I'm delighted to have a copy of my new picture book, Godfrey is a Frog, in my hands. At first Godfrey is a tadpole - but then he begins to change. Where will the changes end? Will he eventually grow wings and a magic horn? Or will Godfrey stay a boring, old frog for the rest of his life? This is a life-affirming story that also happens to introduce children to the concept of a life-cycle.
GORDON the Meanest Goose on Earth is here! As you can tell from this worn-out advance copy, it's been a hit in my own household. It's been stuffed in a school bag and read at least three times and left on every counter. Get your copy - and look out for Book 2!
And of course, here's The Duck Never Blinks!
Can you make a duck blink?
Probably not.
But you can try, in this irreverent and hilarious staring contest between you and a duck that never, ever blinks.
Do you see that duck over there?
That duck doesn't blink.
Even if you look away then look back real quick.
Even if you tell it a really funny joke!
The Duck Never Blinks will have kids and adults alike bawling with laughter as they spend time with this one very sly duck.
Probably not.
But you can try, in this irreverent and hilarious staring contest between you and a duck that never, ever blinks.
Do you see that duck over there?
That duck doesn't blink.
Even if you look away then look back real quick.
Even if you tell it a really funny joke!
The Duck Never Blinks will have kids and adults alike bawling with laughter as they spend time with this one very sly duck.
RAY! My new book is out! This is such a fun one to read. When night falls and the shadows get longer and darker, Mouse is scared. How will he find his way home? Luckily he meets a firefly who reassures him, 'I'm Ray and I'll light your way.' On their starlit walk, however, it can seem that every shadow is lurking danger. And the meerkat, chickens, frogs and squirrels who join them agree-until Ray flies close with his light and shows what the shadows really are. But sometimes, just sometimes, the shadows might be just what they look like . . .
FOOD FIGHT is out in the world! A fun and funny story about conflict resolution featuring a small grape, a tiny mushroom and The Wise Old Cheese.
More news! Two books are now out in the world since I last updated this. The first is The Trouble with Earth - a book about our planet. But don't worry! It's not a sad book about global warming (I might still write one of those) - it's a book about how absolutely incredible our planet is.
The second book is The Boy Who Sailed the World. Written by Julia Green and illustrated by me. It's a lovely story of a boy who longs for the freedom of the ocean and sets sail across the world. It's based on the adventures of Julia's own son - though in reality, he wasn't five years old when he went. But I quite like the fact that in the book the mother just lets her boy go out into the world. That's what parenting feels like no matter how old one's children get.
FANTASTIC NEWS! Pip and Egg is here! It's been a rough time lately, and Pip and Egg is the ray of sunshine we all need. The story is happy and heartwarming and uplifting - and the illustrations by David Litchfield are bright and detailed- like sparkling jewels. Listen to a lovely chat with David about his process here: https://www.exploringchildrensliterature.uk/podcast/david-litchfield-2/
Order Pip and Egg in the UK here.
