FCBG24

Another year, another conference! Henceforth known as ‘The Fun One’… the Eurovision/ SuperBowl of the KidLit calendar’ thanks to the very lovely October Jones, the FCBG Conference is always a fabulous occasion and this year’s was no exception! If anyone was wondering whether it’s worth ‘sacrificing’ one of their precious weekends for, the answer is absolutely and unequivocally YES!

This year, Woldingham School in Surrey was where it all happened. The school is set in 700 acres of lovely countryside, making it a very peaceful spot to stay and as the weather was mostly kind to us, a pleasant place to wander round.

Although the Conference Committee and their helpers has been busy for hours, delegates started to arrive at 3pm. It is always lovely to catch up with familiar faces, but a fantastic opportunity to connect with new people as well- discovering the face behind the social media name or simply meeting like minded book-lovers whilst having a cuppa and a cake.

The weekend began in earnest with afternoon tea celebrating the 10th anniversary of Supertato! Not only were there delicious cupcakes, but the tater himself made an appearance, delighting everyone with his willingness to pose for pictures! Following this were the Publishers’ Presentations, a fantastic opportunity to hear about some of the wonderful books which are currently available and coming soon. With such a wealth of books available, it is a great way of spotting books of interest to have a look at and discuss with the publishers at the exhibition!

The Publishers’ Exhibition which followed their presentations is undoubtedly one of the highlights of Conference for many delegates. The opportunity to have a closer look at some of the books mentioned in the presentations is a real joy, but actually being able to meet lovely publishing people is really special, offering an opportunity to chat about different titles, enter competitions and perhaps be offered a proof copy of something up-coming! And they really are lovely people..!

After dinner, everyone headed to the Mansion House for drinks. Sam Sedgman gave a brilliant talk about his work, including his latest book, ‘The Clockwork Conspiracy’ (review here). His knowledge, sense of humour and enthusiasm for discovering things and being interested in the world made him an absolute joy to listen to!

A hard act to follow you might think, but what came next was a fabulous session of music and poetry from three of the best! Treating us to a medley of well-known songs with altered lyrics such as ‘Feeding my Mind’ (Staying Alive) and ‘FCBG’ (Tragedy), the combined talents of Laura Mucha (review of ‘Celebrate!’ here and ‘Dear Ugly Sisters’ here), John Dougherty (The Hare-Shaped Hole here) and Roger Stevens (review of Razzmatazz here) were just what was needed to round off what had been an excellent start to the weekend!

Saturday was off to a bang with Cressida Cowell (The Wizards of Once) and David Almond (Bone Music), two real treasures of children’s books who I could have listened to all day! They were followed by a session called ‘Disadvantaged Boys Have Feelings Too’ with Brian Conaghan and Nathanael Lessore which I wasn’t able to enjoy as I was on the reception desk at this time, but which everyone was full of praise for!

After another round of cupcakes, Jenny Pearson took the stage for a fabulously funny and entertaining session. This was followed by the choice of four seminars: NSSM with Margaret Bateson-Hill, NNFN, graphic novels with Steve Webb and how to become an author with Julia Green (The Boy who Sailed the World). A tough decision to make!

After lunch, there was a session with Jennifer Killick (Dread Wood) and Peter Bentley (Octopus Shocktopus), past winners of the CBA which some children had been invited to attend. Next came the ‘Empathy in Picture Books’ panel with Mariajo Ilustrajo, Farrah Riaz and Kim Hillyard (Mabel and the Mountain), a wonderful session! More tea and cake followed to celebrate 30 years of ‘Dinosaur Roar!’ before the Group meetings.

And there was still more to come! We celebrated Michael Morpurgo’s 80th birthday with him before the Gala Dinner and then the incomparable David Fickling gave the after dinner speech! His enthusiasm and energy are completely infectious, making the perfect end to another perfect day!

Although some were a little bleary eyed from staying on at the bar the night before, everyone was up bright and early on Sunday to enjoy yet more book-ish joy! The first session was Lisa Williamson, an excellent YA author (First Day of My Life) , talking about her new MG series ‘Best Friends Forever’. This was followed by ‘Inclusion in Fiction’, a panel event with Sarah Hagger-Holt, Lisette Auton and Karen Owen. Lisette Auton wasn’t able to join us in person, but appeared on screen! Both of these session were thought-provoking as well as enjoyable.

Our final tea break -more cake!- was followed by ‘Fantasy with an Environmental Twist’, a fascinating session with Pari Thomson, Jess French and Rachel Delahaye (Day of the Whale). And last, but very much not least, Christopher Edge (Escape Room) closed conference in style with another excellent, fun session which no one will forget in a hurry!

