World Book Day Week and Mal

We had World Book Day last week. I went to five schools. The first one was a really nice small school in Ombersley not far from where I live.  Then I went to three schools in Blackheath and finished on Friday in Worcester where I live. Quite a busy week, but it was fun.

Thanks to Speaking of Books my events were well organised and it all ran smoothly. I’ve met up with lots of excited children and friendly teachers.

Aa usual I got lots of presents from the children. I love the drawings.

 

Here is an (co) illustrator of one of them. Edith Harrison (who happens to be my niece ) and a picture from one of my books Look Out Suzy Goose.

On Friday in Perdiswell Primary School in Worcester children and the teachers were dressed up. I like that. The children take they dressing up very seriously, but not as seriously as the teachers. It’s a kind of healthy competitiveness between the adults and everybody at school are jolly and it’s all great fun. I think dressing up day should be at schools at least once a week.

I also happend to be in one class full of mice. It was great and very appropriate, since we were reading “A New House for Mouse” and ” The Mouse Who Ate the Moon”.

This little girl’s mum sent me a photo of herself dressed as Little Mouse (the character from “A New House for Mouse”).

This is Darcy dressed as a Puffin Peter. Prety impressive too!

At schools we also made murals. Here is one of them.

It was a busy week and I was thinking a lot about Mal Peet who died last Monday. Mal was a great guy and great writer. I remembered the times when we shared our experiences of school visits.  Mal told me how he went once to do a reading a prison. Every time he tried to get through the strict security he always got sent back, because he always forgot something “dangerous” in his pocket, like a wrapping from chewing gum for example.

Because of that, he was late and trying to apologise he started his talk by saying “Sorry guys I’m late,  you wouldn’t believe how difficult it’s to get in here”. The prisoners shouted back: “Yeah mate, you wouldn’t believe how much more difficult it is to get out of here!”

Mal was always good fun and a really nice bloke to be with. Julia Eccleshare wrote a lovely obituary.