in search of their mother. Recommended Reads

	Sky Wolves Puffin 978-0141319247 The wolf was enormous. Its ravenous jaws were open wide, its eyes glared fire. When Sam's aunt rescues a lost dog, Sam knows that something incredible is going to happen. Jenny the Jack Russell may be a stray, but she is no ordinary dog. Jenny is more special than Sam could ever imagine...But Jenny is in danger, and now Sam, Jenny and a gang of fellow runaways face an extraordinary journey. The sky wolves are on their trail, and they won't stop until the rest of the world is destroyed. This is a gorgeously written, mystical adventure that will appeal to fantasy and animal fans alike from 9 years upwards.
	Whispering Road Puffin 978-0142407240 A moving and powerful story about brother and sister, Joe and Annie, who flee from a pitiful existence as servants. They embark on a tough and perilous journey to Manchester in search of their mother who was forced to leave them at the workhouse when they were very young. Their future is tainted by the horrors of their past and as Annie is increasingly troubled by spirits, Joe is forced to make a tough decision. Driven by the lust for freedom, he sells Annie to a fair owner who plans to use her as a medium, and sets about creating a new identity for himself on the streets of Manchester. But the voices of the past won't leave Joe alone and ultimately he finds himself gravitating back to Annie and their original quest to discover the whereabouts of their mother.
	Frank and The New Narkiz Puffin 978-0141317007 It's shortly after Christmas and, once more, all is less than peaceful on Bright St. A suspicious couple are knocking on doors, rounding up hamsters to win prizes in international shows. Lured as ever by vanity, Mabel voluntarily goes with Marcia Taylor and Vernon Maid, while Frank is alerted to danger by the black hamste. He manages to infiltrate their clinic and discovers that the steps they take to produce a prize-winning hamster are rather unusual. In Taylor-Maid laboratories hamsters are genetically modified, or scientifically 'improved'. In the horrifying surroundings, Frank not only faces his greatest fear but he is finally reunited with his mother, Leila. Meanwhile, the New Narkiz is under threat as planning permission is granted to build houses on The Wild. Daisy and the new cubs go missing, and it is up to George and Little Elsie to find them. This is a terrifically exciting and poignant story of how the New Narkiz is finally established, and of how one hamster (namely Frank) must pay the ultimate price.

]]> tag:www.ncbf.co.uk,2008://1.196 2008-06-27T20:50:54Z 2008-06-27T21:13:47Z

Appearing: Durham (11th) Author Website to be confirmed Publisher Simon & Schuster Matthew Morgan and David Sinden co-developed and wrote the Yuck stories. They both work in children's publishing and have been friends since they were kids. Recommended Reads...

Appearing: Durham (11th) Author Website to be confirmed Publisher Simon & Schuster Matthew Morgan and David Sinden co-developed and wrote the Yuck stories. They both work in children's publishing and have been friends since they were kids. Recommended Reads

