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Imagine 30 children in a village school on an October afternoon, enthralled, listening and just wanting to hear the end of the tale.

For a whole hour the children in years 4, 5 and 6 at Babraham Cof E Primary School near Cambridge, sat and listened to Jackie and watched these wonderful pictures developing into a whole world of dragons, cake eating dragons, dragons made from the sun and the stars and tiny dragons with whisper thin wings.

"In their own drawings, their imaginations were sparked with fire as the dragon came to life, tails made of flowers, to dragons with spikes and claws whose tails curled round and round in spiraling circles".

By the end of the afternoon, neither the children or the teachers were in any hurry to leave, eagerly looking at the books of Jackie's we had brought.

Tell Me a Dragon(published by Frances Lincoln ) was in print from last year, the images and the story are just beautiful. The latest book from  Jackie Morris is The Ice Bear, look no further for an inspiring book as a present.

We are really looking forward to working with Jackie again. Enabling her to share with children in schools, so they can be inspired first hand is worth so much, apart from being a magical moment which both the children and staff will remember.

Dolphin Booksellers , part of SmithMartin Partnership LLP broadening horizons and widening imaginations. Sue Martin


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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Two people have been awarded the honour of SLA School Librarian of the Year.

At the celebration on 4th October in London, M.G. Harris , author of  The Joshua Files presented the awards to;

Kevin Sheehan from Offerton School in Stockport and Duncan Wright from Stewart's Melville College in Edinburgh.

Ginette Doyle, Chair of the Selection committee and Chair of the School Library Association said: “Kevin and Duncan come from two completely different schools. Kevin’s school has a higher than average learning support register and more pupils eligible for free school meals than normal. He makes his library fun; he goes beyond the book to entice pupils in and demands that they respect the space so that it has become highly valued.

Duncan’s school is more academic and he has ensured that the information literacy ladder he helped to devise is at the heart of lessons, but he too, makes the Library a fun place to be and engages disaffected readers with his enthusiasm for other things than just the Library. Two exceptional librarians, working in different ways to bring their libraries into the heart of the school and learning, we could not decide between them. They are not joint winners, but each deserves the accolade of SLA School Librarian of the Year.

The SLA School Librarian of the Year Award celebrates the essential work that school librarians are doing at a time when school libraries are being closed at an alarming rate.

We were impressed by the passion and dedication of the librarians we visited and the innovative and inspirational ways in which they bring books and an enthusiasm for learning into the heart of the school and into the lives of children. We had a hard job selecting a short list and feel that everyone on the Honour list should be celebrated.”

The Honour List:
Sue Bastone – Licensed Victuallers’ School, Ascot
Rebecca Jones – Malvern St James, Worcestershire
Shiona Lawson – Rothesay Academy, Isle of Bute
Denise Reed – Hurst Prep School, Hurstpierpoint, Sussex

You can find profiles of the six librarians are on the School Library Association website.

Dolphin Booksellers were pleased to support SLA both in their work and by attending the event.

Sue Martin


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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treeThis really captured our imagination at at a time when schools are about to go through further changes.
Could be just the opportunity to see if a Forest School could be the way forward for children to experience the joy of experiential learning in an outdoor environment. It can be true release from the confines of the classroom which many young people find claustrophobic and not conducive to learning.

A recent tv programme has taken a group of boys to outside challenging environments and the success was amazing. Not just for the actual learning but for the desire to find out more.

The Forest Schools Website, full of information gives the following outline.

The philosophy of Forest Schools is to encourage and inspire individuals of any age through positive outdoor experiences

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'Forest Schools is an innovative educational approach to outdoor learning. The philosophy of Forest Schools is to encourage and inspire individuals of any age through positive outdoor experiences. '

Forest Schools has demonstrated success with children of all ages who visit the same local woodlands on a regular basis and through play, who have the opportunity to learn about the natural environment, how to handle risks and most importantly to use their own initiative to solve problems and co-operate with others. Forest School Programmes run throughout the year, for about 36 weeks, going to the woods in all weathers (except for high winds). Children use full sized tools, play, learn boundaries of behaviour; both physical and social, establish and grow in confidence, self-esteem and become self motivated.

Definitely worth checking out, we have just heard of a nursery who is starting on the scheme and would love to be there with them as they journey into the woods.
We have been involved in an organisation called Woodland Ways for some time and place great value on the inspiration and satisfaction from woods in both rural and urban areas.

