Lots of mini-Marthas (and Montys and Pips) getting ready for their visit to Hay Festival. The event has sold out – if you managed to get tickets, hooray! I’m so looking forward to seeing you there. We’ll be making dear little matchbox beds, like this one.

The idea of a festival of hay for bunnies is something I find enormously appealing, in my small rabbity way.

Oh and the G is for goodnight, in case you were wondering…

After weeks, months, YEARS in the wings – whispering excitedly behind the red velvet curtains, rustling their sweetie wrappers – our dear chums Bubble and Squeak have burst out onto the stage!
Bubble & Squeak, published by Orchard Books, out today…
Me and the fabulous author of the story James Mayhew are like two proud parents in the audience, leading the cheers:

Hooray for Bubble! Hooray for Squeak!

Are you sitting comfortably? I have perfect viewing for a Sunday evening.
Pour a nice glass of wine, relax and watch my new shed appear in front of your very eyes.
Although these are two minutes and forty two seconds of your life you’ll never get back, I LOVE my shed – and I hope you do too.

Questions are to be encouraged. Children have a natural curiosity. This is a good thing. My post this week about children’s questions during school visits, and the top class comments left, had me chortling for HOURS.

I’ve heard questions that are hard to answer (‘what are ants? WHY are ants?’).
And questions at inopportune moments (just as you have your hand on the bedroom door and you’ve said goodnight – ‘what is god? what is government? will I die? will YOU die? what if there was a biscuit as big as a planet?’).

Nothing quite as strange as a small boy who was following his mum around the supermarket the other day. I kept bumping into them, and he kept this up throughout their visit:
‘Mum Mum are badgers human Mum are badgers human are badgers human Mum Mum are badgers human Mum are badgers human are badgers human Mum Mum…’

So, what is the oddest funniest most challenging question YOU’VE been asked? Do add a comment and share, I would really love to hear!

The teacher from Lucky Wish Mouse Starting School, reading a story to her class.
This has been me many times lately, after a flurry of author school visits.
I always include a Q & A session, however tiny the Tinies, and I’m constantly amazed at the questions they come up with.
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