Happy September! I think that even when my children have left home, this will remain my ‘new year’ month - much more so than January. I love the back-to-school rituals of new socks (and slippers - see below), sharpened pencils, clearing out my rucksack, wiping down my desk, and kicking off to a fresh year of work after the heat of the summer. This week the temperature’s dropped, the breeze has floated in, the rain has poured, and it’s made snuggling at my desk a very cosy and welcome feeling. To celebrate, here is a back-to-school stationery rose.
As the cooler climes arrive, I have an important public service announcement about these furry-lined slipper socks from Seasalt which are a lifesaver for deskbound homeworkers who need to feel warm and cosy without bankrupting their small businesses on heating bills. I’ve got some deep winter tips too which I’ll share another time, but as autumn kicks in, it’s all about the feet.
This is my second pair as my dog Milly chewed a massive hole in my first, so beware if you have a canine friend, they may find these slippers very tasty! Here’s a link. I encourage you to treat yourself to a pair.
Nicola's top tip slipper socks
WORK NEWS
This autumn I am busy with some exciting new projects that are going to Frankfurt Book Fair - and which I can’t say much about yet - proper news will have to wait for future newsletters. I’ll just say for now that they feature a dog, a cat, a bear, a hippo, and crocodile and a lion, and that none of them are picture books!
In early November, my new picture book GIRAFFE AND A HALF comes out in hardback with Andersen Press. Of all my books so far, it took the longest to make, and I hope that shows. As ever, Andersen have done an amazing job of making it beautiful. Beccy Garrill, my designer there, has a light touch but a brilliant eye and tip top taste, and I am always delighted with how my books turn out. And my editor, Sue Buswell, was hugely supportive and insightful as I shaped a story that - surprisingly, given it’s about a giraffe - is highly personal.
When I first came up with the line ‘Giraffe and a Half’ I had no idea it was going to evolve into a story with any degree of autobiography. I just loved the words - which first popped into my head when I was walking along the Southbank to meet some illustrator friends at the Royal Festival Hall. We meet there from time to time, ostensibly to draw, but mostly, if I’m honest, to natter!
Ideas often pop into my head on walks. I am a Fitbit addict and make sure I do at least 10,000 steps a day, and something about the rhythm of walking gets my brain into a very creative place. It’s where many ideas are hatched and story conundrums are solved.
GIRAFFE AND A HALF is the story of a giraffe with three ears and six legs. It’s about her self-consciousness at being different, and her worries this makes her a less worthwhile friend. After Andersen Press commissioned the book, I spent longer than usual fine-tuning the story, and realised that Giraffe was me. Her physical difference was a metaphorical representation of the physical alteration I underwent during a childhood illness in which I was paralysed for a month. I had to be ventilated during treatment, and this badly damaged my airway, which left me for many years with no voice. All Giraffe’s feelings in the book are mine. And the friends are mine too - some of whom I have dedicated the book to. I won’t say more as I don’t want to spoil the story, except to say it aims to be uplifting!
GIRAFFE PRE-ORDERS
If you would like to order Giraffe as a present (perhaps for Christmas?) for a small person or picture book lover in your life, I will be signing, dedicating and doodling on copies at Pickled Pepper Books in Crouch End around publication day in early November. You can pre-order from their website and they will post copies of the book anywhere in the world.
Pre-order signed, dedicated copies of Giraffe and a Half here
PHOTO THERAPY
In my last newsletter, I wrote about the photos I take on my smartphone during my walks, and how looking out for images becomes a process of mindfulness. Other worries disappear as you focus on looking carefully at visual details in the world around you. I got such a lovely response that I thought I’d include a theme in each newsletter to inspire others to get snapping on their smartphones. This time, it’s circles. Either on your own, or with children, looking for shapes in the environment around you is really fun. Here’s a small selection of circles I’ve snapped!
BOOK PEN PALS
Last academic year, I took part in the Book Penpals scheme again. The scheme matches author-illustrators with a class in a school and they become penpals for a year. This time my penpals were the children of Penguin Class at Cottesbrooke Infant School in Birmingham.
When I do workshops in schools, I often set children the task of creating a picture book character: an animal with a name and a job. I asked Penguin Class to do this and the ideas they came up with were fabulous. Here is a small selection of the wonderful characters they created. These four are by Fahad, Courtney, Noor and Aizah. Thank you for sending them to me!
Lastly another quick plug for ALL THE DOGS which is now out in paperback, and which, I’ve discovered, is a huge favourite with babies. I’ve had reports of a baby who, even before she can talk, crawls across the room to find it and points to request it as her favourite. Another mum reports that it’s a book she really enjoys reading on repeat. I remember fondly, but also a bit wearily, those years when my children would want the same book again and again and again! I sometimes used to change to words to make it more interesting for myself, but, even before they could read themselves, my kids would quickly correct me. Anyway, it’s incredibly lovely to get this feedback of very young readers enjoying a book. ALL THE DOGS is out now in bookshops or online!
Thanks for reading my newsletter. As it’s still early days, all feedback is very welcome!
I love the book penpals idea .
We’re living in Canada atm (moved from the uk last year) but I hope I remember this when we go back - not sure when - and I could maybe join in !
Loved reading this Nicola! Firstly, thanks so much for the slipper tip! I have been on the lookout for a new pair, as I definitely suffer from cold illustrator toes too!
Secondly, Giraffe and a half looks and sounds so great! I can’t wait to read it. Standing out and feeling different is something that most children will identify with, and with it being such a personal story from you, I know it will be even more special.
Also, I also am obsessed with walking every day AND take pics as momentos. I’ve never taken themed photos like that on my walks, but on holiday this year I “collected” lions and hand lettering (in monuments etc) and it made it extra fun to hunt for things like that! I will deffo join in with your prompt! X