SPARKY TO GET POETICAL

I'm not sure whether it's my Simon Cowell style trousers or my Dannii Minogue style beauty (?!!) that's done it, but I've been asked to join a judging panel for a new X Factor style competition - for children to recite a poem.

OFF BY HEART is about to be launched around primary schools across the UK, to encourage children aged 7 to 11 to stand up and recite a poem. There will be regional heats and a final which will be on BBC TV in Spring 2009.

Joining me on the panel will be Hampshire Libraries'Anne Marley, the BBC's Roger Hammett and CBEEBIES' Sid! I love reciting poems and even today I can do the whole of the Walrus & The Carpenter, Jim, Who Was Eaten By A Lion, and Walter de la Mare's The Listeners - and frequently recite them at my sons if I can corner them in a room long enough. I find The Walrus & The Carpenter particularly good for self hypnosis while have my teeth drilled (by a dentist, usually).

If you're a good reciter or know someone at primary school who is, get their teacher to check out the website at www.bbc.co.uk/schools/teachers/offbyheart/ - each entrant has to be nominated by their school.

JUNIOR SCHOOL GUEST STARS IN BASHERTAUR

A Hampshire school has unwittingly been the location for a cataclysmic battle involving monsters, brainwashing and killer finger-knitting. Shirley Junior School was in mind when Ali Sparkes wrote Bashertaur - the third in the Monster Makers series - because both her sons went there.

'It was the obvious place to think of,' said Ali. 'In fact Alex, my younger son, still goes there and I also helped myself to several of his school friends to use as extra characters. Their names are sprinkled through the book. They don't mind. I think...'

By way of thanks for the inspiration, Ali popped in to the school to donate six Monster Makers books to the library.

The author would like to point out, though, that no teachers were harmed in the making of Bashertaur. And none of the staff at 'Shawley' Junior are in any way based upon any staff at Shirley Junior. At all. Even a bit.

Pictured are Ali, Alex and some of Alex's schoolfriends.

RUNNING THE RISK TO GET THE AUDIO TREATMENT NEXT

After the success of Finding The Fox on audio, read by the lovely Glen McCready (pictured right) the BBC has plans to do Running The Risk next. Not sure when it'll be available, but will let you know. You can currently get Finding The Fox on audio CD at your local library (if they haven't got it in they should be able to order it). Actor Glen really brings the story alive - especially for anyone who struggles with reading or likes a story for a car journey - and he does a great Gideon!

ANOTHER SERIES FOR OXFORD

I had a brilliant start to the summer when Oxford University Press asked me to write a series of books for younger reads (age 5 upwards). Can’t give you too much detail other than to say they’ll involved creepy crawlies and there’ll be at least six – and the first of them will be published in 2010.

FROZEN IN TIME OUT IN JAN 09

My next book - FROZEN IN TIME - is out in January. This is the book with the 1950s element to it - which I called Mr Sandman for a while. Many, many thanks to everyone who wrote or emailed with their memories of growing up in the 1950s. It was a tremendous help and I’m really excited about this one coming out, because I know both today’s children and the 1950s children who are now their grandparents are going to really enjoy this. I learned a great deal about life 50 years ago and it made for a great back-story for my wonderful 1950s children, Freddy and Polly. I based Freddy and Polly on my mum and dad, who were both exactly the same age in 1956 as Freddy and Polly are in the book (only, in the book, they are brother and sister). Their names..? Oh – Frederick and Pauline Sparkes (otherwise known as Freddy and Polly). Freddy is pictured right… I really can’t wait to start talking to schools and radio audiences about this one, because it’s so fascinating once you start poking around in the past. So much to tell you!!! Will have to wait until 2009 though… In the meantime, to see the cover and read the synopsis, click here.

MONSTER MAKERS ON CD

Yes – if you’re not a natural reader, or just fancy it for a long car journey, you will soon be able to experience Electrotaur & Slashermite and Stinkermite on BBC Audio CD. Don’t know when it’s coming out yet – probably next year – but will put details up asap.

