[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":11},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-post-checking-in-with-the-books":3},{"_type":4,"body":5,"bodyHtml":6,"excerpt":5,"featuredImage":5,"publishedAt":7,"slug":8,"tags":9,"title":10},"blogPost",null,"Most of my books come out in September, and it's always a bit nerve-wracking in the run up to Christmas, wondering \u003Ci>who is reading them? Do people like them? Are they selling enough so I can keep my job?\u003C/i> Since I started making books with \u003Ca href=\"http://www.philip-reeve.com/\">Philip Reeve\u003C/a>, there's been a lot more flurry of activity around the books, people write reviews, tweet photos, it's amazing. Here's our most recent book together, \u003Ci>\u003Cb>Jinks & O'Hare Funfair Repair\u003C/b>\u003C/i> (which comes out in the USA in February renamed by the publisher \u003Ci>\u003Cb>Carnival in a Fix\u003C/b>\u003C/i>). \\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/161722_original-6a4469ca66.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nI was thrilled when author \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/redbreastedbird\">Robin Stevens\u003C/a> tweeted this photo of Saturday's book roundup in The Times by \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/aoconnell\">Alex O'Connell\u003C/a> (next to a picture by fab illustrator \u003Ca href=\"http://www.tomiungerer.com/\">Tomi Ungerer\u003C/a>). \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/160907_original-0e23dc9f8a.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nI love seeing pictures of the people who are actually reading our books and seeing their drawings the story has inspired. Here's a great message on Twitter today from \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/Chuck_Eldridge/status/803067178312314881\">@Chuck_Eldridge\u003C/a> in the USA. Check out this pug sled! \\r\n \\r\n\u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/Chuck_Eldridge/status/803067178312314881\">\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/161923_original-1a31f7ba28.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\u003C/a>\\r\n\\r\nAnd it's wonderful to see \u003Ci>\u003Cb>Pugs of the Frozen North\u003C/b>\u003C/i> in the New York Public Library's \u003Ca href=\"https://www.nypl.org/press/press-release/november-23-2016/new-york-public-library-reveals-its-list-best-books-kids-and\">100 Best Books for Kids\u003C/a> list! Thanks to \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MGLnrd\">MG Leonard\u003C/a> for posting that link and our Dutch translator \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/creativedifrnce\">Sandra Hessels\u003C/a> for flagging it!\\r\n\\r\n\u003Ca href=\"https://www.nypl.org/press/press-release/november-23-2016/new-york-public-library-reveals-its-list-best-books-kids-and\">\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/161405_original-f43a12692e.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\u003C/a>\\r\n\\r\nBooktrust has done a \u003Ca href=\"http://www.booktrust.org.uk/books/view/35338\">nice review of \u003Ci>\u003Cb>The Prince of Pants\u003C/b>\u003C/i>\u003C/a> by \u003Ca href=\"http://jabberworks.livejournal.com/753641.html\">Alan MacDonald\u003C/a> and me (thanks, Booktrust!) but I find picture books get far less reviews and social media attention than longer chapter books, possibly because little kids don't review books and they're not as long for adults to enjoy. At first I thought it might mean my picture books weren't being read as much, but when I got my Public Lending Right statement this year, I realised \u003Ci>\u003Cb>There's a Shark in the Bath\u003C/b>\u003C/i> accounted for a vast amount of my books checked out that year from libraries. So they ARE being read, hooray! \\r\n\\r\nIf you want to give \u003Ci>me\u003C/i> a Christmas prezzie and you liked my picture books, an \u003Ca href=\"https://www.amazon.co.uk/Prince-Pants-Alan-MacDonald/dp/1407158449/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480336188&sr=8-1&keywords=the+prince+of+pants\">online review\u003C/a> (in lieu of chocolate) would be gratefully received. :)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Ca href=\"http://www.booktrust.org.uk/books/view/35338\">\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/162189_original-a3633b2a7a.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\u003C/a>\\r\n\\r\nDon't forget, there are related activities on my website for each book: \u003Ca href=\"http://www.jabberworks.co.uk/books/\">explore them here!\u003C/a> \\r\n\\r\nAnd I can also recommend \u003Ca href=\"https://www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk/catalogue/\">The Phoenix Comic online shop\u003C/a> for a great range of \u003Cb>high-quality family-friendly comics\u003C/b> (\u003Ca href=\"https://www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk/product-category/comic-books/\">books\u003C/a> or a subscription), if you're looking for holiday gifts. They sell my \u003Ci>\u003Cb>Vern and Lettuce\u003C/b>\u003C/i> comic, but I'd just as happily recommend any of the other comics, they're all fab.","2016-11-28T12:20:00.000Z","checking-in-with-the-books",[],"checking in with the books!",1776628728751]