	Yuck's Alien Adventure Simon & Schuster 978-1847382856 Two horribly disgusting adventures in one book! "Aliens are coming!" Yuck says, and he's got alien gloop to prove it. But his sister Polly Princess says he's lying. Little does she know that Yuck is going on an adventure with an alien called Puke. When he returns, Polly is in for a shock that's out of this world! YUCK'S SLOBBERY DOG When Yuck looks after a lost and lonely dog called Scruff, revolting things happen at home. Scruff is dirty and smelly! He parps at dinner, leaves fleas in the bed and poos indoors. Yuck's sister Polly tries to get rid of him but Yuck plays a trick on her and Polly is in for a stinky surprise...
	Yuck's Abominable Burp Blaster Simon & Schuster 978-1847382849 Two more horribly disgusting adventures from YUCK - the muckiest, yuckiest, naughtiest little boy EVER! YUCK'S ABOMINABLE BURP BLASTER Yuck loves Coola Cola because it makes him burp. Using his new invention, a burp blaster, Yuck and his friends set their burps loose at school. When Yuck's sister, Polly Princess, tries to tell on him, Yuck blames it on the Phantom Burper. Polly is in for a supersonic surprise ...YUCK'S REMOTE CONTROL REVENGE When Polly Princess breaks Yuck's Yuck Truck, he has to find something else to play with. Using his X-Treme Chaos Remote Control, Yuck brings his toys to life: his Slime-Ball Snail, Vampire Bat, Pooping Parrot, Stink Skunk and Rancid Rat. It's time to take his revenge!
	Yuck's Slime Monster Simon & Schuster 978-1416910947 Two more horribly disgusting adventures from YUCK - the muckiest, yuckiest, naughtiest little boy EVER! YUCK'S SLIME MONSTER - When Yuck is punished for bringing a slug to school, he decides to get his own back. With the help of his friends and a brilliant invention, the whole school is soon covered in slime! But everyone wants to know - is there really such a thing as a Slime Monster? YUCK'S GROSS PARTY - Yuck's sister Polly is having a birthday party and Yuck isn't invited. Rather than miss out on the fun, Yuck decides to have his own party - a gross party with gross party games! Polly doesn't know it, but she's in for a gross birthday surprise

]]> tag:www.ncbf.co.uk,2008://1.195 2008-06-27T20:29:14Z 2008-06-27T20:43:54Z

Appearing: Sunderland (18th) Author Website to be confirmed Publisher Catnip As a child Graham spent the first six years of his life following his father around who was an RAF pilot, including a three-year stint in Canada. The start...

Appearing: Sunderland (18th) Author Website to be confirmed Publisher Catnip As a child Graham spent the first six years of his life following his father around who was an RAF pilot, including a three-year stint in Canada. The start of a love affair with North America that’s never stopped. He was sent to boarding school at the age of 13, an experience he hated, and then went to Harrow School of Art to study Information Graphics. Graham has produces children’s non-fiction books, written children’s novels and even attempted to launch the UK’s first adult comic strip magazine. As a writer he has penned comic strip scripts for Marvel UK (Motormouth, The Genetix), radio scripts for BBC Radio 5 (Wiggly Park) and TV and film tie-in books for Boxtree (Captain Scarlet, Judge Dredd) and BBC Worldwide (Wallace and Gromit, 5th Musketeer). Recommended Reads

	Strange Hiding Place Catnip 978-1846470332 Another thrilling sci-fi adventure from the best-selling author of Takedown and Faultline. Eleven years ago aliens from another planet came to Earth to hide something. Now they need it. But so do their arch enemies. As Earth becomes a battleground, one boy is caught up in the very heart of the fighting. Does Dez have the strength to survive? The future of more than his own planet depends on him.
	Omega Place Bloomsbury 978-1599901275 When Paul runs away from home he plans to head down to London and a new life, away from his awful stepfather and away from all the things that make him unhappy in Newcastle. But rather than running away from stress he runs straight into one whole lot of trouble and into the arms of a radical organisation intent on upsetting the country wide
	Radio Radio Bloomsbury 978-0747590873 A group of city kids want to start a radio station. They have known each other a long time and have shared their plans and thoughts for years. And finally they do it - setting up in a fortuitously empty flat, they soon find themselves not only having to deal with the complications of running a pirate radio station but also fending off the attentions of competing broadcasters! And all this alongside their relationships, jealousies and desires to be independent. This brilliant novel, written in the form of a screenplay, is urgent, contemporary and a well created teenage world - but with perhaps a tiny bit more excitement!

]]> tag:www.ncbf.co.uk,2008://1.194 2008-06-27T15:36:37Z 2008-06-27T15:38:14Z

Here's a look at the new NCBF website which will be completed for launch on July 1st. There's a few missing/old/incomplete Author Profiles and some woolly links that need tidying up......