HERE COMES BASHERTAUR

Fans of Electrotaur Slashermite, Stinkermite and all the other mad taur monsters created by Jack and Lewis in Monster Makers – get ready! BASHERTAUR is here! And BASHERTAUR will take you to the depths of fear and heights of terror with a chilling and panicky trip through the perils of marshmallows, group hugging, mind control and killer fingerknitting.
Dahlia Dawkins has got it in for Jack and Lewis when they won’t join her game.
Join on…
Join on...
If you want to play…
And you’d better want to play, or Bashertaur will come for you…

Monster Makers events are happening across the summer. Keep an eye on the events page if you want to get involved.

ALI JOINS TOP AUTHORS IN WINCHESTER

I’m really chuffed to say I’ve been asked to take part in this year’s Wessex Children’s Book Festival in Winchester on November 28. I’ll be sharing the Guildhall with none other than Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen, as well as the fabulous Nick Sharratt and Anthony Browne.

WOW 366 out in August

I was asked to write a couple of 366 word stories for Scholastic to be sold this year in aid of children’s charity, the NSPCC. My two stories are called STOP ME and HOW TO POSSESS A CLASS. The book is called WOW 366 and should be in all good bookshops in August. I hope you’ll buy it because there are some fantastic authors involved in this. I squeaked out loud when I realised that one of my stories is right next door to one by Susan Cooper who wrote the amazing The Dark Is Rising. I read that book as a child and have never forgotten it!

Click here to find out more.

SPARK OFF WINNER

Last summer I launched SPARK OFF, a competition with Waterstone’s, the Southern Daily Echo and Oxford University Press, in which I wrote the start of a story and then got young writers to finish it for me (I was feeling lazy!). The winner was nine-year-old Katherine Ayers from St Mark’s School in Southampton (pictured).  Click here to read her fabulous story.  I thought it was just excellent – pacey, funny and spooky too. Katherine’s school is brilliantly supportive of children getting into reading and writing and I had a really lovely visit there in January.
I can offer SPARK OFFs to any school that would like them. I have three or four ready to go, but can sometimes write new ones to work in with something you might be studying at school (a literacy teacher asked recently for a Spark Off set in the time of evacuees leaving cities during World War II). Let your teacher know if this is the kind of thing your class might like to do.
I can also do ENDING EMBERS – writing the end of a story, so you can write the beginning and middle… and work out how to get to that ending.

FINDING THE FOX GETS PORTSMOUTH CHILDREN READING

The Portsmouth News has chosen Finding The Fox as its top book for a new campaign – Spread The Word – aimed at getting children in the city to read more and get better at literacy.
I was immensely excited to hear this, and Oxford University Press stepped right in to offer 1,000 FTFs, absolutely free, to children in the city who apply. If you happen to live in Portsmouth (or know someone under 16 who does) go to www.portsmouth.co.uk for details, along with a bit of background on how I got started in writing. You can also see me on video, if you follow the links, reading a bit from Finding The Fox out loud in a wood! I haven’t seen it yet. Too scared…
The Portsmouth News will run its campaign for a year and we are planning to work together across that time and may have a live event or two, which I will post on the Events page of this website.

SHAPESHIFTER TRIBUTE SITE JUST OPENED!

Want to talk about the characters in the Shapeshifter series? Want to have a crack at writing something inspired by it? Or just choose your Cola power or have a go at the Shapeshifter quiz game or a bit of roleplay?

Well, now you can, by visiting here .

This is a great new site set up by Dax fan Helen, who assures me it is appropriately run and suitable for all ages – and it certainly looks fab to me. Top work, H! I will try to pop in from time to time, if only to read more of Helen’s really excellent bit of fan fiction…
If anyone wants to get involved in this or similar stuff, can I ask you a favour if you do? Just try not to give too much away, for those who are still on the first book or two… OK? Cheers...

DAX IN MOTION!

My whole week was lit up last month when I picked up a fan mail from Rowena, Holly, Madeleine and their year six teacher, Paul Neaves, at Chichester High School For Girls – complete with their brilliant stop-motion animation of Dax doing his first shapeshift in the garden shed.
This is so brilliant, you have to see it! Click here!
Keep your eyes peeled for the spider at the end…