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Image 4This large and impressive looking book is full of surprises and I have spent simply ages finding out so many different aspects about art and being an artist.

It starts with the introduction to five professors and their talents, then goes to the 40 lessons to explore new and different ways to make your own creative work.

There are loads of activities to look at flat shapes and three dimensional, patterns and colours…

There is a section, for instance on repetition and rhythm in art, making patterns that are aesthetically pleasing. I loved the section on experimentation and being creative.

Written by Teal Triggs illustrated by Daniel Frost, published by Wide Eyed Editions

This book is well worth the money, it isn't expensive at £14.99 and would make an excellent present, be a great book in school, for the art room or the library and in the home bookshelf.

But don't be surprised if it spends more time on the coffee table than on the shelves!

Sue Martin Dolphin Booksellers - Best 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.


Image 2A West African Folk Tale which has been retold by Eric Maddern and illustrated by Frane Lessac.

An intriguing West African creation myth looking at the question of why some people are black and some are white, and others different shades?

The ' first spirit people' who found that they were lonely decided to solve their loneliness by filling the earth with children of all colours under the sun.

' Now the spirit people breathed life into the fire children. One by one they awoke, yawned, stretched and opened their eyes, just like children waking up in the morning. Then they stood up and went off to play.'

Frances Lincoln have published another good title which will compliment school libraries and your collection at home too.

Sue Martin – Dolphin Booksellers, The Best in Children's Books 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.


Image 2Peggy's family is hosting a barbecue for their neighbours, the Dawsons. Peggy is not sure about the Dawson boys but she is delighted with the unexpected arrival of a crocodile.

What an unfortunate habit though of eating the guests!!

This book is brilliant, the story just leads you on into the world of a very polite but yet hungry crocodile. The illustrations are a real joy of the book, simply drawn yet captivating, especially the expressions.

Kim Kane has been short listed for many awards and now lives in Melbourne,Australia and this partnership with Sara Acton, is one to watch.

Sara lives near a beach in Sydney, just how awesome is that! From there she writes and draws in her studio for children's books.

The Unexpected Crocodile is published by Allen and Unwin, and is part of their excellent portfolio of children's books.

It can be purchased on line and if you buy through Dolphin Booksellers, we will donate 10% to Kalpana finding a home again in Nepal.

Sue Martin Dolphin Booksellers and Books Go Walkabout


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.


Image 1A wonderful revision of the Arabel and Mortimer Series written by Joan Aiken and illustrated by Quentin Blake has just been reissued by Frances Lincoln Children's Books.Arabel's Raven is the first story in the series. Mr Jones takes home a bedraggled raven who becomes his daughter's best friend. Together they form a real bond and adventures are numerous with thefts and a robber's quarrel entwined in the story.

The books are wonderfully illustrated by Quentin Blake and bring the characters to life in the most amusing ways. Who else could draw a girl and a raven with saucepans on their heads and make them look totally natural?

A great series and the new release is sure to bring well loved characters back to life. The stories are for sharing and also for reading alone for 6 yrs old and onwards.

Sue Martin Dolphin Booksellers - the best in children's books always on line, buy this book for £4.99 through Dolphin Books(via Amazon)


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.


Image 2Kate Grenville was in conversation at the Australia and NZ Festival of Literature and Arts in London on Saturday 30th May.

Her new book One Life, has just been published with Cannongate. It is the story about her mother Nance, born in 1912 in New South Wales. A remarkable story, not because Nance became famous or wealthy but the story is about a woman growing up in a harsh family, in Australia in the 1920's and onwards.

After training as a pharmacist, she went to work in a local chemist and learnt much more about life than dispensing drugs.

Kate Grenville has a remarkable way of telling a story and after a few minutes of conversations and readings from One Life, it felt that we knew this woman Nance, her character of directness and ambition, to do all she could to make the most of life. As a young girl this was not easy at that time, but her determination was unstoppable!

It was a schoolteacher who changed her life and Mr Crisp, left her with a love of literature. Nance instilled in Kate a love of words, Nance had poetry in her mind and was able to deliver apposite quotes just when needed.

This was an amazing chance to listen to Kate Grenville and also hear about the very special book, The Secret River. Image 1

So now to read the book, One Life, from the opening pages it will be a book that will be hard to put down.

Check out the website for further conversations and adventures at the Australia and New Zealand Festival with lots of exciting authors.

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.


Image 2What a great book! By Beverley Naidoo and Piet Grobler.

Ten brilliant stories from across Africa with illustrations throughout that give a real feel for the story even before you read the words.

There's a Zulu tale called, Unanana and One Tusk about a woman who looks after her children on her own and a very angry elephant. A Shona tale from Zimbabwe about a mouse in a house, a Luo tale from Kenya about a hippo that has no hair.

Stories which are set in the past and like folk lore are rooted in past lives and a time when stories were for sharing.

This makes a great book for reading aloud and if you are thinking about folk tales and stories from Africa, it is ideal.

