a wee update while we #stayhomeforlove

Hello, loves. It's been so long!! And, ergo, this post will be long.

So I'm not going to carry on too much about the virus. I'm sure you've had enough of that (I have, and with deep respect to those suffering and caring for those who are suffering). Are you homeschooling? Are you #stayinghomeforlove?

Like many creatives, I pretty much stay home, anyway - but there's a deep psychology tied in with 'having' to stay home, is there not? One thing I am doing is making sure I shower and dress and put a face on each day, tho my hair has suffered a little... this is the latest hair fad of mine - buns made of steel... wool.

*waves*

So, I have a lot to share with you, and not much to share with you, and this typifies the upside down world we seem to be living in right now. I feel like it's nearly Christmas and can't tell one day from the next (last week, I wished people a happy upcoming weekend on Monday) and I can't quite tell if I'm actually super busy or just faffing or maybe deliberately keeping busy in order to not have to think too much about things... who knows?

Are you the same?

I do believe that the week before last, I kind of entered a gentle period of shock. I'm sure we all have. Settling into this new reality. Taking care not to let the tragedy overwhelm and disable us. And there were so many events about to happen, too - months of them, all lined up like soldiers. Launches and festivals and conferences and get-togethers and celebrations. This is the start of the Book Season in Australia, after all. And then suddenly, all and everything was not going to happen anymore. Some hearts cracked over it.

I've repeatedly told my kids about how very different this health crisis would have been when I was their age (yes, yes, I'm THAT old now). I tell them that at least we have online living and are fortunate that we can still connect so easily. I guess it's whatever we're used to, but this FOMO can at least be digitised for now (even though that also has its problems).

I can honestly say I've made or received more phone calls in the past three weeks than I have in an entire year. Ditto people being in touch, just because. It's been lovely, particularly as I've spent considerable time lamenting the silence between people these past few years, waiting weeks and even months for replies or responses (oftentimes none at all). So I'm relishing this warm and toasty contact. It's nice to check in and ask how people are, and have the same asked back to you.

Some people have mentioned that this time has proved enormously fruitful, creatively. Others have said creating is the last thing they can even think of right now. It's incredible to see how differently the current climate affects each of us - and for Australians - having been book-ended by devastating bushfires and floods, it seems 2020 could well prove our Annus Horribilis.

But there is hope. I'm floored by the way (with the odd exception) Australians have banded together and worked hard to flatten the curve. How neighbours are reaching out, how people are being patient and kind, and how we're all checking in with each other. I dropped toot paper at my neighbour's the other day and she responded with a bag full of Easter eggs left on my doorstep. I say no fair - she gets a clean bum and I get fatter!

But seriously, what a surreal time. And my favourite meme of the last few weeks?

I feel our planet has finally had enough, I really do. What we need to remember is that our government is our employee. We elect it. And we need to perhaps use this time to think deeply on who we want running our country - carefully prioritising our planet, our climate, our people (over profit).

A mega shoutout to parents, teachers, healthcare workers and those at the front line who are giving their hearts to those in need right now. I wanted to give another shoutout to my Insta friend Meredie who started this glorious heart4healthcarers page on Instagram. You can see it here. Get the kids to draw a heart, or create one yourself, and tag Meredie's page, to let healthcare works know how much we appreciate them. (Profile image for the page is by my lovely book pardner Jess Racklyeft.)

There are stacks of creative people doing wonderful things for kids during lockdown - check in with your favourite book creators to see what's going on - from Alison Lester reading her stories on Instagram to Nat Amoore taking kids through some movement classes - Book 'n' Boogie on YouTube.

There's also Story Box Library. Remember that if you have a library card, you can access the book readings for free, and my goodness, there are some storytime treasures on there. SBL are also working hard on a fabulous surprise - check in with them on Instagram soon.

On activities for kids, Evie and Pog have some fab colouring sheets and finger knitting how-tos - just click the poster below to download. And here's a finger puppet sheet you can print off, too.

And crochet. Yes, I'm talking to you. Are you going to get on YouTube and finally learn how to crochet? I made a chevron throw rug a year or two ago and I stopped way too short - want to make it longer, so I'll share what I do later. I tend to ever succumb to crochet as the cold descends, and it's descending early this year. Ugg boots for a full week now, me!

I've been noticing so many kids unable to host birthday parties, and Jess Racklyeft and I thought it might be fun to help kids celebrate their birthdays with a giveaway. So, if you want to win a copy of Hip Hip Hooray - click the cover below. Comp finishes this Saturday 11 April at 5pm, so get in quick.

Before I share some work sneak peeks and what I've been up to, I also wanted to let you know I'm doing mini reviews/book unboxings on Insta and Facebook. Another one today. If you're after book inspo (who isn't!?) then check it out.

If you haven't already seen, I've been adding heaps to my YouTube channel, specifically for kids, including a reading from Evie and Pog and taking kids through Fauna and I Heart the World (below) and much more. I'm also going to be adding content for interested adults - showing how I produce book pages. Check it all out by clicking the image below. More being added weekly.

