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Mumsnet webchats

Julia Donaldson webchat, Wednesday 28 August, 9-10pm

179 replies

GeraldineMumsnet · 23/08/2013 09:48

We're thrilled that acclaimed author and former Children's Laureate Julia Donaldson is our webchat guest on Wed 28 August.

A Squash and a Squeeze, The Gruffalo, Zog, Room on the Broom, Tiddler and a host of other best-loved books have endeared her to countless children.

Her latest book is The Further Adventures of The Owl and the Pussy-cat, in which she revisits Edward Lear's favourite rhyme, with beautiful illustrations by Charlotte Voake.

So, if you're a fan, please grab a glass or a cuppa and come and chat to Julia about her writing at 9pm on Wednesday.

And if you can't make the webchat itself, do post a question in advance.

As a taster, , and her husband Malcolm, singing their brand new Owl and the Pussy-cat song. (There are on-screen lyrics if you want to use it as a sing-a-long with little 'uns.)

OP posts:
Sconset · 23/08/2013 09:59

I love Julia Donaldson, and I'm sure my dc will have lots of questions, especially as we'e just been to the "squash and a squeeze" exhibition and they had a fabulous time!

But the Owl and the Pussycat?

I love the old song Sad don't know if I can listen to a new one... the other was a huge part of my childhood memories.

Nice to see you Gerry, too Smile

gazzalw · 23/08/2013 11:31

Hi Julia

Our two DCs were brought up on your books and we all loved reading them as a family! Any chance you might consider writing for older children - just think that your stories are so lovely and it's a pity that your books can't progress with the children as they grow!

Thanks

LentilAsAnything · 23/08/2013 17:33

Hi, Julia

Loving your work.

How do you choose an artist for your books (both when you started out and now that you are successful)?
If I were to write a young children's book, what's the best process for finding an artist? Can you put a good word in to Axel for me! Wink

Thank you!

Sorry if that counts as more than one question! If only answering one, I'd prefer advice re how to find an illustrator for my book. :)

blondieminx · 23/08/2013 17:36

I can't think of anything clever to ask but just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU as the books are a delight to read and my DD loves them.

We too went to the Tiddler production (at Colchester's Mercury Theatre) and we loved it, would be very interested to go to further stage adaptations Smile

SPBisResisting · 23/08/2013 17:43

Hi Julia, we're big fans of your books here, adults and children.
My question is do you consider yourself a feminist? I love Zog, and insist on reading it to my two whenever I feel overwhelmed by the pink princess /weak women stuff.
Also, do you have a favourite of your own books? I love the Snail and the Whale, it's almost like poetry.

LittleAbruzzenBear · 23/08/2013 18:10

Hello Julia, just wanted to say thank for getting my little boy reading. I don't think he would have done if it wasn't for you and Axel Scheffler. Looking forward to reading him your newest book, it's my favourite rhyme!

glenthebattleostrich · 23/08/2013 18:14

Hi Julia,

We love your books in this house, you are easily our favourite author in the world :)

Will there be another Christmas cartoon made of one of your books this year? We have all 3 on DVD, as well as the books and love watching them, then reading the stories.

mrscmcfeely · 23/08/2013 18:47

Hello Julia! My 7 year old son would like to know how you created the Gruffalo character? I would just like to say thanks for giving us hours of enjoyment x

Munxx · 23/08/2013 20:41

Hi Julia

We love the Gruffalo books in this house, but my daughter wants to know where the Baby Gruffalo's Mummy is! She always asks.

Thanks so much, also thanks for Zog what an amazing female role model there is in that book!

hugoagogo · 23/08/2013 20:59

hello

My daughter is 11 and her ambition is to be a writer and illustrator, what advice would you give her?

and thankyou so much for your books, they are wonderful to read aloud, it makes my job (reading books to under fives in the library) so much easier.

SilveryMoon · 23/08/2013 21:07

Hi Julia, I haven't got a question, but just wanted to say thank you for your wonderful books Thanks
My son (6yo) is struggling at school at the moment, his teacher wanted to concentrate on reading first, but he has little interest.
We were in a bookstore recently and they had a big display of all of your books and he called out "Look mummy! Julia Donaldson! She is my favourite" He then asked me to buy some for him, which I did and he couldn't wait to get home so I could read them to him.
Grin

johnworf · 23/08/2013 21:11

Hi Julia. We're huge fans of yours and met you in Stockport 2 years ago.

My question is: How do you decide which illustrator to use? I really love Axel's illustrations but I wonder why some of your books have pictures done by different people?

gemscott3383 · 24/08/2013 00:07

I would love to know where Julia gets her inspiration from, since so many of her characters are the underdogs and not "the usual" characters for children, like Superworm (which is our favourite) and the Highway Rat, not to mention the Gruffalo, what inspires her when creating a new main character?

MixedClassBaby · 24/08/2013 12:15

Just another thank you here. My DDs always pick up a stick to carry when we go out walking - and then return it 'to the family tree' when we come home.

enormouse · 24/08/2013 12:44

How much input did you have on the gruffalo and gruffalos child films?
We love them in our house as well as your books and our DS watched them so much the DVD wore out.

TheTimeTravellersWife · 24/08/2013 15:57

Both my children love The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom and many of your other books. Do you have any plans to release a Gruffalo app for ipad or other tablet?

weebarra · 25/08/2013 08:50

Thank you Julia for all your books, my two DSs love them.
DS1 is 5 and he would like to know if the Gruffalo's child has a mummy?

edam · 25/08/2013 10:15

love your work. Sadly ds now thinks he's too old, aged 10, but I don't think you are ever too old, esp. not for the snail and the whale.

Which is your favourite book?

Jenijena · 25/08/2013 10:42

My DS is only 1, but your books are easily the most fun to read and I'm always on the look out for others! Came across Tyrannosaurus Drip the other day and loved it :) thank you for making a non-wussy princess in zog.

My question is: I've found the gruffalo in quite a few of the JD/AS books, but can't see it in Monkey Puzzle. Is it there? (I bet someone else can answer that too).

Vajazzler · 25/08/2013 10:43

Hi Julia I'd like to ask how it feels knowing that tales you have written are in the hearts minds and homes of so many children?

WafflyVersatile · 25/08/2013 11:34

Hello Julia,

The gruffalo is dedicated to my old school which, of course, made me very excited when I bought it for various nieces. But I don't know what the connection is. So what is your (or Alex's) connection?

WafflyVersatile · 25/08/2013 11:38

Bah. Typo. Axel not Alex.

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TotallyEggFlipped · 25/08/2013 14:13

Hi Julia
We love your books. I always wonder if you intended for the books to appeal to adults as much as to children, or if it just happened naturally, and whether you ever considered writing a book specifically aimed at an adult audience?

LittleMilla · 25/08/2013 16:43

Hello Julia,

My two year old ds absolutely adores your books and we recently got given the gruffalo DVDs. Also wondering if you have plans for more adaptations? We don't really 'do' tv in our house but at just 20-25 mins long it provides wonderful entertainment whilst I bf my other son!

Also, we are huge super worm fans in this house. To the point that my son goes looking for worms in our garden but insists on being kind and "making them happy". So just another thank you for making reading already such a huge part of our family's life. And we cannot wait to explore more of your books.

X

Waspie · 25/08/2013 16:50

Hi Julia

Another huge thank you for your brilliant books. My son's first proper sentence was "Once there was a fish and his name was Tiddler" Smile.

His favourite story is Tiddler and mine is Zog. What's your favourite of your stories?

Thanks.

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