Time for lunch and then we were all saying our goodbyes- and promising to meet again in Monmouth next year so we can do it all again! Many thanks to the Conference Committee for organising such a fabulous event and many apologies if I’ve left anyone out of the pictures! Can’t wait for FCBG25!

FCBG Conference 2023 Day 3

Sunday always arrives all too soon! Whilst weekend delegates had breakfast and packed up their rooms, the Sunday day delegates were arriving and settling in. The FCBG Conferences are usually held in schools with boarding facilities, but some attendees prefer to stay elsewhere and some come on a daily basis. It never matters as everyone is very friendly and welcoming.

The first Sunday session was the very wonderful Ross Montgomery, whose enthusiasm and energy are infectious. He spoke about his new book, ‘Spellstone’ (which is amazing) and how he was inspired by noticing the quiet, overlooked things. He shared some of the fascinating places and things he had discovered on his walks round London, seeking out the lesser known. This is/ was one of my favourite things to do prior to Covid and since he showed pictures of Postman’s Park, somewhere I have spent many happy hours, I have been determined to start again! Always inspiring, Ross spoke of the alchemy between reader and writer and how writing a book is like cultivating a garden!

Ross was followed by dream duo, Dapo Adeola and Nathan Bryon! We were treated to a reading of the beginning of their new book about Rocket, ‘Speak Up!’, which is obviously going to be every bit as special as the others! They spoke about how Rocket came to be, their very close working relationship (‘It feels like there’s a USB from my brain to Dapo’s!) and the industry they work in. They were a joy to listen to!

The next coffee break celebrated ‘Bridget Vanderpuff and the Baked Escape’. Author, Martin Stewart, told us a little about himself and the book and treated us to a reading, resulting in this book being catapulted to the top of my TBR pile! The cakes on offer were fabulous (only a small selection is shown here)

After the coffee break the Graphic Novels for younger readers panel began. This was such a fascinating and enjoyable session. Not only were Mark Bradley, Andy Riley and Matty Long very entertaining, they also share a real passion for graphic novels. Mark Bradley was extremely knowledgeable, having obviously done a lot of research into this field and the session sparked lots of conversations.

The final session of the morning- and indeed, of the Conference- seemed to arrive so quickly. Unfortunately, it was my turn on the reception desk at this point, but as people were leaving the hall, I could tell it had been an excellent session as everyone was talking about it! Authors, Josh Silver, Simon James Green and Freja Nicole Woolf read from their books and discussed LGBT+ stories for a YA audience.

Lunch followed and soon everyone was saying goodbye and gathering their things- including lots of books, posters, bookmarks, catalogues, badges and all manner of book-ish goodies. It was a wonderful weekend, perfect for book lovers, a great opportunity to meet with like-minded people and brilliant for finding out about recent- and soon to be - children’s publications. Details of next year’s conference will soon be available on the FCBG website https://fcbg.org.uk/ which also has information about local groups.

Can’t wait to see what next year brings!

FCBG Conference 2023 Day 2

Day 2 saw us up bright and early, off to explore Rugby town before breakfast! The town was already alive as the Saturday market was setting up and we enjoyed wandering around, on a mission to find the statues of Rupert Brooke, Thomas Hughes and William Webb Ellis and the bench in Jubilee Gardens which commemorates various authors. As none of these things are signposted, we were helped by the bin men who googled Rupert Brooke’s location for us!

Once fortified by a hearty breakfast, Conference began a-new. Saturday sees new day delegates arriving and the organisers- members of the Executive Committee and the Northamptonshire Book Group- work tirelessly to make sure everything is ready and everyone in the right place for the first session. Each delegate receives a Conference goodie bag, filled with donations from publishers as well as Conference information when they are greeted by those manning the reception desk.

The first session was the wonderful M G Leonard. Sadly, I missed this session as I was distributing information about NNFN to publishers, but people were buzzing about it, filled with enthusiasm by the inspiring energy of her talk. This was followed by a panel discussion with Alison David (Farshore Consumer Insight Director), Emma Dodds (Red Shed Senior Commissioning Editor) and Dr Ronx (doctor, TV presenter and author) about the power of non-fiction to make and inspire new readers. Coffee time celebrated the 10th anniversary of Red Shed!

After coffee, the perfect combination of Phil Earle and Clare Helen Welsh arrived, sharing their picture books which tackle divorce. The books took very different approaches to this sensitive subject, but each is a real gem and sure to support children going through this experience. Phil and Clare each spoke of their own experiences and how these helped them in the writing of their books.

