We understand that the concept for the What on Earth? Books came to you whilst you were travelling around Europe with your family. Could you tell us about that moment?
Of course! We decided to home educate after our eldest daughter, then aged 7, became reluctant to go to school because she found it boring. We discovered that if only the things she learned were more connected together then she could follow her curiosity and learning became fun – as it always should be. I wanted to find a book that would help connect everything together from nature and ancient history to science and religions. Nothing suitable seemed to exist. So I decided to write a book that went from the beginning of time to the present day – and I called it What on Earth Happened? The Wallbooks are a visualisation of the same book on a timeline, with 1,000 pictures and captions.

As the founder of What on Earth Publishing, what is the ethos behind the company and what do you hope your readers will take from the books?
Our ethos is to encourage people of all ages – young and old – to look at the big picture. In our culture we are obsessed with fragmenting knowledge into tiny pieces – so that when it comes to trying to make sense of the world we end up looking at a pane of shattered glass! Our aim is to connect knowledge together through narrative, chronology, pictures and performances so that information is both meaningful and memorable by being in context rather than being in abstraction. Readers will, I hope, take from the books a magical fascination of how incredible the view of the big picture looks, be they interested in History, Nature Sport or Science and that they will experience for themselves the joy of seeing knowledge connected together.

To date, the What on Earth? series includes wallbooks covering history, natural history and sport. Can we expect any more additions to the series in the near future?
Yes – we have just sent our latest Wallbook off to press – only last week. It is a collaboration with the Science Museum and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. The What on Earth? Wallbook of Science & Engineering tells the story of human invention from the Stone Ages to the present day in more than 1,000 pictures and captions. One the back are 18 newspaper stories ranging from Archimedes’ famous ‘Eureka’ moment when he leaped out of the bath to Sir Tim Berners-Lees’ invention of the Worldwide Web. Now we are working on a fifth Wallbook with the Shakespeare Birthplace trust. It comes out in March, in time to celebrate William Shakespeare’s 450 birthday, and will provides a wonderful overview on a timeline of the top 100 moments across all of Shakespeare 37 plays.

You’ll be appearing at Harrogate Children’s Festival this summer, as well as events across the country and even as far as Japan. What can we expect when we come along to one of your events? Is it true that a multi-coloured coat features strongly?!
Oh yes! The multi-coloured coat of many pockets is an essential garment to be worn by any Wallbook presenter. My colleague John will be wearing the coat in Harrogate, taking visitors on a journey through billions of years of nature and thousands of years of sport – told through a range of objects hidden inside his glorious technicoloured costume!

Have you had many unusual questions from children in your audiences?
All the time! I remember talking about Alan Shepherd – one of the men on the moon  – who took a golf shot. I asked the children how much further the ball would have travelled than if he has taken a shot on the Earth. After a while we worked out it was SIX times further as there is SIX times less gravity on the moon because it is SIX times smaller than the Earth. Then one girl, her name was Naomi, piped up from the back ”Excuse me Sir, but did he go and pick it up or is it still there?” I had no idea! But what a fabulous question, what beautiful curiosity!!! I have since researched this matter and apparently he never did bother to pick it up – so next time you look up into the night sky marvel at the fact that somewhere up there on the moon is a 44 year old golf-ball!

At the moment, What On Earth Happened? is being shown as a 50 part serialisation on Japanese TV. How did this brilliant opportunity come about and why do you think the wallbooks are so successful in Japan?
Well, I am very fortunate in that What on Earth Happened? has now been translated into 15 different languages and the most recently country to publish it was Japan in September last year. Since then it has sold more than 100,000 copies in less than 6 months! I was invited over to Japan in November last year on a book tour and I went to see the devastation in Fukushima – which was very moving indeed. I also met some TV Executives who were interested in serialising the book. One of them was really inspired by it and he had the courage of a Samurai and decided to turn the project into reality. The first episode was broadcast on 14^th in April. I am now going back to Japan in July this year to do some filming for the series. I can’t wait!

