1. Happy Bicentenary Charles Dickens
2. Why is Charles Dickens trending?
3. #dickensinasongtitle
3. I hate Charles Dickens
4. Will everyone STOP tweeting about Charles f’ing Dickens?
I have a series of posts on by blog about winter reads, including Arthur Ransome’s Winter Holiday, Clement Freud’s Grimble at Christmas and Terry Pratchett’s Wintersmith. You might want to read it: http://ali-fantasticreads.blogspot.com/
We met on Saturday to discuss Philip Pullman’s Northern Lights. One of the joys of the group is that the books are brand new to the children; since they choose the books (despite gentle lobbying for a favourite from me!) they choose what looks interesting rather than what they feel they “should” read. Anyway, they LOVED Northern Lights. They were intrigued by Lyra: she does bad things, she lies, and yet in many ways she is admirable. We talked about favourite characters: Ma Costa, Iorek Byornson, Lee Scorsby as well as Lyra. We discussed what a daemon represents and what ours would be: a golden eagle, a humming bird and a big cat were some suggestions. We tried to get our heads round the nature of Dust. All in all, we gave the book 10/10. And I remembered what I love about working with children- their lack of cynicism, their enthusiasm and seriousness. We meet again at 10:30am on 19th November to discuss Carlos Ruiz Zafon’s Midnight Palace. Join us at Big Green Bookshop, Wood Green, London N22. We have squash and biscuits, and a chance to win the new Percy Jackson book!
@BigGreenBooks
@ChelmsfordBooks
@talesonmoonlane
@juxtabook
@MarchhouseBooks
@Booksellercrow
@VictoriaParkbks
@DauntBooks
@Foyles
@RavenBooks
@brumwstkids
@7Stories
@camdenlockbooks
@GoldsboroBooks
@stokeybookshop
@lrbshop
I had a brilliant time at the Haringey Children’s Literature Festival on Saturday, at the Marcus Garvey library. I heard SC Ransom talking about her YA book, Small Blue Thing, which she kindly signed for me, and it made me eager for the two bookish events happening this week that I’m involved with: Bookswap Haringey and Children’s Book Group.
Bookswap Haringey is on Thursday at the Duke of Edinburgh, Coburg Road, N22 (off the High Road). Please bring a book you want to swap. It’s a good opportunity to chat to fellow Haringey readers (we may even let in some Enfield/Barnet/Hackney/Islington people!) and have a drink. 7:30 onwards. https://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=259166740769732
Saturday is the Children’s Book Group at the wonderful Big Green Books, Brampton Park Road, N22, near the 02 shop on Wood Green High Road, Turnpike Lane end. We’re reading Katherine Langrish’s fantastic Troll Blood, but please come even if you haven’t read it and are 8-12 years old and like reading, as you can help us choose the next book. Parents are welcome to stay but don’t have to. We have a drink and (hopefully) some biscuits. Last month was Jammie Dodgers! 10:30-11:30am.
Hope to see you at one of these events.
Yesterday morning was the reading group at the bookshop in Wood Green, North London. We have a very small group at the moment, with more adults than kids, but they seem to really enjoy it. This month was Patrick Ness’s The Knife of Never Letting Go- an advanced read for the age of the children, but they chose it and there was some great discussion about why it was classed as a teen book rather than children (they thought swearing and violence rather than subject matter). The style of writing intrigued them, and again, great discussion about it. We scored it 9/10.
The reading group seems even more important in the light of the recent riots and looting in the area. The members of the group have not been directly affected, but one of the areas of collatoral damage is the reputation of Wood Green. It is an incredibly poor ward: 48% of children live in poverty (household income 60% below the national average wage; when you consider that this is £24 000 this is very poor) but there are positive things going on here too. I hope that the reading group is one of them.
Next month on 17th Sept at 10:30am we’re discussing Troll Blood by Kathryn Langrish, also chosen by the children. I’m looking forward to it!
I’ve just come back from holiday, but even on the shores of Lake Garda news of the riots last weekend were hard to escape. Bookswap Haringey is happening on Thursday 20th August, and I wonder if people coming would like to start a book collection for people affected? I am thinking that children may have been particularly affected, and am hoping that books could be passed on via churches/ community centres and churches. Please tweet at @AliB68 or email fantasticreads at gmail dot com with any suggestions.
18th August, 7:30pm at the Duke of Edinburgh, corner of Coburg Rd and Mayes Rd, N22 (closest tube: Wood Green), Book Swap Haringey. Bring a book you have read and want to swap, have a drink and a chat with other people who like reading!
20th August, 10:30am at Big Green Bookshop: Children’s Book Club! Are you (or do you know) an 8-12 year old who has read Patrick Ness’ Knife of Never Letting Go? Do you want to come and talk about it, drink some juice and eat a biscuit? Come along! Books are chosen by book club members and all are welcome. Parents don’t need to stay unless they really want to.
Surprise! @LizJonesSomalia is a fake! Oh wow. No-way! Pah! Who knew?
About two thirds of you, actually - which is great, because if I’d got 50 negative replies a minute I’d have stopped a long time ago. I’m genuinely delighted that so many people get the joke and totally appreciative of the…
