Amazing artwork

At Laleham Primary School today, I was given two of the best pieces of 'fan art' I've ever received, by a couple of year 5s.

Click on the images to see them full screen.

Firstly, this drawing, inspired by the front covers of my books Doorway To Danger and The Ghost Lord Returns. I LOVE the colouring and shading, the expression on the main character, Becky's, face and the creepy ghost lurking in the background.

Secondly, this drawing, which creatively brings together ideas from my school visit and things they found out on YouTube. I love Becky's mum screaming 'What on EARTH?!' in the left hand corner, and Spooky Steve (winner of the worst dancer at Boo Hoo TV) on the right. I also love the expressions on Becky, Finn and Jimmy's faces as they are being attacked by a spectre.

Thank you so much to the two year 5s for giving me these. They've really made my week!

Three-headed Storyteller

During my school visits, I ask 2 children to come up and play a game with me called "Three-headed Storyteller". The audience chooses a character and a problem that will happen to them. We then tell that story one word at a time. Like this:

Here's a brilliant drawing by Kaci at Swindon Village Primary School, inspired by my book The Secret Theatre. It's one of my first books, which I wrote when Kaci was about 2 years old...

Happy World Book Day!

Me and my car were stuck in stationary traffic on the A1 for 8 hours yesterday. I'm now well and truly snowed in at home in Lincoln. (By the sounds of it, many people unfortunately had it worse, especially in Scotland ... so my thoughts are with them.)

I'm sorry that I was unable to make it down to St Cuthbert Mayne Junior School in Hemel Hempstead to celebrate World Book Day. It's one of my favourite schools to visit, and I now look forward to visiting in April instead. Here's a little video I sent them:

And here are a pair of red-legged partridges pecking through the snow in my garden this morning (click on the images to see them full screen):

Some of the classes at Mayfield Primary School in Cambridge had a competition to make their own covers for my book, The Ghost Lord Returns. Here are the top five covers. They're brilliant drawings and all use ideas from the book to create really dramatic covers. Can you guess which one I picked as the winner?

(Click on the covers to make them bigger.)

Last week I had a brilliant visit to Sedgley Park Primary in Manchester. I was given the drawing below by a child in the year 1/2 class.

It's a fantastic drawing of my book, Albert and The Giant Squid! Both me and my illustrator, Jessica, love the amount of detail in the drawing. It brings the giant squid to life really well.

(Click on the drawing to make it bigger.)

Well done and keep up the great drawing!

I had a brilliant week of school visits at Clifton All Saints, Robert Bloomfield, St Ippolyts and Ramsey Manor. Thank you to all the staff and children for making me feel so welcome. I had lots of fun bringing my books to life with you all.

The year 2s at Ramsey Manor wrote me lovely letters and drew some wonderful pictures. Here are some of my favourites...

Drawings of me:

Drawings of the Blubber Monster and the Giant Squid (characters in my 'Albert' books):