One final question, will you be sampling one of Betty’s famous Fat Rascals while you’re visiting Harrogate?
I have heard they are world famous – and I’ll make a point of introducing them to the Japanese people when I visit in July!

To visit the What on Earth Books website, please click here.

To find out more about the Giant Wallbooks: Spectacular Journeys Through Time event at Harrogate Children’s Festival, Please click here.

Inky Sprat aims to produce quality e-books for children for iPad, with the author introducing and reading each book, as well as readers having the choice of an audio or video version of the book.

Babette’s The Trouble With… series feature a family whose members each have a unique trait which ultimately saves the day. Do you know any families where Gran is an alien and Dad invents crazy robots?!

We’re pleased to offer you the chance to win a download code to check out the books yourself. (The ebooks are available through Apples iBookStore and can be viewed using iBooks 3.0 or later on an iPad. iOS 5.1 or later is required. ) The code will expire on Friday 7th June.

Please email info@bookeventsforchildren to enter and specify if you would like to win the code for The Trouble With Gran or The Trouble With Dad. The lucky winners will be notified on Friday 24th May, when the download code will be emailed to you. The competition is open to UK residents.

For the UK:-
“Code expires on  Fri 07 06:18:39 PDT 2013 (The Trouble With Dad) and Fri 07 06:21:16 PDT 2013 (The Trouble with Gran) and is redeemable only on the iTunes Store for the United Kingdom. Requires an iTunes account, subject to prior acceptance of license and usage terms. To open an account you must be above the age of 13 and in the United Kingdom. The eBook is viewable only on an iOS device with compatible software. Compatible software and hardware, and internet access (fees may apply) required. Not for resale. Full terms apply; see www.apple.com/legal/itunes/ww/. For more information, see www.apple.com/support/.  This eBook is provided to you by Inky Sprat Ltd.”

Where do you like to write?
No particular place – when a story is ready to be written, I’m just so grateful that I’m pretty much unaware of where I am.

Do you like to work in silence or are you happy with the background noise of everyday life?
Silence. So I guess that does actually show me up for being the most awful fibber, given my answer to the previous question. I do not like music or noise or conversation happening in the background when I’m writing. Weirdly, this doesn’t apply when I’m on a train. I can write like a thing possessed on an Intercity.

Amazingly, you have written over 75 books during your career. We won’t ask you to choose which of your own books is your favourite, but from taking part in public events, have you found that children relate to any of your characters in particular?
Children seem to be particularly fond of Pip, the little rabbit in ‘The Scariest Thing of All’, identifying with his extreme wussy-ness. Or if not actually being honest enough to identify with him, they enjoy being scornful and saying – ‘Phwoarrr, I’m not scared of those,’ Small children have been seen in signing queues, actually kissing the cover of The Scariest Thing of All’ and saying that they love Pip. Ahhhhhhhh. They also like Mr Wolf from ‘What’s the Time, Mr Wolf?’ but I am beginning to suspect that they identify far more with Mr Wolf’s awful asbo neighbours, the three little pigs.

You have had the honour of being writer in residence in the Shetland Isles twice. This sounds like an idyllic role. What did the role involve?
Shetland was bliss. The children were amazing. I had such a happy time there, I now make an annual pilgrimage back to the islands each summer. As a writer in residence, I worked with two primary classes in two different schools at either end of mainland Shetland, doing my usual bootcamp for young writers kind of schtick. As well as that, I was taken round as many schools as we could squeeze into the six short weeks I spent in my initial foray up there. Some months later, I returned, to work with the same children again for three weeks, and to work with groups of teachers. And then I came back for a final conference with teachers to try and engender some enthusiasm for teaching creative writing, and to try and help boost the confidence of teachers struggling with the demands of the dreaded curriculum.

