Oh my goodness, Oh my goodness! Look what I found. What is not to love here? Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell, I totally love these guys. I must, must, must get my hands on this book. Unfortunately I have to wait until later in the year. How can you not adore these illustrations.
Also while I’m here lets hear from the wonderful author on what the book is about.
So this is a blog about books, sort of, mostly though it is about reading and although I know plenty of adults that read comic books, manga or graphic novels there are plenty of younger folk who do to. While I am not about to start reviewing that format on here, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to have a post about them.
My favourites : well I always liked Wolverine and Nightcrawler was pretty cool.
I also loved Sandman written by Neil Gaiman.
I read pretty much whatever my boyfriend at the time, had in his collection (and it was a big collection). Needless to say I get a little excited when a comic based movie comes out, though I am also wary, sometimes they do them very badly. I happen to know so people who are very passionate about this topic though and if they say a film is good I will absolutely take their word for it.
I guess really what I want to say is that just because there are lots of pictures doesn’t mean it is an invalid form of reading and absolutely can be used to encourage literacy. If you have or are a reluctant reader it could just be because you haven’t found the right book or format. Comic book stores are not scary places, the people in there are passionate about their format, go on in you might be pleasantly surprised.
Of course it is entirely possible I just wanted to post a few clips for movie adaptions.
Okay, so no clue how you feel about these two guys but as far as I am concerned they are amazing contributors to the field of writing and illustration.
So anyway, you can read the article where Neil Gaiman interviews Shaun Tan, here, or maybe it’s just a discussion between peers, wither way it is an interesting read.
184 candidates from 66 countries are nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award 2012. This was revealed at the Frankfurt Book Fair on Thursday October 13th 2011.
Over one hundred expert organisations from all over the world have nominated the candidates. The recipient or recipients of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award will be announced on March 20th 2012.
Here are some of the authors you may be familiar with:
Allan Ahlberg
David Almond
Quentin Blake
Eric Carle
Joy Cowley
Hazel Edwards
Michael Foreman
Neil Gaiman
Morris Gleitzman
Margaret Mahy
Michael Morpurgo
Meg Rosoff
There are of course many other names of authors/illustrators/individuals/organisations who have contributed to children’s literacy and the full list can be found here.
A huge congratulations must go out to all these incredible people and organisations.
By: Neil Gaiman
Illustrations by: Chris Riddell
Nobody Owens is known as Bod, he used to have another name, before the man came to try and kill him. Bod survived by stumbling into a graveyard and being taken in by ghosts. Now he lives and is educated by the dead and has a guardian who belongs in neither the world of the loving or that of the dead. There are dangers in the graveyard certainly – ghouls and the strange sleer, but Bod has been given the Freedom of the Graveyard which offers him some protection. It is outside the graveyard though, in the land of the liviing, where the bigger dangers lie. For the man that killed Bod’s family has unfinished business with Bod.
Gaiman sweeps us so effectively into the world of the graveyard that is seems totally normal for Bod to be learning things like how to fade and dreamwalk. He weaves a story that draws you in. It starts from a single point, widens out to a bigger picture and neatly twists up at a single point to finish. You feel for Bod as he grows amongst the others yet is still so very alone. The cast of characters around him are varied, (a graveyard is a great leveler of race and social standing) yet in some ways they are as insubstantial as the ghosts they are. This is an intriguing and engaging story of love and friendship, proving the strength of these things in the most unlikely of situations. Gaiman, as always, takes us on a wonderful dance through the darkness, though in this case it’s more through the twilight hours.
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Published: 05 October 2009
Format: Paperback 304 pages
Categories: Ghost, Fantasy, Horror
ISBN 13: 9780747594802
Purchase: here or use logo on side of page to link to Booktopia
By: Neil Gaiman
Illustrated by: Gris Grimley
It’s a dangerous world beneath the city that two brave children and their pet gazelle venture into. They weave their way through monsters, pirates and a generally nasty world as they seek out the hidden treasure.
This is a fun little story told alphabetically and accompanied by wonderfully gruesome pictures. Be warned though, this isn’t a traditional alphabet book and may not teach letters in quite the way you were expecting.
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 01 August 2010
Format: Paperback 32 pages
Categories: ABC, Adventure, Graphic Novels
ISBN 13: 9780060783358
Purchase: here
TheKylieVerse 