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MNHQ

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:
cindy21 · 28/08/2013 20:04

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet for breaking our Talk Guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

JuliaDonaldson · 28/08/2013 20:20

Test

PenguinBear · 28/08/2013 20:29

Hi Julia,

I love your books, as do my children. I am also a primary school teacher who loves sharing your books with my Reception class at work.
I would love to write my own books for this age rage and wondered how you get your ideas and how they translate onto paper?

Thank you :)

SPBisResisting · 28/08/2013 20:31

Welcome!

TheContrastOfWhiteOnWhite · 28/08/2013 20:32

Welcome!

AnneEyhtMeyer · 28/08/2013 20:33

Just wanted to say thank you for making reading to DD so much fun. She loves all your books, and is delighted that one of your books is about someone with her name!

As well as engendering a love of books your stories have also made DD a fan of the theatre - we have been to see several adaptations locally.

From a personal perspective thank you for reminding me how much I loved the Highwayman poem - one of my favourites at school and I love that DD now has her "own version"!

It must be great to make so many people smile.

SPBisResisting · 28/08/2013 20:34

Is your DD called Zog? Wink

AnneEyhtMeyer · 28/08/2013 20:35

How did you guess? Grin

Blatherskite · 28/08/2013 20:38

Will there be any more TV adaptations of your books? We've loved the ones that have been done so far. I now find myself reading the Gruffalo in a Scottish accent :)

MNHQ
SarahMumsnet · 28/08/2013 20:51

Evening all, Julia's here now and limbering up to answer you questions. Welcome, Julia - over to you!

SPBisResisting · 28/08/2013 20:53
JuliaDonaldson · 28/08/2013 20:53

Hello everyone! I'm really looking forward to reading your questions and doing my best to answer them. I had a great time last year on Gransnet and so my hopes are high!

SPBisResisting · 28/08/2013 20:54

They had you before we did Envy

JuliaDonaldson · 28/08/2013 20:54

I visited that school before I had a publisher for the book, and had such a great time there that I promised that if it was ever published I'd dedicated to the school (Auchterhouse Primary).

JuliaDonaldson · 28/08/2013 20:57

@edam

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?

I have written several books which are suitable for ten-year-olds! Your son might enjoy THE GIANTS AND THE JONESES or THE DINOSAUR'S DIARY, or he might even like my teenage book RUNNING ON THE CRACKS, which (along with THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF THE OWL AND THE PUSSY-CAT) is my current favourite.

JuliaDonaldson · 28/08/2013 20:57

@WafflyVersatile

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?

I visited that school before I had a publisher for the book, and had such a great time there that I promised that if it was ever published I'd dedicated to the school (Auchterhouse Primary).

JuliaDonaldson · 28/08/2013 20:58

@weebarra

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?

A lot of people (specially Germans for some reason!) ask about the Gruffalo's child's mum. I'm afraid that as the mere author I haven't been illuminated.

highlandbird · 28/08/2013 20:58

Another fan of your books here who just wanted to say thank you so so much for making reading to my son a pleasure! He is 2 and a half but we have been reading your books for over a year, our favourites are what the ladybird heard, squash and a squeeze, snail and the whale and more recently the singing mermaid and tabby mctat. He likes me to read the same story over and over and with your books I really don't mind, we also like that there's always something new to find in the illustrations, I think your stories go very well with the illustrations used and I would also like to hear how closely you work with the illustrators.
Also, do you have a favourite book you like to read to your grandchildren?
Thank you again, looking forward to reading your new book, we love the original.

JuliaDonaldson · 28/08/2013 20:59

@johnworf

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?

It takes a long time to illustrate a book and I don't think one sole illustrator could keep up with me! Plus, each one has their own strengths. For example, Charlotte Voake who illustrated THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF THE OWL AND THE PUSSY-CAT, has quite a Lear-esque watercolour style which was very much in keeping with the text.

JuliaDonaldson · 28/08/2013 21:00

@SPBisResisting

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.

I suppose I could be called a feminist, though actually initially there wasn't going to be a girl in Zog at all - the dragon was going to meet a trainee knight! My husband is a doctor and maybe that's why I gave Princess Pearl her ambition to do that job. THE SNAIL AND THE WHALE is one of my own favourites, and I think was influenced by Edward Lear's THE JUMBLIES. (Lear of course also incluenced THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF THE OWL AND THE PUSSY-CAT!)

JuliaDonaldson · 28/08/2013 21:01

@LentilAsAnything

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. :)

Usually once a text by a new author has been accepted by the publishers they (the publishers) will suggest an illustator or maybe give a little bit of choice. They often like to pair up someone established with someone less well known.

JuliaDonaldson · 28/08/2013 21:02

@gazzalw

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

I do write books for older children! I've mentioned some in answer to another question, and I have also written the three PRINCESS MIRROR-BELLE books, about a naughty reflection who comes out of the mirror.

JuliaDonaldson · 28/08/2013 21:03

@Sconset

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

I know what you mean about sequels to well-loved books. I did hesitate, but I am such a devotee of Lear that I felt it was my way of saying a big thankyou.

MishMoshi · 28/08/2013 21:03

Hello, my daughter loves your books. I especially like Zog as it helps counter the princess message little girls are force fed these days. You may have heard of the Let Toys Be Toys campaign who started on here, they want retailers to stop promoting toys as gender specific - one of the things they found was that the Gruffalo is often promoted as a 'boys' item. What would you say to retailers who do this?

Beggars78 · 28/08/2013 21:04

LOVE your books Julia. My 3 yo is currently obsessed with the Gruffalo.

What's your favourite book? (By another author)