‘The Scariest Thing of All’ is a favourite in our house. What’s the scariest thing of all for you?
You want my Worry Menu? Crikey. You are brave. Oh, well, you did ask. Uncontrollable climate warming and its aftermath. That, for me, is the most terrifying thing ever. As a parent, the knowledge that we are possibly leaving the planet in far worse shape than it was when we arrived on it, and bequeathing this mess to our beloved children; that keeps me awake at night.

We understand that you take part in lots of author events. What can your young audience expect when they come along to see you?
I draw, I talk, I draw some more, I tell dreadful jokes, I draw and then I teach children how to draw some of the characters in my books.

When you’re not drawing and writing, what is your favourite way to relax?
I love lying on beaches in the sun. At least I think I do, but it’s been a long time since Scotland saw any action on the sun front, so we’ve had to find our relaxation by other means. Wild walks in the wind, in the rain and through puddles have been the order of the day for the last six months. In fact, I think – whisper it – I’ve forgotten how to relax.

Could you tell us about some of the other events you’ve got lined up in the next few months?
I’m off on tour to launch the paperback of my ‘What’s the Time, Mr Wolf? book, and I’m going to be doing lots of school visits as well as some signings at Storytellers Inc., 7 The Crescent, St Annes-on-Sea, Lancashire FY8 1SN at 4pm on Monday 13^th May and Bookmark, 18-20 The Crescent, Spalding, PE11 1AF at 4:30pm on Wednesday 15^th May.

COMPETITION ALERT: Thanks to the team at Bloomsbury Publishing, you can win a copy of Debi Gliori’s book What’s The Time, Mr Wolf? . To enter the competition, please email your name & address to info@bookeventsforchildren.co.uk and please tell us what ‘The Scariest Thing Of All’ is for Debi. Please enter ‘Debi Gliori competition‘ as your subject title.
Competition closes on Monday 13th May.

Lucy, Can you still remember how you felt when your first book One Hungry Baby was published?  Do you still get that feeling when you see one of your new books on the shelves?
I certainly can! I remember not entirely believing that it was really here, even though I held the book in my hands. That feeling never really goes away, however many books I have published – it’s a bit like having a new baby, a mixture of immense joy and pride, and also maybe a little bit of fear as it takes those first steps into the world of buyers and bookshops.

As the author of the Greek Beasts and Heroes series, can you share with us your favourite myth?
I always have major difficulties with this question, as I love so many of them. If you’re going to press me, though, I’d choose the creation myth of Nyx, Goddess of Night and mother of the three Moirai or Fates, Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos, who weave the tapestry of all our lives. It speaks to something very deep inside me, and never fails to send a shiver down my spine.

What is it that drew you to write about the world of myths and legends?
Myths and legends have been a part of my life ever since I can remember. It’s as if those stories are a part of my DNA, really. They are very old and very powerful, and they teach brilliant and necessary lessons about life and human behaviour. Much of our culture is based on them – there are references to them in surprisingly everyday parts of our existence (how many people wear Nike trainers?) – and I think it’s very important for me to try and reinterpret them in a way that this and future generations of children will find exciting and be able to understand.

Which character from a children’s book did you relate to or aspire to be as a child?
It was a toss-up between Mary Lennox from The Secret Garden and Maria from The Little White Horse. I was a lonely, only child, like Mary, who liked getting her hands in the earth, growing things, and reading books (I still do like all those things) so I related to Mary. However, I also wanted to be someone who had magic in her life. Maria’s Moonacre seemed to me to be the perfect place to live – I wanted a magical unicorn-horse, I wanted to have adventures, and I wanted most desperately to learn to cook like Marmaduke Scarlet.

If you could meet a children’s author (from any era), who would you choose to meet and what would you like to ask them?
Ooh! I love questions like this! Again, it’s a close call between two – Elizabeth Goudge and the late, great Diana Wynne Jones. I think it would have to be Diana, though, as it’s one of my abiding regrets that I never managed to meet her. There wouldn’t be just one question – I’d want to spend a whole day with her, just talking about the craft of writing, and, inevitably, what stories she would like to have gone on writing for Howl and Chrestomanci.

