> Play the Shape Game
> New Booked Up booklist announced
> Orange Prize for Fiction announced
> How to write short stories
> Online Reading Group
> Win some picture books
> Book of the month: The Cuckoo Boy by Grant Gillespie
Shape Game
Celebrities, authors and illustrators will be joining Children's Laureate Anthony Browne this summer for an exciting charity project linked to the Shape Game.
Anthony has been playing the Shape Game - an imaginative drawing game involving one player drawing a shape at random, and the next then turning it into something recognisable - throughout his time as Children's Laureate, as a great way of helping us all to be creative. Now, he has invited over 50 writers, artists, illustrators and celebrities to play the game, transforming an original shape he has drawn to create their own unique artworks.
Those who are taking part include former Children's Laureates Quentin Blake, Michael Rosen, Jacqueline Wilson and Anne Fine, as well as Jo Brand, Emma Thompson, Harry Hill, Alain de Botton, Ian McEwan, Philip Pullman, Andrew Motion and many more.
The book will be launched on Monday 26 July at a special event at Waterstone's Piccadilly, London, and all proceeds from the project will be donated to Rainbow Trust, a charity that provides vital support to families who have a child with a life-threatening illness.
Anthony says: 'Although on one level it's just a game, I believe that it encapsulates the act of creativity... everything comes from something else, inspiration is everywhere. I am thrilled that so many big names have signed up to play the Shape Game. I look forward to seeing their artwork, and to hopefully raising a good amount for Rainbow Trust.'
Check the Children’s Laureate website in the coming weeks for lots more information about the Shape Game, including a sneak peek at some of the artworks from the book, and details about how you can try playing the Shape Game for yourself.
New Booked Up booklist is announced
By Christmas 2010 over 2.5 million books will have been given to Year 7 pupils across the country through the free books programme Booked Up, since its inception in 2007. Booked Up, which launches its fourth year and is managed by Booktrust, aims to encourage reading for pleasure and independent reading choice.
Booked Up allows each Year 7 pupil to make their own choice of book from a selection of titles that include fiction, non-fiction and poetry. This year children can choose their free book from a list of 19 titles, including six accessible books, to ensure that there is a book that will appeal to every child, whatever their ability or needs. The programme encourages independent reading and supports reading for pleasure as children make the sometimes difficult transition from primary to secondary education.
The new Booked Up book list:
- Takeshita Demons by Cristy Burne (Frances Lincoln)
- Warning! Aliens Are Invading the School! By Dinah Capparucci (Scholastic)
- Z-Rex by Steve Cole (Random House)
- The Dying Photo by Alan Gibbons (Barrington Stoke)
- The Joshua Files: Invisible City by M.G. Harris (Scholastic)
- At the Sign of the Sugared Plum by Mary Hooper (Bloomsbury)
- Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur (Puffin)
- Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror by Chris Priestley (Bloomsbury)
- Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve (Scholastic)
- Michael Rosen's A-Z: The Best Children's Poetry from Agard to Zephaniah (Puffin)
- How to Avoid a Wombat’s Bum by Mitchell Symons (Random House)
- The Crowfield Curse by Pat Walsh (Chicken House)
- The Lost Thing by Shaun Tan (Hachette)
- Boffin Boy and the Forest of the Ninja by David Orme (Ransom)
- The Big Fat Cow That Goes Kapow by Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton (Macmillan)
- Me and My Cat? By Satoshi Kitamura (Andersen Press)
- Stone Soup by Jess Stockham (Child’s Play)
- Calm Down, Boris! by Sam Lloyd (Templar)
- Clackety-Clacks: Elephant by Luana Rinaldo (Macmillan)
Click here to visit the Booked Up website
Orange Prize for Fiction winner announced!
The winners of the Orange Prize for Fiction 2010 and the Orange Award for New Writers 2010 have been announced.
Barbara Kingsolver has won the 15th Orange Prize for Fiction with The Lacuna. 'We chose The Lacuna because it is a book of breathtaking scale and shattering moments of poignancy' said Daisy Goodwin, chair of judges.
Irene Sabatini has won the Orange Award for New Writers 2010 with The Boy Next Door. 'Immediately engaging, vivid and buzzing with energy, The Boy Next Door is the work of a true storyteller' said Di Speirs, chair of judges.
Seven motivational tools every writer needs
'For years, the first thing I saw when my alarm went off at 5.57am was a photo of Haruki Murakami stuck to the side of my chest of drawers. He had a big speech bubble coming out of his mouth saying, "get up and write Adam".
My Murakami alarm was motivational tool number one. I’ve developed lots more since then.'
To read more motivational tips from award-winning writer Adam Marek, click here
Online Reading Group
Each month the Booktrust Online Reading Group picks a book for you to read and discuss online. We're keen to know your thoughts on the books. The Online Reading Group is a chance to read and discuss books with other book lovers. We discuss one book a month, choosing the next month's title when the discussion starts — so there's plenty of time to read up.
Use the comment feature to discuss your thoughts, anything else you found while reading and if you have any suggestions for next month's book.
This month's book: Between the Assassinations by Aravind Adiga (Atlantic)
Bookstart competition
This month we're giving away three sets of special books that are perfect to share at bedtime. Featuring titles by well-known children's authors Martin Waddell and Judy Hindley, these books are a perfect way to end your child's day.
Click here to win some picture books on the Bookstart website
Book of the month: The Cuckoo Boy by Grant Gillespie
This impressive debut is a parable that deconstructs the 'perfect-family' model with eerie tension.
Read our review of The Cuckoo Boy