Sue Martin -SmithMartin Partnership LLP - creating futures, enabling imaginations


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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Ice bJackie Morris's latest book The Ice Bear is newly in print this month with Frances Lincoln.

' When the great bear wakes in her ice den to find that one of her two cubs has been taken, she holds the second close, but she never forgets her lost child.'

Set in the pristine polar regions of the Arctic, this is a beautiful story with illustrations that are just amazingly powerful.
It brings emotions to the surface, and is a reminder of our responsibility to the world's animals and wildlife. Polar bears, for instance, can show us the best ways to use natural resources, even in the wildest of places like the Arctic.

hareJackie also has exhibitions across the country. Imagine Gallery at Long Melford in Suffolk is currently holding an exhibition of illustrations including cheetahs and the contemplative White Hare.

In October Dolphin Booksellers are hosting and sponsoring an event in Cambridge with Jackie at Babraham C.of E. Primary School. Young children learning, creating and using illustrations and books to fire imaginations.

You can see Jackie's books and illustrations, plus cards to buy on her website. It's definitely worth a visit.

Sue Martin
Dolphin Booksellers – information and 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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The National Literacy Trust will have a fringe presentation at the political party conferences this autumn.

After a summer of cuts it's time to ensure that literacy stays firmly on the agenda as a priority for the coalition and all parties.

From work at the local level, with children and families both at school and in communities, reading is not just the way to success but fundamentally has the power to change lives. Children can find another world beyond their own, or read about children with the same issues as themselves. Finding out can be the biggest adventure.

Now that digital access to reading and information is creating a new dimension, what better way to promote reading. True especially for boys, although I think just the same can be said for girls!!

Try the Kindle through Dolphin Booksellers and get started reading, not only is it good value but young people love it!

csAt Dolphin Booksellers our project, called City Stories brings long term benefit to children and families, more than just a one off event but enabling a sustainable way for young people and organisations to continue the project for themselves.

For more information on the party conferences link to literacy follow the National Literacy Trust Home page.

If you would like to talk about a City Stories Event please contact Dolphin Booksellers . Always on line and ready to help.

Sue Martin

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.


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70 years of Puffin Books – what an amazing feat!! And celebrated by the opening of an exhibition at Seven Stories, Newcastle featuring a whole host of brilliant authors and illustrators.

This is an exhibition about everyone's childhood reading, whichever generation is yours, you can find books that will take you straight back to your own memories. As we approached Stig of the Dump's Cave I touched the Stig type clothes, someone next to me said'
'I'm not going in there! I always worried about the smoke from Stig's fire.'

Mr Big is there with his piano and author Ed Vere is delighted to be in the exhibition,
“ It’s a real honour for me to be part of Puffin’s 70th birthday celebrations and this wonderful exhibition.”

A real gem of the exhibition has to be the Kaye Webb Collection . Kaye was the second editor at Puffin and much of her work inspired the addition of so many titles and new authors and illustrators.
Along with her complete archive of children's books, which was the first major purchase of Seven Stories, there are letters written to authors and friends. Written on the old style type writer and with a soft way of expression, they make enchanting reading, especially when there is the odd correction, crossed out and over written.

There are some very modern ways too of interacting with characters, The Borrowers , by Mary Norton is well worth stopping at, just past the grandfather clock..... thanks to the team at Newcastle University for providing support.

If you are in Newcastle, then do visit the exhibition and Seven Stories, its just up from the Quayside and make sure you get to find the little boat in the Ouseburn.....

And even if you can't get to Seven Stories in Newcastle on Tyne, you can still take part.

Everyone has a favourite place to read. In a comfy chair, on a bus, up a tree... It could be anywhere! Email Seven Stories a picture of you reading in your favourite spot and you can be on the super screen in the exhibition too!

Sue Martin at Dolphin Booksellers - information and 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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ifIfeoma Onyefulu has just returned from Washington. She was a huge success and her books about life in Africa, illustrated with wonderful photographs were extremely popular.

Her book Welcome Dede! was part of play reading session at Washington Covention Centre , with a number of other well known authors.The session brought the books to life as the play scripts were directly from the books and written by the authors.