Your latest book Bear’s Best Friend has recently been published. If you had to face any bear from children’s literature – fearsome or friendly – which one would it be?
I’d like to face Iorek Byrnison from Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy. He’s brave, wise, and honourable, and a chance to talk to him and ride on his back among the Svalbard snows would be a marvellous thing.

Will you be out and about visiting bookshops and literary festivals over the next few months?
Yes, I will. My next visits are to Tales on Moon Lane Bookshop in Herne Hill and Discover Story Centre in Stratford, and there are more in the pipeline, which will be announced later.

What do you most enjoy about these events?
Sharing my stories with children and seeing their faces when I do silly giant snoring or big bear sobs. I no longer have any self-consciousness about stuff like that, and am happy to make a fool of myself in public. Connecting with my readers is a great privilege, and I love talking to them and answering all their questions about books, writing (and my desk dogs).

COMPETITION ALERT: Thanks to the team at Bloomsbury Publishing, you can win a copy of Lucy Coats & Sarah Dyer’s book Bear’s Best Friend. To enter the competition, please email your name & address to info@bookeventsforchildren.co.uk and tell us which fictional bear Lucy Coats would most like to face.
Competition closes at midday on Wednesday 8th May. 

Starting in Edinburgh, young fans of Eric Hill’s Spot books are invited to Spot’s Birthday Party at King’s Theatre. The show runs until this Saturday and has been adapted by David Wood, the much-acclaimed children’s playwright. (Click here to read our interview with David.)

In the north-east, Hiccup Theatre build on the success of The Owl and the Pussycat to bring Rumpelstiltskin to ARC in Stockton-on-Tees. Catch the show this Saturday. Heading across the Pennines, you can also catch Rumpelstiltskin at TheLowry on Sunday.

If you’re in the West Midlands, Felicity Fly author Christina Gabbitas will be signing copies of her children’s books at WHSmith Merry Hill in Birmingham on Saturday. The books in the series explore common childhood fears.

Janet and Allan Ahlberg’s much-loved picture book Each Peach Pear Plum is a bookshelf staple. The simple tale is adapted for the stage with puppetry, songs and music at  Aberystwyth Arts Centre this Sunday.

Foyles Bookshop in London is hosting a day of workshops aimed at young graphic artists; come and create an ‘awesome robot’ or take part in a ‘Wild Animals and Curious Creatures’ illustration workshop. Elsewhere in the capital you can enjoy storytelling in (easy) French at the French Institute or catch Hue Boy at Jackson’s Lane on Sunday

We asked Eva for some of her top picnic tips…

Florentine and Pig Have A Very Lovely Picnic captures the excitement of going on a picnic. What are your top-five picnic treats?
I love all things picnic but if I had to pick just five…
Guacamole, coronation chicken sandwiches, smelly cheeses and crackers,  lemon drizzle cupcakes, and elderflower pressé to drink. Delicious!

Where would be your favourite place to enjoy a picnic?
I live in London and I love all the parks, but my two favourite quiet spots are hidden in the depths of Richmond Park and Hampstead Heath.

Was cooking an important part of your childhood? What made you decide to write a book which explores cooking with children? 
I always cooked with my mum and dad and enjoyed it hugely. We would all make something together and then enjoy it as a family around the table. It was our time to create together, talk together and eat together and I valued it hugely – I still do. I wanted to bundle that simple idea up into a book for lots of other parents and children to enjoy.

It must be hard to choose from such a mouth-watering selection but do you have a personal favourite recipe from the book?
They are all delicious, but I LOVE the Rainbow Sprinkle Cookies! They are easypeasy to make, they look ever so pretty and are utterly delicious. (I think I’ve eaten a few too many recently…)

Your website has details of how to create your own Florentine and Pig party pack. What a brilliant idea to make a unique party (and a godsend for party-stressed parents everywhere!) Have you held your own party yet or had any feedback from children who have had Florentine-inspired parties?
The feedback has been wonderful – it’s been enormous fun for parents and children to jump into the world of Florentine and Pig with the party pack and all the fun things they can download and print off the website. The party pack is packed with fun things to do, including making your invitations, name places and colouring in sheets. At the party, the children make the recipes from the book and then they all sit down together and enjoy their Florentine and Pig party picnic! I can’t wait for my next invitation..

