The story starts like a real life read but changes subtly through the book to become more fantastical – was that always the plan, or did it evolve that way? It was always my intention to make the book a mix of the ordinary and the more magical. As a child, I was always drawn […]
I often think of the 1960s housing estate that I grew up on in Brighton; the swing park where I scored my first goal in a kickabout, Dwelly’s the sweet shop where me and Simon Denyer deliberated over our penny chew selections, the lino-floored public library that helped fuel my love of reading. It was […]
Photo Credit: Paperboat Photography by Laura Tindall Belonging for me is fitting in, that sense of comfort and being able to be entirely you and accepted for that. Comfy pyjamas, cup of tea, I am absolutely and utterly at home here sort of feeling. Bookshops and libraries need to give us that comfy feeling too. […]
Love Grows Everywhere began in 2018 as little more than a rhythm in my head, calling for words that might fit with the beat. Back then, it was called ‘Love Lives Everywhere’, a loose idea about love being welcome in all homes. I soon hit a creative block, however, and had to change direction. The theme […]
It was almost 10 years ago that I turned myself into a ladybird. But not just any ladybird. A ladybird with no spots. A ladybird who looked different to the others, who knew she did not belong. This was the first story I wanted to share with the world – Lucy Ladybird (Templar, 2013). The story may […]
Ben Andrews author of Better Places Picture Books published by Tiny Tree Children’s Books Books help us feel a sense of belonging. A belonging to a writing or reading community, through stories we can relate to or characters we identify with. Children’s literature is no exception and likely more significant in this regard, with books […]
The story in my new novel THE DROWNING DAY takes place in the year 2052. The world has been devastated by rising waters and the survivors live in a fractured and cruel society. Jade, Bates and Sansom are three twelve years–olds who are struggling to survive in the Wetlands; another flood threatens and they must […]
The world can be a big, lonely place, so the need to feel like you belong somewhere is natural. Belonging can mean different things to different people – a home to call your own, people who love you, or a local community who pull together through thick and thin. If you’re lucky, you have a […]
Sharon Creech has kindly taken the time to answer our questions about her latest book, One Time. Many of your books are taken from your own life experiences. Does writing bring back a sense of nostalgia about those family trips, settings or family members? I do enjoy revisiting those family trips and settings, and […]
I spend a lot of my time thinking about the importance of feeling welcome, feeling accepted, feeling like you belong. But sadly, very, very sadly, not all children are born into situations where this is the case. Many are born into abusive or neglectful homes. Many are born into homes with severe substance abuse. Many […]
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