Here's a look at the new NCBF website which will be completed for launch on July 1st. There's a few missing/old/incomplete Author Profiles and some woolly links that need tidying up... tag:www.ncbf.co.uk,2008://1.193 2008-06-25T17:28:58Z 2008-06-25T18:18:12Z

Appearing Stockton (17th), Gateshead (18th), North Tyneside (19th) Author Website www.joanlennon.co.uk Publisher Andersen Press Catnip Joan Lennon was born in Canada and has lived in Scotland since 1978. Her first novel, The Bad-Tempered Dragon, was published by Scholastic in...

Appearing Stockton (17th), Gateshead (18th), North Tyneside (19th) Author Website www.joanlennon.co.uk Publisher Andersen Press Catnip Joan Lennon was born in Canada and has lived in Scotland since 1978. Her first novel, The Bad-Tempered Dragon, was published by Scholastic in 1998. Joan has done a wide range of jobs in Europe, Australia and Canada – from ice-cream sundae constructor to summer camp leader to putzfrau at the Munich Olympics. She now divides her time between the demands of four tall sons, her piano pupils and her writing.
Recommended Reads

	Witch Bell: Wickit Chronicles Andersen Press 978-1842708576 The Fens are flooding, but as the water rises relentlessly, it isn't just local folk who come to find shelter at Wickit Abbey. Pip the orphan and Perfect, the stone gargoyle meet up with a mysterious stranger - a man with a murky past who has actually heard the ghostly sound of a Witch Bell. Hot on his trail is the Holy Hunter, sniffing out demons and devils and any who have been in contact with witches. By accident, Pip becomes his quarry. Can Perfect, some red ribbons and a handful of pepper save the day? Or will Pip be overcome by the worst danger he has ever faced?
	Ferret Princess Catnip 9781846470646 I'm the ferret-y sort. I've got loads more energy than sense and I just can't help sticking my nose into things. Or making a mess out of sheer enthusiasm. But when two disreputable princes arrived looking for a kingdom to take over I needed all my ferret-y talents to see them off – not to mention the help of my very own ferrets!
	Fen Gold: Wickit Chronicles Andersen Press 978-1842706329 Trouble is heading for Wickit Monastery through the sweltering summer Fens - from the King's court comes Cedric with a chip on his shoulder, and from the land of the Vikings, Rane, a beautiful Norse girl, arrives with her hulking henchmen. But what are they really here for? Pip the orphan and Perfect the stone gargoyle find themselves caught up in a mad search for buried treasure, which leads them right across the marshes, all the way to the dreaded Black Bog, the very last place they want to be. And all the while, they can't shake the feeling they're being watched...

]]> tag:www.ncbf.co.uk,2008://1.191 2008-06-25T15:56:03Z 2008-06-25T16:15:03Z

Appearing South Tyneside (13th) Author Website to be confirmed Publisher Lion Hudson STEWART HENDERSON is a poet, songwriter and broadcaster. He has been writing poems since he was a teenager in Liverpool and hasn’t stopped yet. As a poet,...

Appearing South Tyneside (13th) Author Website to be confirmed Publisher Lion Hudson STEWART HENDERSON is a poet, songwriter and broadcaster. He has been writing poems since he was a teenager in Liverpool and hasn’t stopped yet. As a poet, The Sunday Times described his children’s poetry as ‘essential reading’. Widely anthologized through Macmillan, Oxford University Press and Bloomsbury, Stewart’s verse is set for both GCSE and Key Stages in primary schools in the UK and its equivalent on the Republic of Ireland curriculum. His best-selling solo collections – published by Lion Children’s Books – Who Left Grandad at the Chip Shop and All Things Weird and Wonderful have seen him become a festival favourite at the Edinburgh Book Festival, Birmingham Young Readers UK, Greenbelt and The Northern Children’s Book Festival. Besides writing poetry, Stewart’s song writing partnership over the past 15 years with Martyn Joseph has established a canon of work, which has drawn glowing reviews in the USA and Canada. As a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio 4, Stewart has presented Questions Questions for 4 years, as well as contributing to a number of social and narrative documentaries for the network. Stewart has been nominated for a Sony Award, and in October 2006 he was presented with the Jerusalem Radio Award for his BBC Radio 4 programme, The Holy Fire. 'Good-humoured thoughtful poems with a mix of the silly and the serious.' Roger McGough Recommended Reads

