[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":11},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-post-hillcross-primary-school-2020":3},{"_type":4,"body":5,"bodyHtml":6,"excerpt":5,"featuredImage":5,"publishedAt":7,"slug":8,"tags":9,"title":10},"blogPost",null,"Yesterday I went to the last southern stop on the Northern Line to make an Author Visit to \u003Ca href=\"https://www.hillcross.merton.sch.uk/\">Hillcross Primary School\u003C/a>...\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/892355_original-cfd1fece05.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\u003Cfont size=\"1\">\u003Ci>LOTR graphic kindly supplied by Philip Reeve\u003C/i>\\r\n\\r\n...No, one simply SASHAYS into Morden, followed by a dramatic twirl! I wasn't going to accept any more school visits for the year, but Assistant Head and teacher \u003Cb>Lee Christy\u003C/b> (pictured here) got in touch to invite me; the last time I visited Lee's school, it was one of my best visits EVER. (You can \u003Ca href=\"https://jabberworks.livejournal.com/538411.html\">read on a previous blog about how they put on a whole Arts Week featuring my books\u003C/a> - it was incredible.) So I took it on, knowing this one would be good, and it didn't disappoint!! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/892672_original-eae6edb4bd.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nHere I'm doing an assembly about the \u003Ca href=\"https://jabberworks.co.uk/kevins-great-escape/\">Roly-Poly Flying Pony\u003C/a> books I do with Philip Reeve. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/902430_original-86df2553c9.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\u003Cfont size=\"1\">\u003Ci>Photo \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/HillcrossPS/status/1233414373328277510\">tweeted by @HillcrossPS\u003C/a>\u003C/font>\u003C/i>\\r\n\\r\nI talked about how we think up ideas for the stories and characters together, and then Philip writes it, but phones me up whenever he wants more ideas. And then I do the artwork, but often when I'm pinched for time, Philip will come to my studio and we'll work through the early-stages pencil roughs togehter. So the books are very much collaborative and co-authored. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/902751_original-6cab80cce6.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nI did three assemblies, and it was great to see the children were already familiar with many of my books. These were followed by a special tea party with the children who had won Golden Tickets for taking the most interest in reading and engaging with books. Then Lee and the school's Headteacher \u003Cb>Lisa Francis\u003C/b> took me to the hall where the whole school had set up an exhibition of work they'd done, inspired by my books. It was very overwhelming, in a good way!! \\r\n\\r\nI'll go around the room and show you some of the work from the youngest children to the oldest. Here's an exhibition of monster art inspired by \u003Ca href=\"http://www.jabberworks.co.uk/morris-the-mankiest-monster/\">\u003Ci>Morris the Mankiest Monster\u003C/i>\u003C/a>, the first children's book I illustrated in the UK, written by \u003Ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giles_Andreae\">Giles Andreae\u003C/a>: \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/897411_original-a5e4381a03.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/898081_original-c743888179.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\u003C!--more Click here for lots more under the cut!-->\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/897554_original-99b7e0bc61.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/897976_original-35dc7c4b76.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nThe next class painted dinosaurs and had a very exciting visit from Wimbledon Fire Brigade as they focused on \u003Ca href=\"https://www.jabberworks.co.uk/dinosaur-firefighters/\">\u003Ci>Dinosaur Firefighters\u003C/i>\u003C/a>: \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/892570_original-805de272bc.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/893015_original-a1f6708c14.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/893338_original-d7327905ef.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/893584_original-0cbba73e53.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/893936_original-3d11db4ab9.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nAnother class had a close look at \u003Ca href=\"https://www.jabberworks.co.uk/grumpycorn/\">\u003Ci>Grumpycorn\u003C/i>\u003C/a>, and even recreated his writing studio at their stand! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/894072_original-e2de9b8b10.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/894374_original-ec180d5c12.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/894673_original-a679359a05.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/894780_original-c308ee938e.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nThis year featured \u003Ca href=\"https://www.jabberworks.co.uk/the-new-neighbours/\">\u003Ci>The New Neighbours\u003C/i>\u003C/a>, and did some lovely paintings of the bunny characters in different painting media.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/895138_original-c248724e57.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/895459_original-3cc61a1a75.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/895504_original-6f1f49416e.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/895900_original-618fad8e17.