If you live in Perth in Western Australia, you couldn’t have missed the buzz about The Giants back in February. For three days, giant marionettes walked the streets of the city with over a million people turning up to welcome them. I was excited just to see the Giants, but even more excited for the Little Girl Giant to finally receive the enormous picture book I helped out with.
Continue reading “The Little Girl Giant and her giant picture book”
This year’s Perth International Arts Festival will see a 6 metre-tall girl walking down St George’s Terrace. She’s called ‘the Little Girl Giant’, and as part of her visit she’ll receive an enormous book from the children of the City of Perth. I helped schoolkids produce some art for the book. More details on the Giants and the book below.
Happy New Year! I hope you’re well-fed and rested after the holidays, and are feeling ready to tackle another year.
I’ve just had a two-week holiday at home, my first big break in a while. I read a pile of books, watched a stack of movies and played a heap of video games. It was heaven. I’m back at the desk now, but I wanted to take stock of 2014 before getting stuck into new jobs. It’s mostly for my benefit, but if you’re at all interested in how a full-time children’s illustrator spends his time, here’s a month-by-month summary of my 2014.
Bali … it’s an idyllic paradise filled with rice fields, temples and frangipanis … unless you’re in Kuta, and then it’s a place of digestive upsets and Bintang-singleted bogans.
Don’t go to Kuta. Go to Ubud. It’s a very special place an hour’s drive north of Denpasar, and I got the chance to go there for the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival in October. I ran a workshop for kids, I did a school session too, and I got to be on a panel with Mem Fox!
Details after the jump.
Continue reading “Meeting Mem: Ubud Writers and Readers Festival 2014”
This year, Mount Hawthorn Primary School invited myself and fellow author/illustrator Briony Stewart to collaborate on a 13-week residency project.
Our project was called ‘My Place’. The aim for each year four student (all 87 of them) was to complete a polished story and accompanying illustration based upon their favourite place in Mount Hawthorn. They also made the amazing map you see above!
Hit the link to see more work by the kids.
Continue reading ““My Place”: whimsical stories from Mount Hawthorn Primary students”
My new children’s book The Last Viking Returns is finally out!
Written by Norman Jorgensen, it’s the sequel to The Last Viking. Here’s the official synopsis:
Josh is still as brave as a Viking warrior, and not much can scare a Viking … but the two littlest Vikings have grown up a bit since the first book, and they’re going berserk. They think they’re invincible, and that spells trouble!
When Pop takes the family to Viking World, Josh finds out just how far he’ll go to keep them safe.
You can find The Last Viking Returns at your local bookstore and online.
Hit the link for more photos from the official launches!
We’ve had a few more reviews filter through – one for The Last Viking Returns and a belated but very welcome one for The Last Viking.
THE LAST VIKING RETURNS
“A very humorous account of two worlds colliding: the mortal and the Viking Asgard. Young Josh, alias Knut, must look after his younger twin siblings at the Viking theme park but Odin and the other Viking gods get caught up in the problem that occurs when the twins go berserk …
Not only is the simple story full of action but the full colour animated spreads further make this book an exciting adventure for the reader. The front end paper brings the theme park alive with its keyed map while the back end paper offers a runic alphabet and code for the more advanced reader. This landscape production will be a sure winner with young readers up to middle primary and perhaps beyond.” – John Cohen, the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Reading Time blog
THE LAST VIKING
“This is an intricately crafted picture book of the highest quality. A CBCA Notable Book in 2012, it manages to both entertain and inspire, while touching on issues ranging from childhood fears and bullying to the power of myth and storytelling. Josh’s creativity as he builds a Viking longship is a joy to behold. His bravery in the face of terror as he marches out to confront a pack of bullying children is formidable. And the way in which his problems are resolved is delightful.
There’s a lovely wry humour running throughout this book that will give parents a great deal of enjoyment too. And I absolutely loved the way the illustrations are allowed to tell entire chunks of the story. In fact, I pretty much loved everything about this book, which is why I can’t wait for the sequel.” –Anouska Jones, Kids’ Book Review
The Last Viking Returns is out now!
Find it at your local bookshop or order it online.
The Last Viking Returns is officially in bookshops from today!
To celebrate, we’re having two launches in Perth over the next week.
We’re also having an exhibition of the book’s artwork.
The big launch has reached capacity, but there’s still some space left at the second launch.
Here’s the details:
The Last Viking Returns second launch!
Saturday 6 September
11am to 12pm
Beaufort Street Books
567 Beaufort St, Mt Lawley, WA
Reservations and ticket purchases: (08) 6142 7996 or hello@beaufortstreetbooks.com.au
If you can’t make it to either of the launches, you might like to see an exhibition of the artwork from the book.
The Last Viking Returns exhibition
Sept 5 – 30
The Place, State Library of WA
25 Francis St, Perth
On behalf of Norm, thanks again for your support of our books!
James
By the time this blog post goes live, we’re likely to have reached capacity for the launch of The Last Viking Returns.
If you couldn’t RSVP in time, don’t despair.
We’ve got a second launch organised!
Keep Saturday 6 September free from 11am to 12pm for a Viking event at Beaufort Street Books, 567 Beaufort St, Mt Lawley, WA.
Reservations and ticket purchases: (08) 6142 7996 or hello@beaufortstreetbooks.com.au
My new book The Last Viking Returns will be in bookshops from September 1, and we’re throwing a huge launch party to celebrate.
You’ll be able to see original artwork from The Last Viking Returns, meet the author Norman Jorgensen and I, and you might even meet some real Viking warriors.
Everyone is welcome to attend. Here’s the details:
The Last Viking Returns
To be launched by Mrs Tonya McCusker
Wednesday 10th September
6pm for a 6:30pm start
The Place, State Library of WA
25 Francis St, Perth
DRESS CODE: Leather, sheepskin and horned helmets.
(You may be asked to leave your weaponry at the door).
RSVP by 5th September to (08) 9430 6331 or admin@fremantlepress.com.au
James Foley 