'The new master of books for children' The Times
Happy 2024!
While I was waiting for edits on the new book (on which more soon) at the end of last year, I spoke to my fellow children’s author Polly Ho-Yen for her brilliant new “Making Books” podcast on the art of making books, about everything writing related from the seven stages of editing reactions to how to get started…
The cast has been announced The Box of Delights at the RSC!
The complete cast includes Nana Amoo-Gottfried (as Joe/Ensemble), Callum Balmforth (as Kay Harker), Stephen Boxer (as Cole Hawkings/Ramon Lully/Grandpa), Melody Brown (as Mayor/Dame Eleanor of Chasuble/Ensemble), Alex Cardall (as Ensemble/Puppeteer), Tom Chapman (as Rat/Puppeteer), Janet Etuk (as Herne the Hunter), Jack Humphrey (as Peter Jones), Tom Kanji (as Charles), Richard Lynch (as Abner), Annette McLaughlin (as Caroline Louisa), Mae Munuo (as Maria Jones), Molly Roberts (as Ellen/The Head/Ensemble), Rhiannon Skerritt (as Ensemble/Puppeteer), Timothy Speyer (as Bishop/Ensemble), and Rosie Wyatt (as Papergirl/Duchess of Musborough/Ensemble). Nia Gwynne and Claire Price will be job-sharing the role of Sylvia Daisy Pouncer.
Our director Justin Audibert commented: “I’m delighted to have the opportunity to work on The Box of Delights again, this time creating a bigger, and even more spectacular production for the Royal Shakespeare Theatre stage.
“It’s a show that features trains, boats, planes, mythical creatures, a good and a very bad magician, and characters that magically turn into tiny versions of themselves, characters that transform into animals that fly through the air and swim in the sea – how exciting is that? We’re telling the story through the imagination of a child, so the staging promises to be a fantastic mix of the inventive and the breathtaking.
“In many ways, The Box of Delights was the first fantasy story for children, and with its classic good versus evil narrative, and three young children as the heroes, you can see its influence on books like the Harry Potter series. I can’t wait for everyone to see it.”
Further creative team members include designer Tom Piper, Prema Mehta (lighting), Ed Lewis (music), Claire Windsor (sound), Simon Pittman (movement), Nina Dunn and Matthew Brown (video), Samuel Wyer (puppetry), Kev McCurdy (fight direction), Réjane Collard-Walker (dramaturg) and Matthew Dewsbury CDG (casting).
The Box of Delights runs from 31 October 2023 until 7 January 2024, with a press night set for 8 November.
Today would have been the former Poet Laureate John Masefield’s 145 birthday. So what better day to share that my adaptation of his joyful children’s classic #TheBoxofDelights is coming to The RSC this Christmas?
This fantastically festive production, originally produced for Wilton’s Music Hall, is directed by Justin Audibert (The Taming of the Shrew 2019, The Jew of Malta 2015) and designed by RSC Associate Designer Tom Piper.
Can Kay Harker save Christmas now that the wolves are running?
Publishing – the business of turning trees into words – has an impact on the planet. It’s time that the values so many authors promote on the page were matched by the values *of* that page.
So this week – which sees both the huge industry trade fair, London Book Fair and Earth Week, the Society of Authors is launching its Tree to Me campaign.
10 questions authors can ask their publisher about sustainability so they can both be informed and clear with their readers about your books’ environmental impact
It’s time to get involved – help us make publishing sustainable.
The Last Wild was published ten years ago, and I’m hugely grateful to everyone – agents, publishers, fellow authors, reviewers, teachers, librarians, bloggers, and parents – who have read, reviewed, blurbed, taught and promoted these books to young readers.
Following the success of my course on how to write your first fantasy novel for children, I’m delighted today to launch by second Domestika course; “Playwriting for Children’s Theater,” which teaches you how to write your first play for children and families.
The course is focused on how to make live work for young audiences, but a lot of the content will be applicable for anyone writing a play. So if you have ever fancied retelling or sharing a story with a live audience, why not buy your front row ticket and take a seat?
Delighted to finally reveal our incredible cast for The Wind in the W̵i̵l̵l̵o̵w̵s̵ Wilton’s at Wilton’s Music Hall this Christmas!
Darrell Brockis as Toad
Melody Brown as Badger
Tom Chapman as Weasel
Paula James as Duck
Corey Montague-Sholay as Mole
Chris Nayak as Otter
Rosie Wyatt as Rat
They can’t wait to welcome you down on the river, starting November 24th…book your tickets now!
I’m thrilled to announce that from this September, I’m joining The Novelry as a writing coach for children’s fiction.
I’ll be offering guidance and advice to aspiring children’s writers, alongside Polly Ho-Yen, at this brilliant online creative writing academy set up by Booker Prize long listed author Louise Dean in 2017.
To start your writing journey and book your chat with me, sign up here.
Poop! Poop! I have been busy in my hole writing a new stage adaptation of a magical children’s classic, perhaps my favourite book as a child and one that has influenced my own writing ever since.
My play, a version of Kenneth Grahame’s much loved The Wind in the Willows, The Wind in the Willows Wilton’s is set in modern London . There will be puppets, songs, a lot of messing about… and just maybe the odd picnic.
It will run from November 24 to December 31 at Wilton’s Music Hall in London, as part of their Autumn/Christmas season.
The festive production is directed by Elizabeth Freestone. It has set and costume design by Tom Piper, original songs by me and Chris Warner, lighting by Zoe Spurr, movement by Emma Brunton and puppets by Sam Wyer.
Please come and join us down on the river – you can buy tickets here.
The paperback edition of The Wild Before is finally here! It is just as sustainable as its big hardback brother, with vegetable inks and uncoated cover, and all the same story and pictures inside…
And, with a fabulous new review, from The Sunday Times, which chose it as one of their Best Children’s Books of 2022:
“A magical and lyrical adventure”
Signed copies are available from Waterstones.