Written by Beverly Naidoo and published by Frances Lincoln and recommended by Dolphin Booksellers.

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.


Buy this book from Amazon.co.uk

When Jonathan Toomey gruffly agrees to make a set of nativity figures the heart warming Christmas miracle begins.

Happy Christmas

Sue Martin

 

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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.


IbbY uk - 21st Annual IBBY UK/NCRCL

MA Conference, University of Roehampton, Saturday 8th November 2014

'Belonging is...an exploration of the right to be included and the barriers that must be overcome'

Something that is deep inside us all is the need to belong, to belong to our family, to belong to a group of friends, to belong to the places that we are part of in our work and free time.

A good theme for the conference and met with enthusiasm by all present.

The topics ranged from inclusivity and diversity, against the need for publishers commercial concerns,.

It was really interesting to hear about The International Conference held in Mexico this year. Pam Dix, the chair of iBbY UK, and other members who attended the Congres International de IBBY gave a wonderful account of the global dimensions and international development in children's books and the need to pursue an agenda of translation.

Image 3 Alexandra Strick, from Inclusive Minds encouraged others to join their collective and share ways of enabling inclusivity and the creation of characters with needs being just part of the story rather than being a stereotype of special needs.

Julia Hope, who has carried out a great deal of research on refugees in the primary classroom, gave a brilliant account and gave examples of children's books which are fundamental to the story and narrative of refugees. These included; The Silver Sword by Ian Serrailer, When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr and Waiting for Anya by Michael Morpurgo.

Always a good day with time for reflection and thoughts about the role and immense importance of children's literature.

Sue Martin - Books Go Walkabout and Dolphin Booksellers

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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.


Four great new titles from the publisher Frances Lincoln this month.Image 5

Beautifully created with thought and care, they all make splendid additions to your bookshelf at home or to the library.

Image 2The Magic Bojabi Tree by Dianne Hofmeyer and Piet Grobler.

Folktales from Africa.

'Python has wrapped himself around the melon/mango/pomegranate tree with its delicious fruit, and he won't share the fruit unless the animals can tell him the correct name of the tree. Elephant, Monkey and Zebra each in turn visit Lion, who alone knows the name of the tree...'

My Life as a Goldfish and other poems
by Rachel Rooney.

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I just love the title and it is excellent for jokes, rhymes and surprises.

'A monster’s lunch, a wolf boy, Monday mornings, monkeys, headlice, Christmas, making friends, goldfish – and lots more. Full of jokes, surprises and puzzles, but also sensitive and thought-provoking, this is a spellbinding new collection from the winner of the CLPE Poetry Award...'

 

Image 4How the Library Saved Rapunzel by Wendy Meddour (and illustrated by Rebecca Ashdown)

Living on the 16th floor, the only thing that saves Rapunzel is the work in the library.

'Rapunzel sits on the sixteenth floor of an inner city block, bored, dreaming and looking out at the rain.  No one can rouse her from her apathy, not the milkman or the postman or the baker or her aunt – or even the prince. But when at last a letter is delivered, it contains news that has Rapunzel on her feet again. She has a new job at the library! And suddenly her life is busy, sparkling, exciting and stimulating...'

 

Unos, Dos, Tres, by Yanitzia Canetti and illustrated by Patrice AggsImage 3

This is a beautiful collection of Spanish words and phrases.

"Simple songs and rhymes are an excellent way to familiarise young children with another language. Uno Dos Tres a collection of 25 traditional nursery rhymes, is a delightful way to introduce Spanish. An illustrated vocabulary features simple words and phrases that are easy to learn and that can be used in games or everyday life. Children are encouraged to repeat the phrases and sing along with the rhymes, and the included CD lets them know how both should sound..."

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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.


IMG 9918In 2014, there were three exceptional librarians on the Honours List and we were pleased to be able to attend the ceremony held by the Schools Library Association.

This year Liz Millett, Teaching Assistant/Library Co-ordinator at Weatherfield Academy, Dunstable, has been awarded the honour of the SLA School Librarian of the Year 2014 at a celebration at the Hotel Russell in London on 6 October. Award-winning author and artist Chris Riddell (Macmillan Children’s Books) presented her with the award.

Weatherfield Academy is a special school for students aged 7 to 19 with Moderate Learning Difficulties and additional complex needs. There are 117 pupils in the school with 52% attracting Pupil Premium funding and entitled to free school meals and 32% in social care. Much of the curriculum is aimed at giving students lifelong skills. In 2009 a room was adapted for the library and Liz Millett took on the job of developing it. The pupils make good levels of progress, as judged by Ofsted in 2013.

Liz says “My aim is to increase their pleasure from reading whatever level they are at to make sure they are not frightened by books or put off them, so that they will come to see reading as something they will always have for themselves.”

To read more about Liz go to: http://www.sla.org.uk/liz-millett.php

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

dolphinrt.jpg


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.