Today we hear from author, Julia Jarman..

A Book Babble

Lots of writers say they write for themselves or – if they’re children’s writers – their ‘inner child’. Me?  I’m not sure.  If I’ve got an inner child I must have an inner toddler as well and an inner teenager.  I write for a wide range of readers – from tots to teens and in-betweens but not grownups – yet.  But that’s not entirely true.  When I write picture books I’m aware of the adult who is reading the book to the child, maybe many times, so I try to put something for them too.  I think I write for an audience.  When I write I like to think there’s someone out there wanting to read my story, maybe aloud. It’s no coincidence that the first books I wrote were novels for bright 8-12 year olds and I was a mother of three children: one boy two girls aged 12, 10 and 8.   They all said, ‘Write about real children like us.’ The girls said, ‘Put lots of scary bits in.’ My son said, ‘No, don’t.’

I started writing my Time Travelling Cat series – though I didn’t know it was going to be a series – because I couldn’t get them to read historical fiction.  ‘The past – boRING!’ said one of them.  I set out to prove they were wrong but needed to trick them into reading it.  My device, a time-travelling cat, came from eldest daughter who heard me talking to her cat when he’d returned after an absence of over a week. ‘Where have you been?’ I said.  ‘He’s probably been time-travelling,’ she said.  I knew it was a brilliant idea because it put me in ‘What if?’ mode. What if a cat could travel through time, where would it go?  Egypt was the obvious answer and I wrote ‘The Time Travelling Cat and the Egyptian Goddess’ (though early editions are called ‘The Time Travelling Cat’ as I thought it was a one-off).  The cat has now travelled to Roman, Viking, Tudor and Victorian Britain and the Aztec era in Mexico. and the latest is ‘The Time Travelling Cat and the Great Victorian Stink’.

My children grew up faster than me – maybe I do have an inner child – and I started writing for teens.  ‘Hangman’ about bullying and ‘Inside’ set in a prison are dark and I don’t like dark but they did, well the girls did. I write books for teens that I have to write because they’re in my head and I have to get them out or go mad.

Nowadays I’m more influenced by the children I meet on my school visits. ‘Class Two at the Zoo’ was the outcome of a writing workshop, in which a Year 4 boy proved to be an expert on anacondas. Lynne Chapman’s zany pictures capture the craziness.

Pupil demand definitely dictated the choice of subject matter for the latest time-travelling cat adventure.  Horrible history is IN and sewers are BIG, so I chose to set my story in Victorian times, in 1858 the year the River Thames came to a complete stand still because it was so full of the brown stuff.  The plot is a murder mystery.  When a hired killer sets out to murder Joseph Bazalgette , the brilliant engineer who has a plan to solve the sewage problem, hero Topher and Ka the time-travelling cat leap into action.

The biggest influence on my writing at the moment is my grandchildren, five of them now, aged 9 months to 9 years.  Since the first was born I’ve written a clutch of picture books. The ‘Big Red Bath’ was inspired by bath-time fun, ‘Big Blue Train’ by riding on Grandad’s model steam train, the ‘Bears on the Stairs’ by their bed-time delaying tactics, ‘Ants in Your Pants’ by one of their favourite books. ‘Write us a pants book, Grandma!’ Guy Parker Rees’s gentle humour makes him the perfect illustrator for this story.

I’m so lucky to have fantastic illustrators and they’re influencing my writing too.  They make me want to write more just so I can see how they interpret my words. Two imaginations are definitely better than one.  The best illustrators always add something I haven’t thought of.  Adrian Reynolds is working on ‘Big Yellow Digger’ at this moment and I can hardly wait to see his added extras  AND I’ve just had an idea for the ‘Big Green Machine’! I’d better stop babbling …

Thanks, Julia! You can visit Julia’s website here now.

Today we’ve a review for little ones, by Wendy..

Ants in your Pants – Julia Jarman

Leopard is having a party, but he hasn’t invited Aardvark. When naughty ants start biting bottoms at the birthday bash, it isn’t long before all the guests are throwing their pants in the air to get rid of them! Only Aardvark can eat the ants and save the day, but will he make it to the party?

