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Mumsnet webchats

Webchat with Chris Riddell and Michael Rosen on Wednesday 2 Sept 12pm

91 replies

TinaMumsnet · 26/08/2015 12:29

Hello

We're very pleased to announce a webchat with current Children's Laureate Chris Riddell and former Children's Laureate Michael Rosen on Wednesday 2 September at 12pm.

Chris Riddell, is an accomplished artist and the political cartoonist for the Observer. He has twice won the Kate Greenaway Medal – for Pirate Diary and Jonathan Swift's Gulliver. Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse won the Costa Children's Book Award 2013. His other titles include the bestselling Ottoline books, The Emperor of Absurdia and, with Paul Stewart, the Muddle Earth books, the Scavenger series and the Blobheads series. Visit his website to find out more.

Michael Rosen is one of the most popular authors of stories and poems for children. His bestselling titles include: We're Going on a Bear Hunt, Little Rabbit Foo Foo, Michael Rosen's Sad Book, This Is Our House, Tiny Little Fly, Dear Mother Goose and its sequel Dear Fairy Godmother. Michael received the Eleanor Farjeon Award in 1997, and was the Children's Laureate from 2007 to 2009. He is Professor of Children's Literature at Goldsmiths, University of London. You can read more about Michael Rosen on his website.

Chris and Michael have recently collaborated on a new book for young children. A Great Big Cuddle is an illustrated collection of poetry which celebrates all the best things about childhood. Watch the video to see Michael Rosen perform one of his poems.



Do you or your DC have any questions for MR or CR? If so, come and join us on Wed 2 September at 12pm - or if you can't make it, leave a question below.
Thanks
MNHQ
Webchat with Chris Riddell and Michael Rosen on Wednesday 2 Sept 12pm
Webchat with Chris Riddell and Michael Rosen on Wednesday 2 Sept 12pm
Webchat with Chris Riddell and Michael Rosen on Wednesday 2 Sept 12pm
OP posts:
JiltedJohnsJulie · 26/08/2015 21:27

Noooo! I'll be at work and DD, who is totally in awe of both, will start back to school that day. No, no, no, no no!

InMySpareTime · 27/08/2015 11:34

I'm definitely up for this! See you next week Grin

MargaretSchlegel · 27/08/2015 12:39

noooo! I'm at work and the DC are back at school

however, 8yo DD1 wants to ask Chris how he comes up with the characters for his stories, and if they're based on people in real life.

goodelfallover · 27/08/2015 13:59

Just want to say thank you for the Sad Book. Flowers

CheekyMaleekey · 27/08/2015 19:18

Michael, your poems have been a source of delight, comfort, inspiration and reflection, throughout my life. Thank you.

PaulineFossil · 27/08/2015 20:55

My four year old adores Ottoline and we've had such fun reading them together. Are you planning any more? If not, please reconsider!

WiryElevator · 28/08/2015 08:32

We'd also like to ask Chris about further Ottoline books.

My DD (9) loves them - as do I ( oh how I wish I had had such beautiful books as a child! [gimmer]). The Goth Girl books are equally divine but it's the characters in the Ottoline series my DD loves, especially Mr Munroe.

We also both adore the illustrations in Fortunately, The Milk.

Chippednailvarnish · 29/08/2015 20:33

Michael I met you when you visited my junior school back in 1986/87. You made a huge positive impression on me (I've saved my copy of "Don't put mustard in the custard" that you signed that day, for my children!).
Have you got an advice for an 8 year old boy who loves to read, but hates to write?

TeaAddict235 · 29/08/2015 22:05

Thank you for your years of mischief Michael Rosen, fuelling my younger years and now providing lots of cuddly reading time with my son. 'Let me do it' sounds just up his street.

Question: Do you find that your poems translate well into other languages from English, as the wit and play on the English words is unique?

JoyceDivision · 29/08/2015 23:06

Ooh I will have to tell DDabout this, she loves Ottoline and Goth Girl.

She picked up her cousin's copy of The GraveyardBook butput it down fairly quickly (she is eight...think it was bit too dark for her!)

MrsTerryPratchett · 31/08/2015 01:12

DD doesn't have any questions. She just wanted to tell you she loves Ottoline. As do we. My questions is: How do you come up with books, like the Ottoline series, that are so perfect for children and adults? So few authors seem to manage it. When she asks for Ottoline for a bedtime story, I will admit I breathe a sigh of relief.

Hygellig · 31/08/2015 14:24

To Michael Rosen - I would just like to say that both my children (age 4 and 2) love "We're Going on a Bear Hunt". My son knows it off by heart and will "read" it to himself. I have always wondered about the illustrations. Is it supposed to be a dad and his children or just the children without their parents?