On top of that, I've done the first of a small handful of #stayhomeforlove episodes for The Happy Book. Just send me your questions on socials, or email me here and I'll answer them! Click below for details. This is for a limited time.

I had the great pleasure of Zooming for the first time EVER. Have you done it? SO much fun! Planning a session with my family this Easter Sunday, too. Below is a screen shot during a hilarious session with my glorious team at Kids' Book Review, facilitated by my friend and all round amazing chick - Dimity Powell (top right). Oh we had fun. We laughed and we laughed.

Sorry, this post is totes random. Just posting happy-making stuff I've been collecting over so many months now - and much of it sourced from my screenshots folder. Does anyone else keep a running visual diary via screenshots? Am I alone!?

The video above is from my recent walk around the neighbourhood. I've been exploring video with gusto since lockdown and I am rapidly dissolving my video fears!

When I was done with all that nature's bounty, I popped them all in a large, flat wooden bowl...

Then I slowly poured in a thin stream of water and everything gently lifted and floated aloft. It was lovely. Do this with the kids and watch them marvel. Day three now and the water has since turned purple like those blossoms.

Here is a young man, just 10 years old, and his Icelandic turf house, inspired by I Heart the World. I want to live in that turf house.

Right, now what I've been up to workwise. I have just finished an alphabet picture book (bucketlist item) for Windy Hollow Books. It's called AlphaKid and below is a peek. I very much loved working on this. It's out later this year or early next, dependent on this dratted virus. It was going to go to Bologna this year, but you know - the virus.

I've just finished resizing pages for I Heart the World - we're doing a smaller format for the US market and for Kmart here in Australia (which will have a slightly different cover). The book is also being published in the UK later in the year, which is exciting, and I've just had news it will be translated into Spanish and Catalan - and this just about sent me over the moon, nay, Jupiter! Working with Hardie Grant Travel has been amazing, and it's exciting to see the hard work for this book pay off.

I'll also be doing not one but TWO new puzzles for Hardie Grant Travel. They'll be out for Christmas, so I'll update you later on that. And I'm soon to be starting work on another large book on the world's animals. Stay tuned.

Very soon, the Evie and Pog audio book will be out. It will be available on CD and also as MP3, read by the amazing Cecelia Ramsdale. Click here to listen to a teensy excerpt. And if you want to pre-order (thank you, if you do!) then click the cover image below and scroll down a scrap to see either CD or MP3.

On Evie and Pog, Party Perfect arrived! It's cupcake pink and delicious. Again, three stories plump with action inside. Here is the gif I made on Procreate. Oh Procreate, how I love you. I'm having an Evie and Pog giveaway on Instagram soon, so check in when you can.

Ivy Bird has just been published in the US - so exciting. I did a little peek at the book (dust jacket!!!) on Instagram. And head here if you want to download a teaching guide and activity kit.

As I went through my screenshot diary-like image folder, I realised I haven't blogged much for soooo long. I had a lovely experience in Sydney in late Feb - visiting the HarperCollins offices and finally meeting-in-person my gorgeous editor Eve Tonelli and the beautiful crew including Publishing Director Cristina Cappulleto and Head of Marketing and Comms, Michelle Weisz, who looked after me so well.

We visited the State Library of New South Wales for their Family Sunday program, and I introduced the kids to Evie and Pog. We did a reading and some drawing and exploring. It was just fabulous. Huge thanks to the amazing Pauline for having me.

The next morning, I dropped in for a cuppa with my brilliant HarperCollins team.

HCP crew!

the divine Michelle

Michelle and I then visited the amazing peeps at Better Reading - I was interviewed for Evie and Pog - it was the best best best time. Mega thanks to Cheryl, Melissa, Bec and the lovely Jane for the interview. You can watch it here.

On 19 Feb (my birthday!), it was a complete joy to be the first author off the 2020 rank for one of my fave podcasts ever - One More Page. I appeared alongside the incredible 10-year-old Evie Bee of Rockin' Reads (follow her on Instagram - she rocks!), who has since become a friend and a contributor to Kids' Book Review! Click the image below to listen.

I'm sure I told you but I can't remember! I was delighted to illustrate a book by local gal Jacqueline de Rose Ahern for the new Aussie Kids series with Penguin. Meet Matilda at the Festival is out September, and is one of 8 books (one for each state and territory) in this wonderful early reader series.

Click the poster below for more on the series and to access some great activity packs from Penguin Books.

Random: I bought these on eBay. Childcraft encyclopedias were my WORLD as a child. I paid quite a bit for them, and they arrived in the most horrendous condition; I was devastated. Luckily the seller refunded me - it was a nerve-wracking experience and SO disappointing. If you ever see some in good condition anywhere, let me know. I NEED THEM!

Oh! This fellow on Instagram - Philip Klein. Check out this cool vid he made in lockdown. Click the image.

And lastly, this is one of the most moving YouTube vids I've seen in a decade. A strange salty liquid slid NON STOP from my eyes from 0:09 onwards. I kid you not. Have goosebumps just thinking about it.

Mega love to you all. That is all.

Tx