All Things Weird and Wonderful Lion Hudson 9780745946788 Another collection of quirky, thought-provoking and highly entertaining poems from a performance poet with an increasing fan base. In this collection, Stewart Henderson looks at creation in its broadest sense from the depths of the sea, to the breadth of the earth, and the realms of space and sky. The poems feature many aspects of the plant and animal world both real and imaginary. The poems are often shown from the perspective of a child (answering curious questions, or helping him or her to understand more about his/her place in the universe).

Who Left Grandad at the Chip Shop Lion Hudson 9780745945514 Daydreams, surprises, hopes, fears, friendships. Word-play, narrative poems, limericks, surrealism and much more...This wonderful collection of all-new poems is the fruit of many years' work in schools, at festivals, and in the broadcasting studio. Stewart Henderson is a TV and radio script-writer, a song writer and a performance poet. His poetry takes a very funny, sideways look at life, in a way that leaves plenty to think about. Stewart's poetry has been published in several anthologies.All the poems in Who Left Grandad at the Chip Shop? are new.

]]> tag:www.ncbf.co.uk,2005://1.54 2008-06-25T14:08:50Z 2008-06-25T17:20:28Z

Appearing Redcar (17th), South Tyneside (18th), Durham (19th), Sunderland (20th), Gateshead CLC (21st) Author Website www.rob-lewis.co.uk Publisher to be confirmed Born in a respectable London suburb in July 1962, little did the world know what was to come... Even...

Appearing Redcar (17th), South Tyneside (18th), Durham (19th), Sunderland (20th), Gateshead CLC (21st) Author Website www.rob-lewis.co.uk Publisher to be confirmed Born in a respectable London suburb in July 1962, little did the world know what was to come... Even in the early days at school in Bath, dangerous creative tendencies were beginning to show. His English teacher had to mark stories that took up whole exercise books. Academic work promised Oxford University but parties and laziness resulted in only one ‘O’ Level in art! In the sixth form things went from bad to worse. He became involved in New Age culture-flying saucers, ley lines, stone circles and peppermint tea! His nickname was Mr Daydream. His mind was in the clouds. After A levels and O Level retakes the crunch came in 1981. The only people to have him were a motley crew of lecturers on the Foundation Course in Filton, Bristol. A desolate place surrounded by British Aerospace airfields and an army of gas fitters. Then Bristol Polytechnic unwisely offered him a place on their Graphic Design degree course but he squandered his time playing in a rock band and making beer commercials. In 1984, hopes rose when he married Tracey who was on the same course. And to start with he planned to be a humble film editor in the cut throat world of television.... But on leaving college he turned to the dangerous world of children’s books dragging his wife with him.... In 1986 it wasn’t long before they fell in with notorious ‘Macdonald’ and ended up on his payroll... Until gangland publisher wars (Signem & Shooter) replaced him. In 1989 Tracey escaped this terrible debauched world when their first son Timothy was born. But Rob sank lower... In the same year he became caught up with the Random House Gang...where he worked with Bodley ‘The Head’ In 1990 he was finally taken away to the remote Welsh hills for therapy at an isolated seven acre smallholding... He became the pastor of a church for four years but now he leads a simple life gardening, playing music and mucking around on the computer. They even let him out from time to time to entertain children in schools and libraries. [text provided by Rob to the Jubileebooks.co.uk website] Recommended Reads