Pico2 · 31/08/2015 20:55

To Michael Rosen - the British Humanist Association is fundraising to send a copy of What is Humanism? (written by you and Annemarie Young) to every primary school in the UK. What impact are you hoping for with this?

ReallyTired · 01/09/2015 14:02

Why are you opposed the use of pure synthetic phonics in the early years (without mixed methods like look say) to teach reading? Have you ever seen a modern phonics lesson? My daughter has been taught to read and writing with pure synthetic phonics. She has also been exposed to a rich literacy enviroment and both her and her class mates love reading.

nico4 · 01/09/2015 15:34

To Michael Rosen - my four children love your poems especially "Chocolate Cake" and "Strict" both have them in fits of giggles every time. They enjoy watching you perform your poems and love to recite them themselves.

They would like to know do you have a favourite poem? Also if you didn't write what would be your dream job?

Enb76 · 01/09/2015 16:22

I would like to ask if they think there is a dearth of intelligently written books for 5-7 year olds and if so, why? I find that brilliant poetry is much easier to find than brilliant prose for a free reading 6 year old.

deepdarkwood · 01/09/2015 17:13

First of all. Huge thank you to both of you - your writing and illustrations have been a source of joy over the years, and many phrases from Bear Hunt, Chocolate Cake and Goth Girl in particular are part of our 'family vocab'

I have three questions - one from me, one from dd and one from ds:

Dd(9) would like to know which of Chris' books he likes best. Her favourite is Goth Girl because of the clothes (especially the purple ones) and the jokes - even if she has to have lots of them explained to her when mum starts laughing.

DS (11) would like to ask Michael where he gets his ideas from and whether chocolate cake was about something that really happened to him.

I'd love their recommendations for books for our 'junior book club' - readers are aged 9-12 and both genders so can be tricky to choose for - any ideas/suggestions that we might not have thought of...? I have a certain poetry anthology on the list now ;-)

NotJimbo · 02/09/2015 00:01

Hi to both of you, I'm sad that we'll have to miss your live chat, what with work and school, but would love to take this opportunity to put questions to you -

Chris - my daughter is a huge fan of your books, she treasures the letter you kindly wrote in reply to fan mail she sent to you Smile Would you please consider doing a book signing event or similar, I'm sure your many fans would love to meet you!

Michael - I've read and loved several of your young children's books, moving on from this, can you suggest an "easy way in" to poetry, perhaps for adults as well as children? As someone who is not naturally drawn to poetry, I often feel it doesn't click with me. Perhaps over-analysis in school years killed the joy!

ChooChooLaverne · 02/09/2015 10:16

Michael - I've only discovered your poems as an adult since my DS (7) has been talking about them after hearing them at school. I think they're brilliant!

We would like to ask whether Michael's Big Book of Bad Things is true? Also were you funny when you were at school?

Thank you!

W00t · 02/09/2015 11:06

My children adore Ottoline!
DD would like to know whether there are any plans to make Ottoline into a film?

PlaysWellWithOthers · 02/09/2015 11:35

Michael.. I just wanted to thank you for everything you gave to my DS2.

He has ASD.

"We're going on a bear hunt" was his absolute favourite book when he was small. I could recite the book now. He graduated from that and went on to read your books and poetry. You're part of the reason he writes such beautiful songs now.

If you ever feel like you've not really done much on any given day, maybe remember a 17 yr old lad who might not have become the fine fellow he is today without your genius.

ChrisRiddell · 02/09/2015 11:53

hello

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TinaMumsnet · 02/09/2015 12:00

Good afternoon everyone,

Firstly, thank you to all those who have posted their questions so far. We're very excited to be joined by Chris Riddell and Michael Rosen today.

We've already got a fair few questions to get through so I'll just add the standard Mumsnet ones that we like to ask all our authors...

What childhood book most inspired you?
What is the last book you gave as a gift?
What would be the first piece of advice you would give to budding authors/illustrators?

Welcome to Mumsnet and over to you Chris and Michael

OP posts:
W00t · 02/09/2015 12:01

And most importantly, what type of biscuits do you like? Smile

UnsureOfOutcome · 02/09/2015 12:01

Hi both,


Question for each of you if that's ok!

Chris: my stepdaughter LOVES your Goth Girl books (and she's called Ada Grin). She'd like to know where you got the idea from and whether there are books that you read that inspired you, so she can read them too.

and Michael, which were the books that you loved as a child? And how important do you think picture books are for school age children (i.e. there's such a pressure to move on to chapter books; do you think things are lost by leaving picture books behind?)

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