I’ll be back soon with updates on all the fun things that happened in the last few months of 2011.

HAMISH McHAGGIS AND THE GREAT GLASGOW TREASURE HUNT

Once again illustrator Sally J Collins is working her magic!

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‘Working with all of the books to explore themes across the curriculum – any or all of these suggestions could be incorporated into a Scottish topic or a Scotland week

there are also  short ideas for using each individual book in the classroom’

Why not  check them out!

Hamish McHaggis book based teachers’ resources

Hamish McHaggis, himself will be there to cheer Jack and Jim off on their first run!

 

One in six run | National Literacy Trust

www.literacytrust.org.uk

The National Literacy Trust is a UK charity that changes lives through literacy. We have a vision of a society in which everyone has the reading, writing, speaking and listening skills that they need to fulfil their own and, ultimately, the nation’s potential.

Jack Sallabank and Jim Sells will run 160 miles, over 10 days, during October 2011.Each day Jack and Jim will run 16 miles in a different region of Britain. The 15th mile of each leg will take them to a primary school where they will deliver a fun literacy session and lead the children, and a local or national celebrity, on the final mile of the day. Schools can use this as an opportunity to raise funds for the National Literacy Trust. 

The run will commence on Monday 3 October 2011 and will take 10 days. You can sponsor Jack and Jim through a Justgiving page -  www.justgiving.com/1in6/, or though JustTextGiving, by texting READ16 to 70070.

There will be a chance to hear Hamish McHaggis stories and meet Hamish himself and there are lots of other fun activities.  Three other authors will be there, too Franzeska Ewart, Maggi Gibson and Frank Rodgers and we will all be reading from our books and taking part in interactive  events. There are also Bookbug sessions for tinies and other fun things going on, too. You can visit Little Turnberry Farm and go on a Woodland Treasure Hunt – in what looks like being a great day out!

‘In partnership with The Herald and Scottish Book Trust, four of Scotland’s renowned children’s authors will be offering interactive sessions and readings from a selection of their books.  The event will also feature four Book Bug sessions, supported by Scottish Book Trust.  Books by each author will be available for sale.’

more information can be found here  -

Children’s family book day at Turnberry

This very morning the first copies of my latest book, a Collins Big Cat Phonics book arrived.

This is what it looks like!

It is the story of a little beetle who likes to sing (but is not very good at it!) When the other little beetles send her away she is almost eaten by Harry the mouse.  But Poppy does something very brave and rescues him from sneaky Jake the snake. So they become friends instead and share their love of singing- even though neither of them can sing very well!

You can find out more about the book or buy it- here

I love the fact that the green leafy city centre garden is transformed into a quite magical world of books in August every year, and a little like Brig o’ Doon it vanishes again soon after!

I am delighted that I have been invited again this year.  Below are some of the details of my events at the Book Festival.

If you are around come and say hello.

On Thursday 18th August 2011 – 5.30pm

Along with other writers, I will be reading as part of the Amnesty International Imprisoned Writers series

Friday 19th August 2011 5.00pm

I will be talking about the research I did for SPIDER and DEAD BOY TALKING

(This event is to be chaired by Philip Ardagh – I am really looking forward to that!)

On Friday 26th August 2011 – 11am

I will be running a writing workshop-

Making it as a Children’s writer

(THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT)

and finally, as part of the

Edinburgh International Book Festival Schools programme

I will be speaking to primary school children  about  Hamish McHaggis and friends on 30th  August 2011.
This is on the Schools Gala Day

( NB -The Book Festival is closed to the general public on 30th August)

Here is Hamish at a previous festival appearance, with the fabulous staff in the Author’s Yurt I wonder -did he need an author pass to get in ???)

Do come along and say hello!

The fair is on all weekend Saturday and Sunday (6th and 7th August) and has all sorts of amazing entertainment for all ages.  It sounds like it will be a great weekend.

It is also almost time for the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Back soon with more details of my events at the Edbookfest!

ABBA LITFEST

This, the first-ever online children’s book festival has been a huge success and the best news of all is that it is still going on at ABBA the AWFULLY BIG BLOG ADVENTURE

Over the weekend there were 40 blog posts a variety of  videos, fascinating blogs and competitions, some of which are still running until 20th July, so get on down there and win yourself a book or book-related goodies!

Cathy MacPhail and I got together to produce a video see below, (that was a first for both of us!) chatting about the fabulous week we enjoyed as tutors on an ARVON Foundation writing course Writing for Children .

Linda Strachan and Cathy MacPhail on Arvon Writing Course

Don’t miss
John Dougherty’sfabulous musical tribute to ABBA.  So get on down there and be a part of the latest Awfully big blog adventure.

A huge vote of thanks to the hardworking authors who made it such a success, Elen Caldecott,  Sam Mills and Lucy Coats.

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