The ‘Fantastical and Magical’ panel was just as it sounds! Three excellent authors, Anna Goodall, Emma Norry and Nicki Thornton, gave readings from their books and talked about the inspiration for their writing, the settings and characters in a truly magical session.

Just before lunch, Laura Baker shared her gorgeous book, ‘All the Wonderful Ways to Read’, a perfect book for so many avid booklovers to hear!

After lunch, delegates were offered a choice of seminar sessions: ‘Celebrate with Me!’ with Laura Gladwin, ‘Explodapedia’ with Ben Martynoga, accessible retellings with Laura Wood or Humour Hooks with Derek Keilty, Jenny McLaughlin and Myles McLeod. It is always so hard to choose which to attend- and there is always lots of discussion and idea sharing afterwards!

From the seminars to the next panel session, ‘Representative Voices’. Candy Gourlay, A M Dassu and Ravena Guron discussed authentic representation, who they write for and their approaches to writing. They each read a section from one of their books- a real treat for people like me who love to hear authors reading their own words!

Just before the tea break, G M Linton told us a little about her new book, ‘My Name is Sunshine Simpson’ and we celebrated with cupcakes!

The FCBG is led by the Executive Committee which organises the groups at a national level and Conference is always when the AGM is held. Tricia, our Chair, led us through the agenda and this was then followed by the group meeting where ideas are shared and discussed. The busyness of Conference then stills for about an hour whilst everyone gets ready for the Gala Dinner.

This year, the Gala Dinner was held in the stunning Temple Speech Room, a very beautiful and historic setting for a lovely occasion! Before dinner, cocktails were served and we all raised a glass to the memory of Judith Kerr who was born 100 years ago. Slides of Judith were shown at this time and Jane made a lovely speech, echoing the feelings of us all about this iconic lady and her work.

Publishers Frances Lincoln were celebrating their 40th anniversary and we took part in a quiz. Guest authors, Mariajo Illustrajo and Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, joined us for the dinner along with some of the authors who had spoken during the day. The After Dinner Speaker this year was Children’s Laureate, Joseph Coelho, who had us joining in with his poems and laughing as the lovely evening drew to a close.

Some hardy folks stayed on to enjoy the bar, but many of us were worn out by the packed programme of events and headed back to the accommodation to re-charge for another fun-filled day!

Day three to follow!

FCBG Conference 2023 Day 1

This weekend, I attended the Federation of Children’s Book Groups’ annual Conference, held this year at Rugby School. This is always a real highlight, offering the perfect opportunity to spend time with other book lovers, hear a wonderful programme of authors, illustrators and poets speak and meet publishers to find out more about their brilliant books.

Rugby School is a beautiful venue, steeped in history and boasting some famous authors- Lewis Carroll, Rupert Brooke and Anthony Horowitz to name a few- as past pupils. It is also the setting for ‘Tom Brown’s Schooldays’ and author, Thomas Hughes, attended the school from 1834 to 1842. Written in 1857, the story is set in the 1830s and Tom Brown is largely based on the author’s brother, George, and the book draws on the author’s experiences.

Almost as soon as we arrived, we headed for the Conference Bookshop provided by the Norfolk Children’s Book Centre. An amazing array of books reflecting the weekend’s packed programme was on offer and the staff were- as ever- really friendly and helpful, with an excellent knowledge of their stock. It would take someone with an iron will not to indulge in buying the odd book or two from their tempting display!

Afternoon tea was sponsored by Hachette and we were each given a proof copy of Kiran Millward Hargarve’s new book which is out in August. Conference weekend begins with presentations from the publishers in which they share some of their wonderful titles. This tends to result in a hugely long wish shopping list of books to be looking out for and is a really lovely opportunity to hear from the publishers themselves. I made 10 pages of notes at this point…

This is followed by the opening of the publishers’ exhibition. Everyone has a wonderful time looking at the books and chatting directly to the publishers who are just the best and get very excited about their lovely books. There are plenty of treats on offer- bookmarks, posters and proof copies- and competitions to enter. Some even have sweets and chocolates on their stands! No one ever really wants to leave and head to dinner, but the exhibition opens again on Saturday morning and most people drift back again throughout the day.

After dinner, we celebrated 10 years of Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam with the wonderful Tracey Corderoy. Sadly, the equally lovely Steven Lenton wasn’t able to be with us as he had Covid, but he sent a message to everyone- which included a little message for me! Tracey managed to entertain us all brilliantly in his absence, teaching us how to draw an elf and playing a wonderful Shifty and Sam game with us! Great fun was had by all! However, I will never live down the fact that my table did not win the quiz about the books…

The evening finished with a poetry performance by Birmingham Young Poet Laureate, Nyanda Foday. She shared ‘Bookworms’, her gorgeous picture book poem with us, before performing a selection of her poetry. A brilliant end to a brilliant day!

