On Thursday Vlada launched What's Up MuMu? at her brilliant comics shop in West End. It was standing room only for the reading with musical backing scored and performed by D. Franklin Crane. It was good seeing Chris and Jackie McKummie there. I want to thank Vlada and all her volunteers profusely for setting the place up for the party and making it a success. All this whilst being on crutches.
Vlada without her crutches.
Thursday 17th December: we launch MuMu at Junky Comics in Brisbane. Book reading with musical accompaniment furnished by D. Franklin Crane. Takeoff: 6.30pm in Vulture Street. Hold onto your cats.
Get a FREE handmade badge for your lapel when you buy one of the first ten copies of MuMu at The Brunswick Street Bookstore in Melbourne.
These handmade badges have a traditional sticking pin on the back and are guaranteed to brighten up the greyest school uniform or business apparel. Be quick!
The lucky GOLD badge could be yours.
Pin it on your lapin.
Lauren Child opened the doors to her amazing dolls' house at The House of Illustration last night. It's been years in the making and it's flawless – without being a bungalow. The exhibition runs until February 2016. Be prepared to bend at the knees.
I'll be at the Beecroft Children's Bookshop, Sydney, on Wednesday, January 20, 2016 to do my I Didn't Know You Could Draw workshop for 8-12 year olds who like to draw, or didn't know they had it in them.
Drawing's not just for school art class. Why not try it when you next need to leave a note, update a diary or send an invoice (maybe not the latter).
Soon, people will be saying, "I didn't know you could draw." What a compliment.
Two Alma Children's Classics have appeared in the post. I'm pleased to have illustrated Bram Stoker's Dracula and Arthur Conan Doyle's Hound of the Baskervilles. I also illustrated Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson but I haven't seen that on the horizon.
I'm pleased to announce that Junky Comics in Australia are hosting a launch party for my picture book What's Up MuMu? on Thursday, December 17th. There will be a reading of the book by the author, then a few words, then a signing. The first TEN copies sold on the night will receive an original drawing. Why not buy a comic (often a floppy type of book with words and pictures) or something else from the vast archives of Junky Comics in West End. Vlada knows what she's doing. Look forward to seeing you in December.
A copy of Goffredo Fofi and Armin Greder's acerbic A to Z of Italy arrived yesterday. Beautifully dark and enlightening. There's an Italian word for that.
I'm pleased to be doing readings of my new book What's Up MuMu? at the Avid Reader/Where The Wild Things Are bookshop on the 16th December. There'll be a children's reading and drawing event at 10am, then in the evening at 6pm there'll be an in-conversation about my books and how I work, which is better for grown-ups or genius children who don't fall asleep. Megan Daley will be doing the questions.
AND the first FOURTEEN copies of MuMu sold at Avid Reader will come with an original drawing made especially for avid readers. Hope to see you in West End.
Thanks to everyone who made it along to The Alligator's Mouth Bookshop on Saturday for The Big Draw event. Not only did we draw, but we coloured, broke pencils, fell off chairs and ate cake. A great room for an event. Thanks again to Margaret, Tony and Mark for inviting me.
Drawing room only at The Alligator's Mouth.
A favourite drawing of MuMu by Poppy.
Shelf at the Alligator's Mouth.