This is a great way to bring two huge continents of Africa and America together. There is much we can all learn from different ways of life, not least of which is that families have great similarities. Their values, hopes and dreams for their children are about living a great life with friends, family. Having time to share, to laugh and to love and to make the best of opportunities.

Another of Ifeoma's books, The Girl Who Married a Ghost, also published by Frances Lincoln has also had a recent great review by Gwen Grant on Armadillo, the on-line magazine. It is a series of tales from Nigeria with amazing titles and fascinating stories and as it says in the review'

girl
“As soon as I began reading the introduction to this book, I was sitting down, crossing my legs and hunching up closer to the story teller for whilst these ten stories in The Girl Who Married a Ghost are spiky, scary and funny, the ghosts are some of the scariest I have ever met. “

Gwen Grant

Dolphin Booksellers has titles from Ifeoma available - information and great books always available 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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Ifeoma is a well known writer of children's books, using her photographs and text bringing family and community life in Africa into the western world.

At the end of June in 2010 Ifeoma is visiting Washington DC.

On 26th June she will be performing at the Washington Convention Center a play reading of one of her best loved books, Welcome Dede, a beautifully illustrated book of the naming of Dede by all the community.

af artOn 27th June she will delivering one of her exciting, interactive workshops at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Arts.

(Image from Playtime at National Museum of African Arts).

A great accolade for a great writer and illustrator.

Ifeoma's books and gallery are available to view and to buy and there is also a US version of her website, where US visitors to the site can purchase Ifeoma's books from Amazon.com

This is part of Ifeoma's programme about portraying Africa as a place full of colour, life and vibrancy and bringing this to America. Breaking down barriers, making bridges, encouraging communication and interest.

There are organisations that are already active in this endeavour, the Africa- America Institute , which has a programme to help in education and training and the site  America .gov which promotes partnership for peace and prosperity.

At Dolphin Booksellers we are delighted to support Ifeoma in her visit to Washington and will update you on this blog just as soon as the photos arrive.

Dolphin Booksellers - great books and information, 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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ssOn the very top floor in the attic of Seven Stories, a group of people gathered to listen with excitement to the announcement of the Frances Lincoln Diverse Voices Book Award. Set within a roof space of sturdy beams, interlocked together from the industrial past of this amazing building beside the canal, the atmosphere was wonderfully friendly with an electric buzz waiting to find out which book and which author had won.

' And the winner is....

Tom Avery for Too Much Trouble

A story of two brothers, Emmanuel and Prince. Emmanuel tells his story as he looks back on how events led to him holding a gun to a man's head. The boys are forced to live on hand outs as their drug dealer uncle says they are too much trouble. They make an art of being unnoticed. But when they are forced to look after themselves they end up in a life of crime from which Emmanuel can see no way out.

ss teamShort listed for the prize were, Remi Oyedele for Goal Dreams, Sue Stern for Rafi Brown and the Candy Floss Kid and Karon Alderman for Story Thief.

The judges were made up of a panel including the team at Seven Stories and they said that they had some excellent entries in this second year of the award.

The award was announced by John Nichol, Managing Director at Frances Lincoln and Janetta Otter Barry, said that she is looking forward to working with Tom on the future publishing of the book.

Our team from Dolphin Booksellers were delighted to be at the event and look forward to the publication of Too Much Trouble.

Dolphin Booksellers for information and 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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dvThe winner of the Frances Lincoln Diverse Voices Children's Book Award for 2010 will be announced on Tuesday 8th June 2010 at Seven Stories in Newcastle upon Tyne .

Frances Lincoln Ltd, the award winning publisher, and Seven Stories, the Centre for Children's Books, set up the award in memory of Frances Lincoln(1945- 2001).
It encourages and promotes diversity in children's fiction.

From role models to different cultures and groups, it values the need for all children to be able to find themselves in a book and to widen horizons and aspirations.

Last year, 2009, Cristy Burne was the successful winner of the award for Takeshita Demons , a great start and an amazingly brilliant adventure story.

td“ The demons are all real: Western cultures have vampires and werewolves and witches, Japanese people have kappa and oni and tengu. “ Says Cristy, who has now had the story published by Frances Lincoln in an amazingly colourful and vibrant book.

We were pleased to be invited to the Diverse Voices Children's Book Award, watch this space to find out the winner for 2010.

Dolphin Booksellers bringing you the best in children's books and information. Add this blog to your RSS feeds.


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.