[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":11},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-post-julius-zebra-this-book-is-funny":3},{"_type":4,"body":5,"bodyHtml":6,"excerpt":5,"featuredImage":5,"publishedAt":7,"slug":8,"tags":9,"title":10},"blogPost",null,"I got to be a judge in the final year of the \u003Ca href=\"http://jabberworks.livejournal.com/611243.html\">Roald Dahl Funny Prize\u003C/a>, and since it ended, there's been a big gap in the recognition of funny books. Many of the best of these books are illustrated, but too wordy to bag the Greenaway illustration medal, and too reliant on pictures to win the Carnegie writing prize. Funny books are \u003Ci>more\u003C/i> difficult to write than serious books or even books that make us cry. It's easy to dismiss funny things as less consequential or important than serious ones, but political cartoons that cleverly capture an idea often have far more impact than an impassioned article. Sales show that kids LOVE funny books, and laughing at a situation can often help take away the fear of things that would otherwise be scary or worrying. Comic timing is one of the most difficult skills to master... so why haven't we been heralding Britain's best? \\r\n\\r\nWell, never fear! Some of my friends are ON THE CASE and have been scheming to develop \u003Cb>This Book is Funny!\u003C/b>, with plans to seek out the funniest books. I was at the pub a couple weeks ago with \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/Alexmilway\">Alex Milway\u003C/a>, \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/gnorthfield\">Gary Northfield\u003C/a>, \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/davidoconnell\">David O'Connell\u003C/a> and \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/mb_tweets\">Matt Baxter\u003C/a> (who all make funny books and comics) and Matt showed me the red logo he'd designed. Here it is! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Ca href=\"http://www.thisbookisfunny.com/\">\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/funny_julius_zebra_zps4f467c36-e499a600a3.jpg\">\u003C/a>\\r\n\\r\nAnd the very first book they're featuring on the website - \u003Ca href=\"http://www.thisbookisfunny.com/\">www.thisbookisfunny.com\u003C/a> - is my studio mate's upcoming book, \u003Ci>Julius Zebra\u003C/i>. Wahoo! Here are a few words from Alex Milway about the project:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Clj-embed id=\"2990\"/>\\r\n\\r\n\u003C!--more Click here for lots more under the cut!-->\\r\nAnd here is their very straightforward mission:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Ca href=\"http://www.thisbookisfunny.com/\">\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/funnybooks_zps606e658d-9e55ab3df0.gif\">\u003C/a>\\r\n\\r\nSo plans for this include reviewing funny books on the \u003Cb>website\u003C/b>, hosting \u003Cb>events\u003C/b>, and supplying a \u003Cb>red sticker\u003C/b> to booksellers so that customers can more easily find funny books if they know that's what their kids love. \\r\n\\r\nNow, my studio mate \u003Ca href=\"http://www.garynorthfield.com\">Gary Northfield\u003C/a> has been making funny comics and books for years. You might recognise some of these titles - \u003Ca href=\"http://www.garynorthfield.com/2012/07/23/derek-the-sheep-2/\">\u003Ci>Derek the Sheep\u003C/i>\u003C/a> (his first book with some of his collected Beano strips), \u003Ca href=\"http://www.garynorthfield.com/2012/07/24/teenytinysaurs/\">\u003Ci>The Terrible Tales of the Teenytinysaurs\u003C/i>\u003C/a> (dinosaur adventure comics), \u003Ca href=\"http://www.garynorthfield.com/2012/07/24/teenytinysaurs/\">\u003Ci>Gary's Garden\u003C/i>\u003C/a> (collected strips from \u003Ci>The Phoenix Comic\u003C/i>) and his ongoing \u003Ca href=\"http://phoenixcomic.co.uk/\">\u003Ci>Phoenix Comic\u003C/i>\u003C/a> work. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/gary_books_zps7affb10e-87fbe23f32.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nBut \u003Ci>Julius Zebra\u003C/i> is Gary's first book that isn't a comic. I couldn't help smiling when I saw his tweet, the first time he saw it printed up:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/gnorthfield/status/500269575146311680\">\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/gary_tweet_zpsd2d3ea16-bb1e8f1a29.jpg\">\u003C/a>\\r\n\\r\nAnd here it is! It's a lovely thing, a solid hardback with beautiful stripey zebra endpapers. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/julius_zebra_covers_zps7e1b6fa8-507b4af377.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nThis book's going to be a winner with so-called 'reluctant readers' because every single story page is lightened by at least one picture. (The Horrible Histories book team also made this decision, as it proves so effective in keeping kids turning pages.) Schools will love it because of its researched ancient Roman theme, but serious history doesn't get in the way of plain silliness. \\r\n\\r\nThe book's a pleasing mix of plain text and cartoons, such as these, when we first meet young Julius. He hates going to the stinky water hole with his family and shows off his new-found independence:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/julius_zebra_free1_zpsbcc2c1f2-e69b27ab62.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nLook at him go, he's so confident, is Julius:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/julius_zebra_free2_zpsf7aedfc8-c7211c3d03.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nHa ha, oh wait, maybe not!\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/julius_zebra_free3_zpsdc0a7f8c-0bbf40e51d.