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ADThe season of Book Fairs has arrived! Last week Bologna Children's Book Fair, where record numbers were expected. This week we have Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates.

What an incredible place to visit.

On the edge of the Arabian Gulf and peninsula Abu Dhabi is a cosmopolitan city, with a modern outlook and a long cultural history. There are beaches, souks, parks, museums and galleries.

The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair is in its 22nd year and the country for focus this year is the UK.

There's much happening and a strong emphasis on children's literacy and education. From the Tales of Arabia to modern stories, from ezone to illustrators corner we are looking forward to keeping in touch through the blog.

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At the centre of several major places in the world and a travel hub for transworld flights the Book Fair is an easy place to get to. Abu Dhabi International Book Fair - a must for keen book enthusiasts and travellers.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Sue Martin

Dolphin Books - the best in children's books always on line


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


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I wondered why I had decided to to travel to Kew to spend an afternoon at The National Archives.

Not normally for me to be interested in row upon row of carefully sealed shelves and files containing invaluable documents and manuscripts.

The London branch of The School Library Association had planned the day and it was fantastic!

One hundred and ten miles of carefully sealed shelves, only ever to be touched by the white gloves....we looked at maps of the 1600's and the invasion of Caribbean islands, beautifully painted in water colour.

In the Education Room we studied a document which, after a Dan Brown type of investigation turned out to be a police report about two suffragettes burning a hotel in Felixstowe.

Lots of resources and an incredible website, where material can be downloaded(good plan to mention The National Archives) and can be a real bonus for research and for collecting more information. Excellent for schools and for anyone ready to learn.

Sue Martin

Dolphin Booksellers the best in children's books always on line


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


"We have a list too and your name is on it..."

gadThe graffiti messages for Ben Harvester as he is followed by bad forces to his home. Ben has joined the Ministry of Pandemonium and along with Becky and Mr October rushes to the scene as people die. It's Ben and Becky's job to guide their souls on before the enemy gets in first.

Great stories and a real page turner. A 'not put downable' book until finished!

Second in a series of Ministry of Pandemonium books by Chris Westwood, published by Frances Lincoln, about an alternative and secret London. Chris has written children's books that have been in the limelight for many awards and is considered for film options with Steven Spielberg for his books, Calling All Monsters.

But try this book, if you are not too scared and want to find out which is the most difficult for Ben...meeting gruesome soul stealers or meeting his Mum's new boyfriend?

New, out on March 1st - be there!

Sue Martin

Dolphin Booksellers - The best in children's books, always on line


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


hhhWhat makes you so angry that you could scream!!

For Lilah May it's about whatever is happening to her very best friend Bindi, why is she behaving so madly? The love of her life, Adam Carter is apparently having nothing to do with her!! Is the whole world coming to an end?

Author Vanessa Curtis has another winning book following from The Taming of Lilah May in this latest book, Lilah May's Manic Days,  a new title published by Frances Lincoln.

Edgy, sparky and just the book to read when you are convinced that anyone older is absolutely out of the ark.

 

Great cover too...I'm now on to read her other books, Zelah Green and Queen of Clean.

You can buy the book through Dolphin Booksellers- the best in children's books always on line.


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


war horse

 

War Horse, that amazing book written by Michael Morpurgo, and dramatised in the West End at the New London Theatre will shortly be available at the movies.

 

Steven Spielberg's latest film production, War Horse, is opening at cinemas on January 13th. It has already been acclaimed for its powerful and thought provoking message.

With a great line up of actors, including Benedict Cumberbatch, Emily Watson and Peter Mullen, and over 200 horses, trained by Bobby Lovgren the film shows the story of the relationship between a boy and a horse.

But yet, there is so much more.... more than a million horses were sent to the front during the first World War,only 62,000 returned. The horse, Joey,is taken through so many different places and into such horrendous situations. It is a tale of endurance, courage and the pitiful way that war treats humans and animals alike.

There are many newspaper editorials, but try The Observer or The Guardian for some extra information.

A remarkable film, an outstanding theatre production and an even better story, written and developed by Michael Morpurgo.

See you at the movies

Sue Martin

You can buy the book through Dolphin Booksellers- the best in children's books always on line


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


 

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How many books are under the Christmas tree this year?

Hiding in the wrapping paper, tied up with ribbon, stories about to be read and information about to be learned.

There is something about the unwrapping, the excitement, the mystery unfolding....

 

Image courtesy of Little Tiger Press

Hope you too have at least one book in your presents this year.

with our very best wishes for a

Wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year

Dolphin Booksellers


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


bb

 

Changes and new style! The Dolphin Booksellers website is having a 'make over'!

There's a moving gallery of new titles for the month, easier ways of buying books and a whole range of titles available through our link to Amazon.But we are about more than just selling books. The site will show how you can find information about reading, literacy and many projects that are 'out there', to enable children to have fun reading. That's what we're about....broadening horizons, bringing good books to children and using technology to enable stories to be read anywhere.

Look at our Amazon link button, useful torch for the book in the sleeping bag. And a kindle, of course would have it's own light to read with!

Let us know what you think and especially how easy you find buying a book.

Dolphin Booksellers - the best in children's books, always on line.


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


bgwBooks go Walkabout

Stories the world over...

Children and authors using exciting technology to talk across the globe.

Next trip underway between Australia and the UK. Meetings planned with schools and classes of children. Great letters came back from 4D in Balgowlah Heights to Ifeoma Onyefulu,and letters to Lindy Batchelor in Sydney from Babraham Primary School. See them now on Books Go Walkabout.

We are meeting with authors in Australia and the UK in the next few weeks,to build those bridges and bring more books and stories to children from all over.

In Nigeria, children anxious to get hold of books, we can just make that happen and in an inexpensive way too.

Keep in touch with the project Books Go Walkabout, maybe there are some links you would like to make.

Sue Martin

Dolphin Booksellers - The Best in children's books always on line.


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


gr

 

Don't tell me, we really should be thinking about books for Christmas.

Grace at Christmas by Mary Hoffman, is a good way to start. Published by Frances Lincoln it's a story of Grace and her plans before Christmas, including the cat playing the part of all the animals in the Nativity.

 

 

So the introduction of Savannah and her aunt who couldn't make the trip back to Jamaica in time had a few problems that made Grace think.

But she shared her home, her bedroom and even all her plans too.

A beautiful book with wonderful illustrations by Cornelius van Wright.

Sue Martin

Dolphin Booksellers - the best in children's books always on line


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.


ifA workshop with travels from Westacre to West Africa with Ifeoma Onyefulu, Saturday October 29th.

We are working with the Westacre Theatre Company in West Norfolk on an afternoon of fun, learning and adventure. We will be exploring how to write children books and play African instruments.

Ifeoma travels across Africa and you can follow her stories on her website, Ifeomaonyefulu.co.uk . This is a great opportunity for children in a rural village to look beyond and find out about a different world.

See Ifeoma's catalogue on Amazon here. Great books anytime.

Dolphin Booksellers- the best in children's books - always on line


Dolphinbooksellers.co.uk is part of SmithMartin LLP

A retail resource for the best children's books, entry point into our children's and community library procurement and supply service. Offering a miscellany of news and featured authors for all our readers, whatever their age.