[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":11},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-post-just-imagine-an-essex-monster-launch-party":3},{"_type":4,"body":5,"bodyHtml":6,"excerpt":5,"featuredImage":5,"publishedAt":7,"slug":8,"tags":9,"title":10},"blogPost",null,"On Saturday, a whole lot of vision and backbreaking labour paid off... Just Imagine went LIVE! Chelmsford now has one of Britain's best children's bookshops, but even more than that, plenty of space for loads of workshops, storytelling sessions, puppetry, dress-up theatre, animation, music, crafts and more.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/justimagine10-5a292f8832.jpg\">\\r\n\u003Ci>64 - 68 New London Road, Chelsford, Essex, England; excited Just Imagine team member Georgia Snelgrove\u003C/i>\\r\n\\r\nThe writer \u003Ca href=\"http://www.stevecolebooks.co.uk\">Steve Cole\u003C/a> and I were very proud that the project's head, Nikki Gamble from \u003Ca href=\"http://www.writeaway.org.uk/\">Write Away\u003C/a>, asked us to help her launch Just Imagine, and we led our Make-a-Monster Mega-Challenge, which was fabulous fun, despite being absolutely mobbed!\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/justimagine9-d6b7155e99.jpg\">\\r\n\u003Ci>Steve Cole with Dr Who monsters (among his zillion books, Steve has written Dr Who novel adaptations, comics and plays)\u003C/i>\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/justimagine2-e1d57fa759.jpg\">\\r\n\u003Ci>Our monster workshop, photo by Stassia, window-dresser and workshop assistant\u003C/i>\\r\n\\r\nI've done lots of monster-making sessions, but it was Steve's idea to have kids make a Top Trumps-style card to go with it, ranking their powers and getting people to write a monster name and description. And the visitors came up with amazing beasts! Nikki's going to turn them into vinyl artwork for Just Imagine's stairwell, and I know they'll look fabulous.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/monster4-4ce3e60566.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI had several people, including a librarian, ask if they could have copies of the sheet, to lead their own Monster Mega-Challenges, so \u003Ca href=\"http://thefleecestation.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/monsterfile.pdf\">here's a PDF file, if you'd like to download a copy\u003C/a>!\\r\n\\r\n\u003Ca href=\"http://thefleecestation.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/monsterfile.pdf\">\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/monsterfile-cf089753b5.jpg\">\u003C/a>\\r\n\u003Ca href=\"http://thefleecestation.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/monsterfile.pdf\">DOWNLOAD HERE - monsterfile.pdf\u003C/a>\\r\n\\r\n\u003C!--more Loads more write-up and photos under the cut!-->\\r\nNikki had asked me to give a speech just before Steve Cole and I cut the official ribbon, but I made it even shorter than I'd planned, when I saw the long queue of parents and very young people eagerly waiting to come inside (off to my left and not in the photo).\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/justimagine22-b3cde8db7a.jpg\">\\r\n\u003Ci>Photo by illustrator and writer \u003Ca href=\"http://www.laynmarlow.co.uk/books.htm\">Layn Marlow\u003C/a>\u003C/i>\\r\n\\r\nHere's the slightly longer version of what I said:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Ci>Today's a proud day for storytelling! At the same time as we're hearing about planned government library closures, we have a beacon of hope right here in Essex. Storytelling is important not just as an aid to literacy or entertainment, but because our lives are stories. Just think, \u003Cb>your life\u003C/b> is a story! How does that make you feel? And how is your story coming along? Does it need an injection of mystery? Passion? A bit of editing? Or is it hugely inspiring? We decide how we will live by the stories we encounter in other people's lives. By the stories we read in books. By the stories people have written for film and telly. By the stories we hear in music. \\r\n\\r\nJust Imagine brings all these things together to inspire people of all ages, to discover new stories and to articulate and get excited about their own. This is where it's going to happen, right here, an explosion of creativity that can affect the whole country. And you were here right at the beginning!\\r\n\\r\nA huge hurrah to Nikki Gamble, whose vision and hard work means there's already a long story behind this place. But for us, Just Imagine's story is just beginning, and I can't wait to see what's going to happen. It's going to be a real page turner!\u003C/i>\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/monster8-32a4ab94f6.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI read \u003Ca href=\"http://www.jabberworks.co.uk/new/morris2.html\">\u003Ci>Morris the Mankiest Monster\u003C/i>\u003C/a> and Steve whipped up the kids into a monster frenzy! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/justimagine17-b2c10c928d.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nHere's an amazing alphabet Nikki commissioned for one of the events rooms, from a whole range of distinguished British artists including Chris Wormell (who popped briefly into the launch, but I didn't manage to photograph), Anthony Browne, Layn Marlow, Sue Eves, Emily Gravett, Garry Parsons, Petr Horacek, Tony Ross and Mini Grey.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/justimagine8-bcccb59462.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nHere's Nikki Gamble herself, talking with supplier Jim Youell from \u003Ca href=\"htp://www.gardners.com\">Gardners Books\u003C/a>.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/justimagine3-22d872e070.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nIt wasn't just kids making monsters! Here's illustrator \u003Ca href=\"http://www.evewhite.co.uk/new/component/option,com_virtuemart/page,shop.browse/category_id,65/Itemid,41/\">Noelle Davies-Brock\u003C/a>, who's soon launching a picture book with Puffin called \u003Ci>Here Comes the Poo Bus!