We understand that you regularly hold storytelling and activity sessions at bookshops (there’s a handy book store event pack on your site too.)  Could you tell us a little more about your upcoming events and what they will involve?
I love visiting bookshops and schools. It’s so exciting for the children to meet the author of a book they’ve read and it’s lovely for me to be able to meet them all. I work with the teachers and booksellers to create programs which work for them, depending on the age of the children. Sometimes it involves cooking and nearly always some kind of simple arts and crafts which the bookshop can either keep to decorate their shop, or the children take their projects home.

I always read the story and answer any questions the children have and the sessions are always full of energy and enormously fun. Many bookshops have ideas about how they’d best like an event or workshop to work and I love working with them on this to achieve the very best Florentine and Pig event for their shop. My next event is at the Chorleywood Bookshop this Thursday (25th April) but for full event listings you can keep an eye on our calendar - http://www.florentineandpig.com/#/events-listings/4566571739

Do you have a favourite bookshop you’d like to share with us?
I love my local – Notting Hill Bookshop. It’s small and quaint and packed with a beautiful selection of books. It’s loved by the locals – independent bookshops are such an important part of a community and they need our support, now more than ever.

Are you planning to write more adventures with Florentine and Pig? We’ve heard a rumour that the loveable twosome might face some swashbuckling pirates? Could that be true?
Yes! There is a new book on its way and it will be landing on the shelves in June. I can’t reveal what happens (it is such a huge secret that even Pig is finding it hard to keep) but what I will say is… Ooooo arrrrr!

Here at Book Events for Children, we were recently invited to review ‘War of the Buttons’ at Harrogate Theatre for DigYorkshire.com, a cultural website and guide to events in Yorkshire, covering theatre, art, books, film and children’s events. The site features previews, event reviews and interviews.

‘War of the Buttons’ is adapted from a 1912 children’s book by French author Louis Pergaud. To read our full review of the event, please click here.

 Compagnie Animotion, the company behind the show, aims “to provide the same opportunities for the Deaf community that the hearing community has in terms of access to the arts and arts training.” They have created a performance which is accessible to both hearing and non-hearing audiences and using movement, mime and song.

I was glad I had some meetings lined up as everyone seemed to know everyone else and be in the midst of important meetings. I did have a momentary flashback to that first-day-at-school feeling. What really impressed me about the event though was the calibre of the presentations and the passion and enthusiasm for children’s books. As Book Events for Children is an online venture, I’m always interested in the use of social media and online activities to promote the book industry and enjoyed the presentation by YA bloggers and publicists. Publishing companies have professional relationships with bloggers and see working with them as an integral part of a new publicity campaign. It’s such a fast-moving, innovative area with bloggers creating their own book trailers and BookTubers using YouTube as a means of reaching their audience. It makes me wonder how we’ll be promoting and marketing books in another five years.

Equally fascinating for me, was listening to publicity managers describing how they created successful publicity campaigns and book events without actually having an author to take part in the events, either because they’re so high-profile (in the case of JK Rowling) or not in the country (Jeff Kinney). One campaign involved an online poll to find the nation’s favourite Harry Potter villain to promote JK Rowling’s books. Another innovative idea to promote the ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ series was to create a Wimpy Kid show featuring draw-along events, a quiz and exclusive clips of Jeff Kinney talking about the books and demonstrating his illustrations. A hugely-successful book event which doesn’t need an author!

The interest in children’s books didn’t seem to be confined to the hall either. as I was leaving the event, a security guard was telling me about his dyslexic son and asked for recommendations about publishers specialising in books for dyslexic and struggling readers. In spite of all the bad-news stories about the closure of libraries and  struggling independent bookshops I did leave with the feeling that this is a really exciting time for the children’s book industry.

