8.4.15

A ROUND-UP OF RECENT EVENTS...

Hello all! Here's a quick round-up of my news from the past couple of weeks…

 First up was the awards ceremony for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize, held on 26th March. It was a great event - really lovely to meet everyone at Waterstones & celebrate all the shortlisted books. Big congrats goes to the winner Rob Biddulph for his book 'Blown Away'! Unfortunately I was too busy clutching a glass of prosecco most of the night to take any photos, but here's a few I managed to collect afterwards:

All the shortlisted books on display at Waterstones Piccadilly

The children's book category, featuring 'Atlas of Adventures'!

Rachel and I with all the other shortlisted authors & illustrators


Next, my trip to Bologna! Last week me and my good pal Helen Hancocks travelled to Italy for the annual Bologna Children's Book Fair. It was my first time at the fair, and (after the initial shock of just how HUGE it is) it was great to immerse myself in so many wonderful children's books and illustration from around the world. Here are some of my photos from throughout the week…

Arriving at the fair / Helen pondering the jam-packed 'Illustrator's Wall' / lovely exhibition by Catarina Sobral, winner of the 2014 International Award for Illustration

Fab new books at the Wide Eyed Editions stand!

A day of sightseeing: climbing Bologna's landmark Asinelli Tower / the view from the top / a rejuvenating spritz (plus Helen's lethal gin cocktail) / Piazza Maggiore / Bologna's hidden canal on Via Piella (the 'mini' Venice)

The amazing Libreria Per Ragazzi in the centre of Bologna - a whole shop devoted to children's books! / spotted inside: Helen's first book 'Penguin in Peril', and the Italian version of 'Atlas of Adventures'


Some of my Bologna Book Fair purchases, including books from two of my new favourite publishers Planeta Tangerina (Portugal) & Topipittori (Italy) / a selection of great patterned endpapers by Élisa Géhin, Bernardo Carvalho and Olga Capdevila

(If you'd like to read / see more of our trip here's Helen's blog post!)