Part two coming soon!

FCBG Conference 2022

This weekend I went to Woldingham School, Caterham for the FCBG 2022 Conference. Always a fantastic event, this year felt extra special as the last one was in 2019 and so it was very exciting to actually be able to meet up with familiar faces and old friends again. My excitement was tempered by worries about Covid and being on crutches, but I needn’t have worried. The Executive Committee had organised everything brilliantly and there are no kinder or more helpful people than book-lovers! The following offers a taste of what it was like!

The weekend started with these fabulous cupcakes from Welbeck Flame, celebrating ‘Hedgewitch’ by Skye McKenna. It was lovely to hear Skye reading a section from her book before catching up with everyone and heading for the publishers’ presentations.

Hearing about all the new book-ish treats on their way is one of my favourite parts of Conference. Each publisher gave a presentation offering a tantalising glimpse of their up-coming books, making everyone’s must-have list instantly grow a mile! This session was followed by the publishers’ exhibition- a fantastic opportunity to chat to all the lovely publishing people and to have a closer look at some of their amazing books. It is such a treat to be able to browse through these, discussing them and finding out more. Thanks to their generosity and support, my TBR pile is massive!

The evening continued with an address from Michael Morpurgo before dinner and then a quiz led by Christopher Lloyd, the perfect way to end an exciting first day!

An action packed programme for day 2 started with Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre. Despite being ill with Covid, this fabulous pair still entertained us with a brilliant reading from ‘Kevin and the Unicorns’ before Sarah taught us all to draw Kevin- and turn it into our own character. Great fun!

Next was Anna James, discussing her ‘Pages and Co’ series so far and where Tilly’s adventures will take her next. These books are great favourites of mine and are very popular at school so it was a real pleasure hearing her speak about them.

After tea and more cake (this time courtesy of OUP!), Jess Butterworth, Roderick O’Grady and Eloise Williams formed the ‘sense of place’ panel in discussion with Annie Everall. This fascinating session was followed by Anne Fine, whose new book ‘Aftershocks’ is an excellent read.

Seminars followed lunch and as ever, it was a real struggle to decide which session to attend. I chose Coral Rumble’s as I love her poetry and her verse novel, ‘Little Light’. Not only did she talk about her inspiration for writing and share some of her work with us, she also led us in an activity to help us capture ideas for writing our own poems. Brilliant session! The seminars were followed by Tony Bradman whose historical fiction books are very popular in school.

Another coffee break- and more cake, this time celebrating ‘Goddess’ from Nosy Crow- before the AGM and group meetings. Time for a quick rest- and then off to Cocktails with Lauren Child, followed by the Gala dinner with Cressida Cowell speaking.

Sunday started with a fantastic session with Petr Horacek and Nicola Davies. Petr shared his new book, ‘A Best Friend for Bear’, which is absolutely delightful before starting a painting which he worked on whilst Nicola spoke about various projects she has been working on, including their latest collaboration.

The following session was Sophy Henn. Full of energy and enthusiasm as ever, Sophy talked about her inspiration and ideas, including her latest creation, Pizazz! Her agonising sense of self-awareness makes Pizazz is such a relatable character and shows that everyone can be a superhero in their own way.

The next coffee break was to celebrate 20 years of Bounce Marketing- the cake was delicious! At this point, Tom Palmer was presented with the CBA trophy he won for D-DAY DOG in 2020. Sarah also presented him with a lovely scrapbook full of children’s work.

Tom then joined Cat Weldon and Natasha Farrant as part of the history panel for a brilliant session, including readings from their books. The final session of the day was Poetry! Matt Goodfellow, Alex Wharton and Joseph Coelho shared a selection of their work and talked about the importance of poetry for helping people express themselves. Talk about finishing on a high note!

It was a brilliant, fun-filled weekend, with lots of book-ish joy. This just offers a snapshot of what happened- there was so much to enjoy and so many memories to take away. I really recommend the FCBG Conference to anyone who has never been - and can’t wait for next year!

A Sense of Place…

One of the many sessions I am looking forward to at the FCBG Conference on Saturday is the ‘A Sense of Place’ panel with Eloise Williams, Roderick O’Grady and Jess Butterworth, chaired by Annie Everall.

