Writing recently in the children’s books section of The Guardian newspaper, author Cressida Cowell, listed her top ten mythical creatures in children’s books. There were dragons and goblins, yetis and dwarves, but no mention of mermaids! Intent on addressing this omission, I thought I’d give these mythical creatures a bit of a plug, whilst… Read more »

  In a world where disabled people live in increasing fear of being assaulted, harassed and verbally abused, a small theatre project in Wales has taken the brave stance of focusing the spotlight on disability hate crime in trying to educate schoolchildren about the damage such abuse can cause. But will this innovative piece of… Read more »

  I read last week that the University of East Anglia has started a study to explore the impact of children’s literature on culture and society. But what is it that fascinates us so much about the stories we used to read as children? And do they really have an impact on the way we… Read more »

A recent article in ‘The Independent,’ written by guest contributor Natalie Haynes, noted the demise of grandparents in children’s literature. It made me think, especially as grandparents play such a pivotal role in my own children’s book, ‘The Mermaid in The Gherkin Jar’. However, though grandparents do not appear quite as often as they once… Read more »

  Conner Long and his brother Cayden, who has cerebral palsy, shot to fame when they competed in the Cambridge Massachusetts Triathlon in July 2012. Through competing together in sport, Connor found a way to bond with his disabled brother – something that his parents feared he might never be able to do. When deciding… Read more »