	What's Up, Jac? Pont Books 978-1843234289 Jac pins up a poster– there’s a sale in a farm in the valley. A strange mood comes over the animals, and Megan the vet doesn’t have a clue what’s wrong. When they disappear from the farm, Jac follows their footprints and eventually finds all his animals huddled up with partners: they have fallen in love! The poster had shown the most handsome males in that part of Wales and each animal had found the one that had captured her heart. With no room for more animals, Jac calls on Tracey Bevan’s farm. Now he’s in love, too! Tracey and Jac get married, put their two farms together and live happily ever after. Endearing, humorous pictures are the trademark of the accomplished author/illustrator Rob Lewis. The story is told in rhyming couplets, making it a favourite for reading aloud. Full-colour illustrations and vibrant text ensure this is a popular story with children of 5 years and over. Rob Lewis is a master in creating animal characters as seen in his picture books Friends, Friends Together and Cold Jac.
	Trevor's Boat Hunt Red Fox 978-0099451174 Trevor's search for his lost toy boat leads him down the stream to the river, past the reservoir and dam, all the way to the sea. Drifting in the water are all sorts of bits and pieces, but there is no sign of Trevor's toy boat. Has it got crushed in the dam or has it floated out to sea?
	Wolf Goes to Sea Gomer tbc Nothing could be cosier for the wolf than living in his new home next door to Nain. But when he sits on the harbour wall and looks out to sea, he feels that something is missing - being close to other wolves! Going to look for them will mean a long and difficult sea voyage, especially when the wolf is cast adrift with only a seagull for company... Will he discover what he's searching for? Or will the wolf's taste for travel take him further than even Nain imagines?.

]]> tag:www.ncbf.co.uk,2008://1.190 2008-06-25T12:57:37Z 2008-06-27T15:31:24Z

Appearing South Tyneside (13th), North Tyneside (14th) Author Website to be confirmed Publisher Egmont Children's Books Sue Heap is one of the UK's leading book illustrators. As a child she lived in many places including Egypt, Germany, and Singapore....

Appearing South Tyneside (13th), North Tyneside (14th) Author Website to be confirmed Publisher Egmont Children's Books Sue Heap is one of the UK's leading book illustrators. As a child she lived in many places including Egypt, Germany, and Singapore. She wrote and illustrated her first book when she was twelve and as a teenager wrote lots of 'rather bad' poetry. On graduating from Hull College of Art, Sue worked for an animation company and then as a designer at various children's book publishers in Oxford and London. In 1991 she became a full-time freelance illustrator. She has illustrated over thirty books, including Cowboy Baby, winner of the prestigious Smarties Prize Gold Award in 1998. Her latest picture book has been nominated for the Greenaway Medal. She lives in Oxfordshire and in her spare time she motorcycles and is learning to skateboard. Recommended Reads

	The Fairy Feast Egmont Books 978 1 4052 3644 7 PB It’s an exciting day in Fairyland when the Queen invites all the fairies and their pets to a midnight feast. Lucy Little-Fairy and her frog, Burp, arrive at The Magical Meeting Place on Lucy’s flying pink bicycle – the envy of all her fairy friends. They are all ready for the feast. But the Fairy Queen’s mischievous monkey, Maurice, is in a muddly mood and when he steals the Queen’s handbag and drops her wand, all sorts of unexpected magic is unleashed…
	Cowboy Baby Walker Books 978-1406314854 It's bedtime in the Wild West - but Cowboy Baby isn't sleepy. This is a colourful, exuberant picture book brought to life with an animated DVD.Sheriff Pa says it's bedtime. But Cowboy Baby won't go to bed without his toys, Texas Ted, Denver Dog and Hank the Horse. No sirree! So off he goes to find them. But when he's rounded up his gang, Cowboy Baby decides he doesn't want to go home. Offering a whole new storytelling experience, this picture book and DVD edition features a charming story animation, narrated by Kevin Whately.
	Danny's Drawing Book Walker Books 978-1406316155 Every picture tells a story in this charming adventure of the imagination from an award-winning illustrator.Danny loves drawing pictures in his yellow drawing book. One snowy day, when he and his friend Ettie go to the zoo, Danny draws an elephant and an aardvark. Danny and Ettie watch in amazement as the animals come to life in the pages - and then they join them to embark on a wildly exciting journey to somewhere very different!

]]>