This book is by the same author as Bears on The Stairs, Kisses are Yuk and Big Red Bath.

A story book about a birthday party that Leopard was having where he was only inviting ‘cool dudes.’ He didn’t want to invite Aardvark as he only ate ants and cucumbers. Aardvark did hear about the party but didn’t worry that he wasn’t invited, however the ants were very offended not to be invited and, as the title suggests, the guests ended up with ants in their pants. Luckily Aardvark turned up and saved the day and Leopard realised he had been wrong to leave him out.

The book is beautifully illustrated including fun illustrations on the inside covers. It is an entertaining read with the added bonus of having the worthwhile message that people should not be left out.

My three year old enjoyed the story and thought it was especially funny when all the pants were flying in the air and he now likes the saying ants in my pants!

Again I would also recommend it as an early reading book as my five year old was able to read it herself and was also interested in learning all the animals especially the aardvark as she thought that was a very peculiar name. We also used the book as a basis to discuss about friendships and how we shouldn’t leave people out.

Thanks very much Wendy. It’s in our shop for you to buy now.

A review from Wendy, for little ones…

Big Red Bath – Julia Jarman

A story book about the theme of children in the bath and the mess that they can get into! The story starts with Ben and Bella in the bath splashing water and bubbles everywhere. They are then joined by various animals until a Hippopotamus slips and knocks the bath out of the door and they end up in space until flamingos tow them home again. It ends with Mum giving them a cuddle after their big red bath.

The book is a nice length for a bedtime story with bright and colourful illustrations. For parent s the book is easy to read and flows nicely.

My three year old enjoyed the story and liked naming the animals and guessing which animal was going to be next to jump into the bath.

I would also recommend it as an early reading book as my five year old was able to read it herself and was also interested in learning all the animals. She thought the book was very funny especially as she loves nothing better than making a mess in the bath!

Thanks, Wendy. Like the sound of it? You can buy it from us now..

Today we have a review from Connor..

The Time-Travelling Cat & the Great Victorian Stink – Julia Jarman

Topher’s amazing cat, Ka, has time-travelled again; she has left him the clue: CAppeLLis Following her, Topher finds himself in Victorian London where disease is rife and the Thames is clogged with stinking sewage! Topher discovers a plot to kill Joseph Bazalgette, the man who is trying to save the city. Determined to foil it, Topher must first escape from an arch-criminal and his den of thieves. This is the sixth adventure of the “Time-Travelling Cat”.

This is my 2nd book review and I am enjoying it! Time-Travelling Cat & the Great Victorian Stink is very enjoyable to read and is weird at points. My favourite part is when Topher, the main character, is walking through a sewer with his cat. Topher time travels on the back of a bird! It is full of fantasy which makes it more exciting! It has taught me things about Victorian history in a fun way. I felt some of the spirit from those times, and used my imagination. This a great book, I would recommend it to my friends.

Thanks, Connor and thanks to Andersen Press for sending us a copy. It’s in our shop for you to buy now!

Today, we’ve a review for little ones, from Wendy:

Bears on the Stairs – Julia Jarman

‘There are bears on the stairs. That’s why I don’t like going to bed. It’s the bears on the stairs.’ But are the bears real, or just a small boy’s crafty tactic for delaying bedtime?

A story book about the theme of children not wanting to go to bed, a subject all parents will relate to. In the story the little boy says he cannot go to bed as there are bears on the stairs, the story has a nice twist with the boy thinking that the bears will chase his parents down the stairs but ends with the little boy tucked up asleep with his bears.

The book is a nice length for a bedtime story for little ones and the illustrations are very jolly and bold, and therefore help to keep their attention. For parents the book is easy to read and flows nicely.

My three year old enjoyed having the story read to him and his comment was that he thought the bears were smart and cuddly.

I would also recommend it as an early reading book as my four year old, after listening to it a few times was able to read it herself, with help with the few larger words. Her comment was that she thought it was funny when the bears chased the parents down the stairs!

Thanks, Wendy and thanks to Andersen Press for sending us a review copy.