Jess Butterworth’s books have the most incredible settings, drawing on her travels and experiences. Her first book, ‘Running on the Roof of the World’, is set in the Himalayan landscape of Tibet and India. The ‘sense of place’ conveyed here is not just through the vivid landscapes, but also through the tension of living under an occupying force. ‘Into the Volcano’, her most recent stand alone adventure, is set in both England and America, but with a focus on Yellowstone National Park. The wildness of the park is vividly portrayed as the children, Vivi and Seb, try to find the ‘Rainbow Pool’.

‘Bigfoot Mountain’ by Roderick O’Grady is set in the remote mountains of North America. Full of wonderful descriptions, the story is full of the joy of nature and the wild - and the impact humans have on this.

In ‘Seaglass’, Eloise Williams has created a story which is enhanced by vivid descriptions of the countryside and seashore and the mood of the plot is frequently echoed in by the weather- the drifting fog hiding mysterious figures, the squall at sea. Victorian Cardiff is the perfect setting for ‘Gaslight’, atmospheric and rich in detail of the theatre and life.

However, each of these authors also draws on the myths, legends and traditions of their setting, rooting their stories in that place. Whether the loup-garou, Bigfoot or 'tide singers, these tales, in my opinion, add a real ‘sense of place’ to the writing of each.

Really looking forward to this session!

Reeve and McIntyre

A real highlight of Saturday’s programme at this year’s FCBG Conference will be seeing Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre in action. This dynamic duo are not only responsible for excellent books (both individually and as a dream team!), but put on an amazing, highly entertaining, audience engaging performance. So much so that I find (to my horror!) that although I have seen them in action many times, I have very few photos of their events- I was enjoying watching too much to take any!

Together, Philip and Sarah are much loved for treasures like ‘Oliver and the Seawigs’, ‘Jinks and O’Hare Funfair Repair’ and the ‘Kevin’ books. These stories are endlessly popular in the library, with children often asking whether there are any more, and can be used very successfully as guided reading texts. Bursting with gentle humour and engaging characters, each book is also lavishly illustrated, offering much to notice and giggle over.

However, both Sarah and Philip have treated us to books which they have written independently. Philip’s amazing ‘Mortal Engines’ series remain amongst my favourite reads and his latest book, ‘Utterly Dark and the Face of the Deep’, was truly amazing. I was delighted to hear at the David Fickling Showcase that a new Utterly book is on the way soon- can’t wait for that one!

Sarah has given us some wonderfully illustrated picture books including the ‘Grumpycorn’ books and, my favourite, ‘The New Neighbours’. Excellent for using with children to discuss prejudice and suspicion of anyone different, I regularly use this to inspire Year 6 children to write their own stories. The children really get involved in the communities they create, using speech to ‘convey character and advance action’ before sharing these with younger children. Great fun!

I can’t wait to see what this brilliant pair will get up to at the weekend!

Hedgewitch

The FCBG Conference is rapidly approaching, offering an author-packed weekend of book-ish fun. I was delighted to notice that the first event is to be tea with Welbeck Flame, celebrating ‘Hedgewitch’ with author, Skye McKenna. Lucky enough to be sent a copy of this most enjoyable book to review for Reading Zone, I am looking forward to this event very much! ‘Hedgewitch’ would make a fantastic class read, offering much to discuss and enjoy along the way. I will write more about this after conference, but for now, here is my review for Reading Zone!

Cassie Morgan has been waiting for her mother to return for her for seven long years. Now her mother has been declared legally dead and she is faced with going to the orphanage, Cassie decides to run away from Fowell House, the awful boarding school she has been attending, whatever the danger. She finds herself chased by a pack of goblins, but escapes their clutches with the help of a talking cat called Montague on a flying broom to the village of Hedgely. Here, she learns that she comes from a family of witches who protect Britain from the Faerie and that she is the niece of the Hedgewitch herself.

What a fabulous read! Skye McKenna balances the real and magic worlds with skill, creating a rich and well developed story. Cassie is subjected to bullying at her school, victim of the hockey team and their leader, Lizzie Bleacher, who make her life miserable. These pages are uncomfortable reading as Cassie tries to become ‘invisible’, isolated from any hope of friendship or support from a seemingly complicit staff, yet suffers verbally and physically at the hands of her tormentors.

Determined to find out what happened to her mother, Cassie shows herself to be determined and resourceful, making firm friendships as she navigates her new life. There is plenty of action and adventure to keep the reader on the edge of their seat. Montague is a wonderful character, delivering advice in the most cat-like manner and ultimately proving the most faithful familiar!

A great read for those who love magic and mystery!

Hedgewitch Skye McKenna

Welbeck Flame ISBN: 978-1801300087