Brenda Gardner is the MD of independent publisher, Piccadilly Press, which has celebrated its 30 year anniversary. Piccadilly Press has recently published Irresistible, the debut novel of Liz Bankes. Brenda and Liz will be appearing at the London Book Fair on April 15th discussing ‘New Adult’ fiction; ‘New Adults, Steamies, Crossed Genres-Reinventing Teen Fiction’.

We were delighted to catch up with Brenda and Liz prior to their event and get the lowdown on New Adult fiction.

Brenda Gardner
This is an exciting time for teen fiction, as New Adult (NA) fiction seems to rising in popularity. Could you outline who is the target audience for NA fiction and what the term actually means?

Well, I think there is a tremendous amount of debate about what NA fiction means. Some publishers,  retailers. teachers and librarians think it means sexy fiction for older teens.  And some think it means crossover fiction – fiction read by adults and teenagers, and perhaps even children.  So is NA a term for Twilight (where there was no sex until the third book) and Hunger Games or is it any title which is sub Shades of Grey?

I think the jury is out on this for the moment. I think I personally go for the second definition.

How does NA fiction differ from the more established Young Adult (YA) genre?

From the above comment I would have to say that it is any book written with the voice of a teenager which twenty somethings are also reading and enjoying. And the YA genre is one where because there are more teenage sensibilities it is perhaps primarily read by teenagers. But the lines are so easily blurred. When I read Twilight in the early days I definitely thought it would only appeal to teenage girls.

Do you see the two genres becoming more separate in future or will there always be a crossover between the two?

I think there will always be a crossover between the two. It is so hard to know what captures the imagination of the reader. And then what ignites it to become a phenomenon such as Shades of Grey or Twilight.

Can you attribute any reasons why NA fiction is becoming so popular? Would you agree that it’s been driven by the unprecedented popularity of Fifty Shades of Grey, which is obviously aimed at a  more adult audience?

I don’t think it is just that. I think especially in America NA/YA fiction were the areas of growth in publishing. Publishers were seeing these numbers rise well before Shades of Grey.  There is now speculation that this is slowing, but that is just among publishers in Bologna not being so frantic to get on the bandwagon.

As Managing Director and Publisher of Piccadilly Press, you’ve been responsible for launching the careers of writers of teenage fiction, including Cathy Hopkins and Caroline Green. Do you have any hot tips for YA/NA writers to look out for in the future?

Well obviously Liz Bankes! And we have one or two that we are working on at the moment.

Liz Bankes
Congratulations on the publication of Irresistible, which has been described by ‘The Independent’ as the first British NA novel. Would you agree with that claim?

I think that’s hard for me to say! The term seems to be about who reads the books and all I can say is what I was thinking when I wrote it. I was thinking of myself at 16 and the things I wanted to read about. I think that being 16/17 is a fascinating point in life – it is when everything is undecided and anything is possible. A lot of New Adult books seem to be about this moment – when characters are leaving school and starting something else, be it uni, college or just life, and I can see why that is something that resonates with a lot of readers.

Were you aware of what ‘New Adult’ fiction was when you began writing the book? Who did you think would enjoy reading your book?

No I didn’t start hearing about it until afterwards, but if I had done I don’t think it would have changed the book. I just write about the things I find funny and interesting and like reading about – and hope that others agree! I have always loved reading about falling in love and wanted to write about the first time that happens – it’s always new, uncertain and exciting, but I think more so when it hasn’t happened to you before. So I was probably thinking of readers in their mid-to-late teens in particular, but hoped that anyone who could remember being that age would enjoy it!

Your novel has also been described as a ‘steamy’.  How would you describe that term?

I think it is about experiencing passion for someone you really like and discovering what you want from a relationship. And a part of that is going to be deciding when you are ready to have sex and exploring that side of yourself. I think most romances in books will end up being a little steamy, because they deal with the passion and excitement of discovering that you want to be with someone!

