Hilary's Hammock

Sunday, 12 April 2015

Celebrating One Year of Kidliterature!

If you're a parent, teacher or involved in the world of children's books and you haven't discovered "Kidliterature" yet then you'll definitively want to know what it's all about. Kidliterature is an online place of news, tips and advice, reviews, support for children's authors and artists and generally all things children's books. Kidliterature are advocates for children's literacy and you can check out the website and links to facebook and twitter here:

https://www.facebook.com/KidLiterature?fref=ts

https://twitter.com/KidLiterature

Kidliterature was set up by talented author/artist Karen Emma Hall a year ago. Karen quickly gathered a team of like-minded authors/illustrators around her and together they form the Kidliterature admin team (which I joined at the end of last summer)- supporting each other and other authors and illustrators and promoting children's literature around the world.

Inspite of the fact that writing children's books is the best job in the world, it can be a lonely task at times and creative people need other creative people for the right kind of support and friendly advice probably only they can give each other! Kidliterature does that. And the website and facebook page is also a great place for parents, teachers and others to look in for inspiration and news about authors, children's books, ideas and resources too.

So this week Kidliterature are celebrating their first "birthday" with author signed books, giveaways, games, videos, a raffle and an exciting brand new webiste:

Kidliterature

And an eight minute long celebratory anniversary video:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/k8uPODt_2cA

So if you love children's books as much as I do and as much as everyone at Kidliterature does, then don't miss out on this whole week of fun!

Find out about and enter the rafflecopter giveaways here:

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, 30 March 2015

When "Books are the most constant of friends...and the wisest of counselors..."

"Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers." So said Charles William Eliot in his The Happy Life, 1896.

That's one of my favourite quotes because I've always loved the idea of stories that are a kind of "therapy" and not just an entertainment or distraction or means of obtaining information.

Stories can take you out of yourself and transport you into the worlds and thoughts and emotions of others. Through stories the youngest of readers can absorb values and comforts and discover how to think and see truths for themselves. Step into the right story, the right book at the right time and when you step out again you'll have almost imperceptibly acquired a just-for-you 'gift' that will stay with you long after you've read the last sentence or put the book down.

The kind of 'gift' I'm talking about is a realisation, a resolution or a quiet comfort or certainty that makes life suddenly feel a tiny bit different or better or happier or hopeful. And for children as much a adults that is a gift that is especially needed at times of anxiety or change or loss or sadness. The right stories, as the "quietest and most constant of friends" can offer children that gift in a indirect, subtle and cheerful way that won't make them feel the adult world is trying to intrude and bombard them with answers that they can't take in.

The intention of The Forever Tree and Stories for Feelings is that they become books for children with those kinds of gifts. A shared reading of them between a parent (or other adult) and child that enables a gentle and non-frightening way of opening up to nurturing ideas - helping children explore emotions, feelings, thoughts and situations they may be going through. Or just a way to understand themselves or others. They can be revisited by the child alone or shared again - their messages still there whenever they are needed