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!

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.

Recently, after introducing myself as an author, I was taken aback to see their faces fall – and was asked what it was like having no mum or dad (author being confused with orphan).

Another time someone asked me how long it takes to write a book. I said, ‘Good question! It takes etc etc…’, but because the others saw that I liked this question and they wanted to please me, the next person asked me how long it takes to write a book. I answered again. The next two questions were the same, until the teacher intervened in exasperation.

Then there are the questions that aren’t questions at all: ‘I have a cat called Otto,’ for instance. There was one very grave and intense chap who looked me in the eye and his question was: ‘WE ARE ALL MAMMALS.’ How could I possibly answer that? Apart from being careful to avoid saying ‘Good question!’

I ask questions too. I ask them what they would like to do when they’re grown up, and they say footballer, mummy, vet, nurse, banker (!), princess, explorer…
one very appealing small boy in glasses said, ‘I want to live with my best friend – AND IT’S THIS GUY!’ putting his arm around another boy in glasses next to him. All smiles, the other boy put up his hand and said, ‘I want to live with my best friend – AND IT’S THIS GUY!’ returning the hug. Nice.

You may remember – I’m SURE you do, it was such huge news! – that we are guardians of Lucky, resident of the fabulous Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats in Maidstone, Kent.
You can read all about the happy announcement here.
I’m not sure, though, I have yet shown you the real stamps that my son Jack had made, to give me for my birthday…

Well you can pretty much imagine the whoops of joy when we found that Lucky has a starring role in this BBC News piece about happy goats and sad goats, and the restorative powers of rehabilitation.
You will see Lucky with Saint Bob Hitch (where would they all be without Bob? LOST, that’s what…); it’s a very touching little snippet of film.

We are counting down the days until the Sunday open days begin again, on May the 5th. We miss Lucky when we haven’t seen him for a while.

Why not pay Buttercups a visit? It’s gorgeous goaty bliss, guaranteed!

a world premiere at Hoo’s Kids Book Fest, starring James Mayhew and me!

After a week of frantic last-minute preparations, hysterical rehearsals, nerves and excitement…
with all hands on deck to design and build our so-beautiful theatre set…

Sunday morning arrived at last, looking like this:

With the band tuning up,

the guinea pig school party rustling their sweetie wrappers,

and the performers hidden away,

the REAL audience arrived -

and the show began!

Songs, high drama and thrills, cheesy jokes (the children shrieked with laughter – the cheesier the better) and a strawberry-bonbon-fueled near-riot.

Next stop Hay, Bath…
New York, Milan…

The Hoo’s Kids Book Fest truly had a magical, charmed feel about it. The rambling walled gardens looked exquisite. Hundreds of families were enjoying their day together, and the biggest shiniest names in the children’s book world pottered about, chatting, eating cake, entertaining their fans. The organisers and helpers – with seemingly effortless good grace - made sure everything ran like clockwork.

The teacups gleamed in the sunshine…

and even a four-legged member of the audience loyally watched on during her owner’s event.

This morning I think I am not the only person who feels ‘light as a bubble high up in the air…’

spotlight on ELEANOR!

And so begins Once Aponer Time, a story-sensation serialised each day last week by Eleanor’s proud mum @ChildLedChaos…
Many of us waited hardly daring to breathe to find out what happened next.
The young author creates characters, sustains the drama and masters the repetition very brilliantly, and instinctively knows how to sock quite an emotional punch.

I whole-heartedly recommend reading each instalment, starting here;
but if it’s too much agony to find out if there’s a happy ending, here it is:
(but if you don’t want to know please look away now)

Suffice to say, I nearly burst out with happy tears too!

Congratulations and hooray for Eleanor -
and THANK YOU for the dedication!
XX

spotlight on MOLLIE!

Marvellous Mollie is daughter of @CarmenHaselup and @kerryhaselup and I suspect she is also the special good-luck fairy behind the Rainbow Library…
I already knew that Mollie is a really good artist – I have her happy sparky rainbow picture on my wall.
So you imagine how excited I was to receive a WHOLE BOOK in the post!
And here it is, entitled I Heart Playing at Easter:

Page one, blue Martha:

Page two, Pip:

Page three, Monty:
(I LOVE the Easter chicks nestling between their ears!):

Page four, Mum (so tall and elegant…):

And finally, on page five, cheeky Paws with his waggy tail:

It’s utterly charming.
THANK YOU so much, Mollie!
XX

spotlight on BRYN!

This Martha-themed birthday card was sent to me by my great pal Bryn, son of @damyantipatel.
He’s an all-round brilliant person and a positive fireball of creative energy…
Just see this detail:

- what a faithful rendition of the original, except quite possibly drawn better…
Martha will have to work hard to keep up!

Not only that, but included in the package was a page of ‘colourful swirls’ to help me ‘with my ideas’, and I can confirm that it really is doing just that…

You may already have dribbled with delight at his Martha biscuits:

or snuggled up cosily with his Tiny-in-a-matchbox-bed (look at that fireplace – really clever!):

And the finished shoebox home was so delicious – the roof is a tour de force – I just wanted to move in there myself…

Thank you VERY much Bryn.
I just can’t wait to see what you get up to next!
XX