What are your plans for the future? Do you intend to write more NA titles?

I am definitely interested in writing about real life and love, so I imagine what I write will fall into that category! I’d really like to write about characters starting to make their way in the world, so perhaps a story set at uni. I’m also really keen on writing comedy, so would like to write something for that age group that reflects the sort of stuff I like watching on TV – things like Girls, which bring out the ridiculous side of attempting to be an adult for the first time.

Which books did you enjoy reading yourself as a teenager?

My absolute favourites were Louise Rennison’s Georgia Nicholson books. They are without a doubt the funniest things I have ever read. My best friend and I were obsessed with them and still quote from them. And I remain in love with Dave the Laugh. I also loved  – and still love – reading Jane Austen. Her books build conjure up incredible love stories, simply through looks and conversations. And I remain in love with Darcy.

What is City Reads?
City Reads is a large scale, collective read that takes place in Brighton & Hove every year. The concept is simple: one book by one author is selected for the whole community to read, discuss, debate and creatively engage with in a series of special events, workshops and performances. It is run by innovative arts organisation: Collected Works, led by Artistic Director, Sarah Hutchings

How did it begin?
It all started when Penguin Books suggested a ‘big read’ in Brighton & Hove. Penguin was celebrating its 70^th anniversary. The book chosen was Lewis Carroll’s, Alice in Wonderland, the city loved it, the magic had begun…

How did it develop?
Eight years on and City Reads has become a permanent fixture in the city’s cultural calendar. Its audience has grown hugely and during the City Reads festival in Sept and Oct, it’s as if the city becomes a giant book group.

How did Young City Reads evolve?
For a couple of years now, many City Reads participants have been saying, ‘wouldn’t it be great to create this sort of buzz around a children’s book’.  The seed was planted and the City Reads team prepared for the right opportunity. Enter Michael Rosen, stage left.

When Michael Rosen was chosen as Guest Director for Brighton Festival 2013, it just seemed like serendipity. Erich Kästner’s,  Emil and the Detectives was Michael’s favourite children’s book, so the choice seemed obvious. Emil is a timeless children’s classic, with charm and warmth: perfect for the first ever Young City Reads.

Who is it for?
Young City Reads is for everyone: whether you’re an amateur sleuth, avid junior bookworm, outright brilliant teacher or doting parent who loves to read aloud to your kids. It doesn’t matter who you are: Young City Reads is about opening up the world of words and ideas to everyone.

How does it work?
It couldn’t be simpler. The idea is to get young readers (and grown-ups) everywhere reading Emil and the Detectives between World Book Day 07 March and the end of May 2013. All you need to do to get involved is pick up a copy from your local library or bookshop and start reading! If you are a teacher you can sign up your whole class and read the book together in school. Emil made his dramatic debut back in 1929 with the book’s original German publication. Since then the book has been translated into over 60 languages and adapted for the screen half a dozen times. Almost a century on, Emil and the Detectives still causes a stir, with its wry humour, hair-raising plot, and timeless themes of friendship and cooperation. It is an international classic of children’s literature.

How will it work in the Classroom?
Over the last couple of months local Primary Schools have been encouraged to sign up and register interest in Young City Reads. To take part, primary schools have agreed to read Emil and the Detectives in class together between 7 March (World Book Day) – 24 May.

During the project, each participating school will also be sent a weekly e-bulletin or ‘Young City Reads Special’. These bulletins will contain Emil themed quizzes, topics for class discussion and downloadable activities, designed by the City Reads Team to inspire young readers to engage with the book. We’ve also created a fictional ‘Young and Reader Detective Agency’ and some lucky schools will be getting a visit from staff at ‘Young and Reader’ who will be recruiting for young detectives. Pupils will be tested to see if they can work together to decide what it takes to make a good amateur young sleuth!

The cherry on top is the very special closing event for schools, to be hosted by none other than Michael Rosen on 24 May at Brighton Festival. It will be a live interactive event celebrating Emil and the Detectives and is expected to sell out rather quickly.