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nHere's a \u003Ci>\u003Ca href=\"http://www.jampires.com/\">Jampires\u003C/a>\u003C/i> display! The children created wanted posters and description of rogue Jampires, and also came up with their own food-stealing creatures and paintings of the worlds they might inhabit. I showed them to my co-author, \u003Ca href=\"http://davidoconnell.uk/\">David O'Connell\u003C/a>, who was well chuffed. (Dave and I both wrote and both illustrated Jampires! You can see how we did it in a comic over on the \u003Ca href=\"http://www.jampires.com/the-story/\">Jampires website\u003C/a>.) Dave and I teach together in a \u003Ca href=\"https://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/creating-a-childrens-picture-book/\">Curtis Brown Creatives online course\u003C/a> for grownups on making children's books, if you're curious about how it's done. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/896035_original-3e55e99b70.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/896299_original-71cbbedae1.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/896548_original-86e6bab370.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/896944_original-66862272ec.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/897152_original-043b83340a.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nThis year created beautifully drawn comics inspired by the adventures of \u003Ca href=\"http://www.jabberworks.co.uk/superkid/\">\u003Ci>Superkid\u003C/i>\u003C/a>, my picture book with \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/clairefreedman\">Claire Freedman\u003C/a>. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/898504_original-6b668f9011.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/898733_original-9170f03aeb.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/898887_original-71e2ece9de.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nHere's a closeup of the first panel in one comic called \u003Ci>Lightning Girl\u003C/i>. (I don't even know what a fronted adverb is!)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/903296_original-1b789005a1.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nThis year studied my picture book written by \u003Ca href=\"https://cottringer.wordpress.com/\">Anne Cottringer\u003C/a>, \u003Ca href=\"http://www.jabberworks.co.uk/when-titus-took-the-train/\">\u003Ci>When Titus Took the Train\u003C/i>\u003C/a>. They paid attention to how the story built up, and also the graphic layouts, and used some of what they learned from the compositions in their own pictures, which was very impressive! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/899339_original-d055e86fdd.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/900631_original-4fc2ae42bc.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/899828_original-701730fbc3.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/900036_original-746dfe8c1c.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/900227_original-8ecd72f497.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/900494_original-9a5a125eb0.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nYear six created a new book inspired by \u003Ci>When Titus Took the Train\u003C/i>, called \u003Ci>\u003Cb>When Patricia took the Plane\u003C/b>\u003C/i>. They were very eager for my feedback and clustered around, pointing to each page they'd worked on and talking about its challenges, what they wished they'd had more time to do, their favourite little bits of each other's drawings, it was great. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/901045_original-f81e5d98e7.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\u003Cfont size=\"1\">\u003Ci>Photo \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/HillcrossPS/status/1233414373328277510\">tweeted by @HillcrossPS\u003C/a>\u003C/font>\u003C/i>\\r\n\\r\nHere's a video of me leafing through the book:\\r\n\u003Ciframe data-link=\"https://vc.videos.livejournal.com/index/player?player=new&record_id=1379186&ad_template_id=9268\" data-thumbnail=\"https://l-stat.livejournal.net/img/flatmedia-nocover-video.png\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"315\" src=\"https://vc.videos.livejournal.com/index/player?ad_template_id=9268&player=new&player_template_id=3869&record_id=1379186\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\">\u003C/iframe>\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/901146_original-10890f146a.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nThis sophistication of lettering combined with layout isn't something I usually see in primary school work, this was very impressive: \\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/901380_original-06f7964dcd.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nI loved how bold and funny this image was, with the unicorn out on the plane wing: \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/901862_original-2a20299b59.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nI love how much is going on on these two pages, and the interesting perspectives looking through the seats of the plane. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/902094_original-a86fc52247.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nHuge thanks to all the teachers and staff who made this day possible! The children were the perfect mix of respectful and enthusiastic. You can get a real feeling when you go to a school about how well it's run, and this is one I'd highly recommend. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/903045_original-1998ec98e3.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\u003Cfont size=\"1\">\u003Ci>Photo \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/HillcrossPS/status/1233414373328277510\">tweeted by @HillcrossPS\u003C/a>\u003C/font>\u003C/i>\\r\n\\r\nThank you, Lee and Lisa (or Mr Christy and Ms Francis) for making my visit such an awesome one! I was genuinely moved to see all the thought the children had put into my books, and excited by their fresh takes on them and their creativity. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/902352_original-dd0be7eec9.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">","2020-02-29T19:00:00.000Z","hillcross-primary-school-2020",[],"hillcross primary school 2020",1776628730478]