Available in bookshops nationwide.
Flights of fancy gathers the first ten British Children’s Laureates together to celebrate their contribution to children’s literature. It shares their wisdom, inspires a new generation of storytellers and is full of imaginative delight.
The Children’s Laureates are all household names and this book is a fascinating insight into their creative process. It contains lots of practical information such as Jacqueline Wilson’s advice for plot development, and Malorie Blackman’s prompts to deepen creative language.
I guarantee that teachers and parents will learn something new in the process too. We loved reading about Quentin Blake’s different writing quills! More importantly, it is full of whimsy and possibilities. There are many ideas for budding authors and illustrators to get started on their own story telling adventures.
Each contributor shares an original example of their work alongside their wisdom and creative prompts. There is something for everyone – doodles, illustrations, writing samples, poetry and even a play to act out. The structure of the book is designed to be ‘dipped into’ when in need of inspiration.
This book is a wonderful compilation of our favourite children’s writers and illustrators and it will be a great boredom-buster for older children who will be inspired to tell their own stories in their own way.
Reviewed by Sara Croft
Flights of fancy: Stories, pictures and inspiration from ten Children’s Laureates
Introduction by Michael Morpurgo
Published by Walker Books
ISBN 9781406387858
What happens when your life doesn’t look the way you imagined it? Many of us face this challenge at some point during our lives – something unexpected happens and alters us, changes our view on life and what we do within it in a way that can never be undone, even if we want it to be.
I grew up never worrying the power was going to be cut off, never worried about rent. Brianna lives in a poor suburb, and her mum has lost her job, which sees the gas, the electricity and the rent in arrears. My life up to age 16 is about as different from Brianna’s as it is possible to be. That is why I read, and why I have always read widely.
One girl’s epic journey across France with her flock of Toulouse geese amid the terror and chaos of World War One is the subject matter of this debut novel by Rowena House.
A few years ago, Rachael Craw captivated me with her excellent Spark trilogy. Now, in November, she returns with her new young adult novel, The Rift. Taking us on a new journey, to an island inhabited by a mysterious herd of deer, deer which hold the cure for any ailment. These deer must be carefully managed, and conserved, both for their safety and the safety of their world.
This wonderfully written tale marks the return of New Zealand author Sherryl Jordan to the historic fiction market. Set in a country inspired by Italy, it encompasses two realms: one ruled by a generous and benevolent duke, the other by a cruel prince.
Cat does not want feather boas, nor pink shoelaces or a pompom on a stick and although she ate every oily silver morsel of fish, Cat is searching for something much more precious. So Maya sets out with Cat in tow to knock on doors to see if one holds what Cat is seeking.
Stevie and Hafiz are two fourteen-year-olds from very different backgrounds. Stevie is a talented guitarist who is passionate about music – but she has a difficult home life, living with the challenges of her mother’s unemployment and crippling depression after the recent death of Stevie’s father. Hafiz is a gifted footballer, new to England after a gruelling journey on his own from his war-torn home in Syria, desperately missing his parents. The one thing Steve and Hafiz have in common is that both of them are struggling to fit in at school – until they find each other.
What a fascinating read this is. Mia and her family are immigrants to the US from China, and this is the story of their American dream and how against all odds they actually realised it.
Cat does not want feather boas, nor pink shoelaces or a pompom on a stick and although she ate every oily silver morsel of fish, Cat is searching for something much more precious. So Maya sets out with Cat in tow to knock on doors to see if one holds what Cat is seeking.
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