I find myself in a curious place on World Book Day: I am at home! Normally I’d be in a school or at a festival or event. And in truth I should have been. I should have been in Dubai at the Arab Emirates Festival of Literature, painting to Scheherazade at the Grand Opening Ceremony, and meeting Royalty.
So what went wrong? I’ve been quite unwell for some weeks, and on top of this my father died last month. I’m a private person so I won’t dwell on these things. But I apologise to the (several) schools and events I had to cancel. It’s something I really hate to do. Although, as my mother pointed out when I was fretting, “You’re not that important!” And of course she is right. World Book Day has arrived quite happily without me.
And if I can’t be where I should have been, I can still celebrate by writing this post about my own book plans this year.
I am thrilled to announce I have completed a new Ella Bella title, inspired by Mendelssohn’s music it’s called Ella Bella Ballerina and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and it will be published by Orchard Books just a little after Midsummer this year. Here’s a photographic record by a brilliant young photographer Nathaniel Rosa, of the last few days on this book in my studio. And also the front cover…
Beyond Ella Bella, I have begun work on a NEW BOOK for Frances Lincoln, written especially for me by writer and illustrator Jackie Morris. The story was inspired by my work on Benjamin Britten’s opera Noye’s Fludde, which I designed for the Cheltenham Music Festival’s Britten Centenary celebrations. It’s called Mrs. Noah’s Pockets and over the coming weeks I will post my progress…
And so – Happy World Book Day everyone. But remember, every day is a book day really!
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