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nOh no! A lion has driven the animals away from the watering hold and Julius is separated from his family. The lion chases Julius and the warthog and all three of them fall into a hole, which turns out to be a TRAP. They're captured by humans and taken all the way across the sea, to Rome!\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/julius_zebra_boat_zpsf07b3965-7b4352c2c8.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAt first, Julius is quite excited, because he's heard that they're all going to the circus. He's excited to see juggling monkeys. But then he discovers they won't be \u003Ci>watching\u003C/i> the circus, they're going to be \u003Ci>performing\u003C/i>: \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/julius_zebra_cantjuggle_zpsc1b5e7cb-2213db9f3e.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nHe gradually learns that it won't even be a jolly sort of performance... \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/julius_zebra_baboon_zpsb88d4c29-49f2185670.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nThey are going to be thrown into the arena to fight trained GLADIATORS.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/julius_zebra_gonnadie_zps8f5cfc1b-2c2cf51201.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd bizarrely, they don't do too badly on their first appearance in THE COLOSSEUM! After Julius panics, he tries to fight back and hits a gladiator with a sword, and the crowd takes pity on him. Emperor Hadrian spares the animals' lives and enrolls them in his world-famous Gladiator School, Ludus Magnus. Their instructor, Septimus, is used to training tough men, and is less than thrilled when they present themselves at roll call. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/julius_zebra_lineup_zps95720d79-bb94fe498a.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nOne of my favourite things about the book is the way the text breaks for little comic aside comments. This one's quite sweet:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/julius_zebra_high5_zps15e0c71f-8da90efd69.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI love the way Gary draws, even his wobbly energetic lines are funny, with their bugged eyes and gaping mouths. Don't be deceived in thinking this kind of drawing is fast and easy; Gary really poured himself into this book and it took AGES to write and draw (and redraw and redraw). \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/julius_zebra_colosseum_zps39a26811-bb9e2914f9.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nYou might notice that all the pages have Roman numerals instead instead of our standard Arabic numbering system. Which means each page number is like a code to be worked out, and Gary provides an explanation at the end of the book:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/julius_zebra_numerals_zpsabbb0366-a69f5ed55d.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nHe also includes a four-page glossary, that's mostly educational, but Gary's personality keeps coming through. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/julius_zebra_glossary_zps13ab3960-8f3e2c977c.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd right at the end of the book... oh, look! It's a photo I took across the desk, from where I sit in the studio. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/julius_zebra_gary_bio_zps61087ab5-724bc7bda0.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nGary worked with editor \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/Sprattle_on\">Lizzie Spratt\u003C/a> at Walker Books, the same person who edited his \u003Ci>Derek\u003C/i> and \u003Ci>Teenytinysaurs\u003C/i> books, and with designer \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/jackdraws\">Jack Noel\u003C/a>.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/lizzie_jack_zpsd731f534-e8a23d2ac9.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nOo, and look, it's funny writer \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/PhilipArdagh\">Philip Ardagh\u003C/a>, author of The \u003Ca href=\"http://www.booktrust.org.uk/books/view/30020\">Eddie Dickens trilogy\u003C/a> with \u003Ca href=\"http://www.davidrobertsillustration.com/\">David Roberts\u003C/a> and \u003Ca href=\"http://nosycrow.com/books/the-grunts-series\">The Grunts\u003C/a> books with \u003Ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axel_Scheffler\">Axel Scheffler\u003C/a>! So what does Ardagh have to do with this book? \\r\n\\r\n\u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/PhilipArdagh/status/559747539508158464\">\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/julius_zebra_ardagh_zpsbd62a3dc-173c40415e.jpg\">\u003C/a>\\r\n\\r\nAh, look there, right across the top of the book. A lovely quotation! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/julius_zebra_ardagh_quote_zps57dad7fb-82ee140b55.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nSo this book launches at the beginning of March \u003Ca href=\"http://www.walker.co.uk/Julius-Zebra-Rumble-with-the-Romans-9781406354928.aspx\">with Walker Books\u003C/a> and will make a fabulous gift and be perfect for stocking in libraries. I anticipate people asking which age it's best for, and I'd say ages 6-12, but younger kids will enjoy it being read to them, and there's no reason to say adults and Gary's comics fans won't enjoy it, too. Gary's busy working on the second Julius Zebra book right now.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/julius_zebra_back_zps54510920-c77ae3f5d5.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nCongratulations, Gary! You've gone and written a blinkin' novel!","2015-02-19T07:00:00.000Z","julius-zebra-this-book-is-funny",[],"julius zebra: this book is funny!",1776628727349]