"Underpants, charcoal, a best ever friend..."

Hello faithful readers! This week we've got another of our touring authors to add their own unique contribution to the blog. Writer and illustrator Simon Bartram (that's him on the left) came on the Scottish Friendly Children's Book Tour with us around Moray this September - check out the pictures here - and he's written a fantastic poem that perfectly sums up his experiences on the tour.

Here it is:


Newcastle, Edinburgh
Firth of Forth
Dundee, Montrose
Motoring North

Aberdeen, then left
And along a jot
On target for Elgin
For events and whatnot

School and library
And school once more
Town and village
Sea and shore

Aliens, Rockets
Astronaut types
Powerpoint pointing
Red and white stripes

Shouting, screaming
Peeled eagle-eyes
Odd looking canines
Mini pork pies

Underpants, charcoal
A best ever friend
Pet shop, Craters
'Hooorays' at the end

Dimly lit breakfasts
Lunch by the sea
Coffee in staffrooms
Findhorn for tea

Fine Scottish cuisine
My haggis debut
'Cullen Skink Sir?'
- 'Don't mind if I do!'

A choice of twin beds
Travel-iron mishaps
New trousers soaked
By all powerful taps

Long winding roads
The purest of air
Soup made just here
+ Whiskey just there

School and library
School once more
Town and village
Sea and shore

Books to be signed
Names to spell right
Then south through the Cairngorms
And into the night

Farewell to Scotland
Off on the train
Edinburgh, Newcastle
And back home again





Big thanks to Simon, we love his poem, and we think he's pretty awesome too!

Plus, if you haven't done so yet, be sure to listen to our brilliant Neil Gaiman interview, and watch the Michael Rosen video podcast. In fact, you can watch it right here:

Chris says howdy

Howdy!

I’m Chris, I am one third of the Children’s Team here at Scottish Book Trust and I’ve been here for a year and a half (this is the longest I've ever held one job, apart from being a student which really isn’t work) and I absolutely love it here. I just thought that it was about time that we (Scottish Book Trust Children’s Team) let you know who we are, what we do, the things we like and the projects that we are running for you.

I wont be the only one writing this blog, Anna and Jasmine from the children’s team, our web guru Paul, and even some top authors will be dropping in to blog their hearts out about whatever is going on in Scottish Book Trust world.

The summer holidays are fantastic aren’t they? It’s your chance to do as you please, hang out with your buddies without having to worry about getting up for school and generally cause mischief. I too love the summer holidays, I used to spend my summers jumping off cliffs, swimming in the sea, camping with mates in the fields around my town and listening to music. I’ve come to realise that I can still do all these things it’s just that I now have to cram them all in at the weekend.

Now though, the summer holidays are a chance to catch my breath from what has been a feverishly busy 2008, so far we’ve taken Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen on a tour of Scotland’s major cities, launched an innovative Virtual Writer in Residence project with the brilliant Keith Gray (who has also promised us a blog entry at some point), announced the 2008 Royal Mail awards shortlist, completed 2 other tours, ran our first Children’s Festival and done about 20 one-off events and its only August! Phew!

The only problem about the summer holidays is the Scottish weather, so I thought that I would give you a few of my favourite books to read and some of my favourite Scottish bands for you to listen to. So if it’s raining, grey and miserable you can sit inside and read/listen or if it's gloriously warm you can sit out on the grass and lose yourself in a book or a song (but remember that although sunscreen is yucky and sticky it is good for your skin)!

Books
Uncle Montague’s Tales of Terror – Chris Priestly
Ostrich Boys – Keith Gray
The Black Tattoo – Sam Enthoven
Creature of the Night – Kate Thompson

Bands

Twilight Sad
Idlewild
Sons and Daughters
Frightened Rabbit

Oh, and I nearly forgot about the fantastic new creative writing competition for you, so do look out for the flyer in all your favourite spots.

Peace out,
Chris

Children's Programme Assistant

Cool thing we've heard about this week:
Best-selling author Janey Louise Jones will take a trip to the Balearic Island this August where children will be treated to Princess Poppy party games and book readings from the author, as part of publisher Random House's new initiative with Thomas Cook holidays. Nice! Want to know more? Read about it here

Next week: Meet Jasmine, Children's Programmer extraordinaire...