\u003C/i> with Andy Stanton.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/justimagine16-3078a7e3b4.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nCheck out Noelle's monster, isn't it the best thing ever?! Steve and I debated long and hard and \u003Ci>almost\u003C/i> stole it for ourselves.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/justimagine13-1d0a20763c.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nNikki even brought in the local Town Crier and Toastmaster, \u003Ca href=\"http://www.thetoastmaster.co.uk\">Richard Palmer\u003C/a>, to keep the party swinging. He showed us this nifty sword trick that, with a big whack, slices off the whole top of the bottle. Here he is, showing off the cork with the top of the bottle, still attached, to Steve and writer \u003Ca href=\"http://www.marksworks.co.uk/\">Graham Marks\u003C/a>.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/justimagine6-e555fe4517.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nSince Steve and I were in the monster room most of the time, we missed the pageantry happening on the street, with people dressed up as various storybook characters. Here's a photo I nicked off Facebook, of writer \u003Ca href=\"http://www.tamsynmurray.co.uk/\">Tamsyn Murray\u003C/a> posing with the Gruffalo.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/justimagine19-5a21985be6.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nEveryone knows Nikki, but here's the partner who's been working just as hard, and putting as much at risk to make this whole project happen, her husband Neil. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/justimagine15-cf7106e906.jpg\">\\r\n\u003Ci>Neil, Late-night Junction DJ \u003Ca href=\"http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/presenters/max_reinhardt.shtml\">Max Reinhardt\u003C/a>, writter, illustrator and puppeteer \u003Ca href=\"http://www.sueeves.com/\">Sue Eves\u003C/a>\u003C/i>\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/monster3-995c44443b.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/justimagine18-ad36cb6c21.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nMarcus Sedgwick charmed everyone with a reading from one of his yet-unfinished books, we did a signing, and I had a lovely time chatting with his teenage daughter, Alice.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/justimagine4-1492fb0958.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nA highlight of the day was getting to meet writer, illustrator and animator \u003Cb>Nick Butterworth\u003C/b>, whose work I've known and admired for ages for its warmth and painterly skill. I only got to chat with him briefly while I was right in the middle of making monsters, so my fingers were covered with glue-stick and I didn't get to take a photo. But he showed me a trailer for an animation he's working on with his studio, \u003Ca href=\"http://www.snapper-films.com/Home.html\">Snapper Productions\u003C/a>, of Q Pootle 5. You can see \u003Ca href=\"http://www.snapper-films.com/Home.html\">a trailer here\u003C/a>, but there's a much better one that's still password-protected, I'm sure I'll be blogging more about it later. Here's a still from it:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Ca href=\"http://www.snapper-films.com/Home.html\">\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/qpootle5-ed186a7be4.jpg\">\u003C/a>\\r\n\u003Ci>Nick Butterworth's Q Pootle 5\u003C/i>\\r\n\\r\nAnother person making the party happen was Chelmsford's storytelling laureate, \u003Ca href=\"http://www.mikedodsworth.com/\">Mike Dodsworth\u003C/a>. Here he's encouraging everyone to come along to Chelmsford on March 19th for its \u003Ca href=\"http://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=19600\">Jibber Jabber storytelling festival\u003C/a>.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/justimagine11-68ed1d6a7d.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/monster6-6bad1ea0ee.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/justimagine7-3792eff02b.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/justimagine21-a33243a70d.jpg\">\\r\n\u003Ci>Writer \u003Ca href=\"http://www.anitaloughrey.com\">Anita Loughrey\u003C/a> with her son and Steve Cole\u003C/i>\\r\n\\r\nNow, back to the monsters, because they were well cool!\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/monster5-e24bbe0f76.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/monster2-10375d6e5b.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/monster9-f916841acd.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/monster1-6091800545.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/monster13-c55ee58a76.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/monster10-83c5302b3e.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/monster12-bdc669ab44.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/monster14-7076f8fdc5.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/monster15-4a0b2b3a42.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/monster17-a58849598f.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/monster11-0d038e50c9.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/monster16-173e924874.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/monster20-cae81fdcb3.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/monster23-1fc612c61f.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/monster18-4f89696aea.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/monster19-50964e9ce3.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/monster24-97f3235d20.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/monster7-4ae3f273c1.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/monster21-714e60ce01.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/monster22-edb391ccb4.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/justimagine20-99cdfd1c8c.jpg\">","2011-01-16T21:57:00.000Z","just-imagine-an-essex-monster-launch-party",[],"Just Imagine... an essex monster launch party!",1776628719560]