Hello from Polly

Published on: 10 November 2010 Author: Polly Dunbar

The fantastic author and illustrator of loads of great children's books, including Penguin and Happy Hector, Polly Dunbar became our fourth Writer in Residence back in 2010. In this blog Polly spoke about the importance of sketchbooks.

Welcome to my sketchbook!

As a child I remember my dad saying to me that you don't have to show anyone your notebooks; they are just for you and your own private thoughts.

By 'anyone' he meant family and friends. Well, that was a relief. I could say, do, think, draw what I liked, without judgement or approval.

Of course this became more important as I got a little older. Like most young teenagers I wrote KEEP OUT and TOP SECRET and kept my sketchbooks locked up under the floor boards. This meant they were suddenly far more enticing and a gained a wholly uninvited readership, namely my brother and his friends.

How times have changed. Now I am being asked to invite the whole world into my notebook - except that it's called a blog. I feel torn between COME IN... KEEP OUT... COME IN... but.....hmm. Being writer/drawer in residence will be an interesting experience!

Disconcertingly, I'm obliged to have an exciting life so that I have good stuff to write about. Should the exciting life fail to materialise, I will become extra inventive and spin some good yarns. I shall try to include romance, adventure, espionage and some nice illustrations.

Read more blogs from Polly