Here’s what Michael Rosen has to say about Young City Reads: ‘I think it’s wonderful that a whole city is going to read the book at the same time. I think this will build up a great sense of everyone exploring the book together. I think it’ll make more and more people eager to find out what the book is like, and everyone will have ideas about it.’

Laura Hassan, Editorial Director of Vintage Children’s Classics commented “I am not going to say a single word about the dirty rotten thief in the bowler hat, nor about the gang of young super sleuths, nor even about the sizeable cash reward… All I am going to say is that it is terrific that Erich Kästner, the Roald Dahl of Germany, will be being read and enjoyed by Brighton & Hove children. I hope the streets are filled with knowing cries of ‘Password Emil!’”

Sarah Hutchings, Artistic Director, Collected Works CIC, commented, “A key part of the government’s commitment to improving literacy skills for all pupils is in promoting the importance of reading for pleasure. Young City Reads is a project that encourages children to share their enjoyment of literature. There is a power in sharing books and stories together, and the younger we start the more fulfilling our lives will be.”

ADDITIONAL INFO:

Sarah Hutchings, Artistic Director – Collected Works CIC
Email: sarah@collectedworks.co.uk. Tel: 07985 159618

Young City Reads website – www.cityreads.co.uk
Brighton Festival website – www.brightonfestival.org
Vintage Children’s Classics – http://www.vintage-books.co.uk/classics/
Vintage Children’s Classics: World of Stories – www.worldofstories.co.uk

 The edition Brighton & Hove will be reading is:
Emil and the Detectives, ISBN: 9780099572848

 HOW CAN PRIMARY SCHOOLS GET INVOLVED?

• To get involved primary schools need to sign-up to register and simply agree to read Emil and the Detectives together in class between (7 March – 24 May).
• It couldn’t be simpler for schools to register interest. The Class or Head Teacher just needs to complete a sign-up form on the City Reads website at: cityreads.co.uk
• Throughout the project, participating classes will receive FREE weekly e-bulletins (City Reads Specials) which will include short Emil and the Detectives inspired: quizzes, puzzles and activities for pupils to complete during class or at registration.
• Participating schools will also get two video messages from Michael Rosen in which he will talk about why he thinks it is such a great read.
• Those taking part will also get the chance to host a special in-school “Emil” event at their school.

Erich Kästner:

Erich Kästner was born in Dresden in Germany in 1899. Like Emil, Erich was an only child and was devoted to his mother who worked as a hairdresser to supplement the family income. He was drafted into the army in 1917, and the brutality of his experiences made him strongly anti-war. He published Emil and the Detectives in 1928 and Emil and the Three Twins in 1933. The books were extremely popular with young readers, but when Hitler came to power, the books were labelled anti-German and burnt during the infamous bookburnings of 1933, instigated by the then Nazi propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels. Erich Kästner was one of the only authors actually present as his books were tossed on to the flames. During his lifetime Erich Kästner received many awards including the Georg Büchner Prize (1957) and the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Prize (1960). He died in 1974.

 About Vintage Children’s Classics:

VINTAGE CLASSICS has existed since the inception of Vintage in 1990 and is widely seen as the premier twentieth-century classics list in the UK www.vintage-classics.info. VINTAGE CHILDREN’S CLASSICS is a beautiful and affordable series of books intended to inspire and nurture a lifelong love of reading in children and adults alike. The series launched in 2012 with 20 titles and featured perennial favourites such as Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Frances Hodgson-Burnett’s The Secret Garden and Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island alongside much-loved contemporary classics exclusive to Random House including The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John  Boyne. Further titles in the series will launch later this year.

Each beautifully designed volume contains exclusive extra ‘Backstory’ material, including quizzes and family activities and fascinating facts about the books and their authors. The series is accompanied by a dedicated interactive website for children www.worldofstories.co.uk. The website includes fun quizzes, downloads and extra material where children are able to find out more about their favourite characters and stories.