Afternoon Tea with the delightful Marta Altes

I am primped and preened, have donned my very best bow tie and polished the cake stand to near perfection and I'll tell you why. We are honoured and privileged to have Marta Altes coming to tea at Book Sniffer Towers for her VERY first interview, now that is an exclusive for you sniffers if ever I heard one.

Truly Scrumptious

We first became acquainted with Marta's delightful work when we sniffed NO! which was kindly sent to us by the ever so cheery Sarah at Child's Play - In NO! we observe a little well meaning pup as he unintentionally causes a bucket load of mischief as he tries his very best to please his family. NO! is an impeccable example of beautifully illustrated simplistic and humorous picture book and a very impressive debut. Accessible and enjoyable to all ages on many levels and very very funny indeed. This one certainly has the Book Sniffer stamp of approval.

We were thrilled when Marta agreed to come and visit us for tea so we could have a proper chin wag especially as it will be her very first interview!

We have just finished sniffing your latest picture book masterpiece My Grandpa, which we loved, what will you be working on next?

I've just finished (literally... I sent everything yesterday) the artwork for my third picture book!!! I'm so happy! It's called "I am an artist" :) It'll be published by Macmillan Children's books in February 2013!
Now I'm going to start thinking in my next project, and I'm going to set up my website... something that I've been putting aside for too long...

Which three things you would take to a treasure island?

My dog Floc, one sketchbook, and chocolate! :)

Do you collect anything?

I don't collect something in particular, apart from picturebooks :) But I do like to "collect" good memories...

What can you see from your studio window?

When I'm back in Spain I'm in a little town in the countryside close to Barcelona, and from my window, while I work I can see lots of trees and birds :) But from my window in London, it's not as lovely, although I can see a little park, and my neighbours kitchen windows (what is very funny when it's dinner time, and you see all of them cooking). I love that everyday around 5 o'clock I can hear the Ice-cream van music... It's very weird to me! We don't have this in Spain :)

What do you listen to when you are working?

mmm... difficult! It depends a lot on how I feel... or the work I'm doing... If I'm "thinking" in new projects, I can't listen music that I know because then I start singing (very poorly), and I can't focus on the ideas I'm working on.
Lately I've been listening a lot of Alt-J, Mishima, Maika Makovski, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros... among others :)

Which children's classic would you most like to illustrate?

I don't know if it's the one that I would like to illustrate the most (there are many I would like to illustrate)... but the first one that comes to my mind now is "El Patufet". It's a classic Catalan folktale that tells the adventures of the tiniest little boy who after not  being allowed to leave the house (because he is too tiny), one day he goes out to help his parents doing some tasks. It's a very surreal and funny story.

Best piece of advice you received while training?

In the MA of Children's Book Illustration, I don't think it was one tutor who told me this, but the general feeling that I think I got from the whole course was "to have fun and to experiment" while you are drawing.

Marta - Self portrait

Have you sniffed any good picture books lately?

YES! After visiting the Yayoi Kusama exhibition at Tate gallery, I couldn't help it after seeing it... I bought Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, illustrated by her. The illustrations and the design of it are so special... It's such a beauuuuutiful book!

Who inspires you?

There are many illustrators work I love, like Herve Tullet, Beatrice Alemagna, Isidro Ferrer, Max,...
And things that happen to me or to my friends help me with my stories.

List three essential tools of your trade?

Pencils, photoshop and Watercolours. I discovered Watercolours in the MA, a couple of years ago, and right now... I don't know how I could live without them! love them!

Who should we follow on Twitter ?

You should follow my VERY good friend @birgittasif, super mr @daveshelton, @blogshank, I'm sure everybody already follows amazing @NadiaShireen and @chrishaughton, lovely @mayhewjames, Cambridge School of Art @FindUsAtBologna... How many can I say? :)

Which of your books are you most proud of?

so difficult! as I have just 2 :)
"No!" is very special for me because it was my first book, and it's given me lots of happy moments. But "My Grandpa" is very special as well, because it's a very personal story ... it was a challenge for me. Lots of things came together at the right time. In the MA, lovely Pam Smy gave a beautiful lecture about picture books on "issues", I was missing my grandpa a lot and I could see how my little nephews reacted to their very old great grandpa.


Tell us a secret....

Embarrassing and odd... I don't know how to use "green" colour... I find it terribly difficult.
What's the best thing you've ever found?
My dog Floc is not a thing... but I'm very happy for having found him :) We took him from the dog pound.

Do you create a character before a story of visa versa?

Well.. Because I'm just starting, I don't think I have a method... But I think I create both at the same time... I'm not very conscious of how it happens. If the character comes first, it might change depending in how the story evolves. Or the other way around.

Who's sketch book would you most like to snoop through?

mmm...let's see... Herve Tullet, ISOL, Beatrice Alemagna, Jon Klassen, Isidro Ferrer, Pablo Auladell...
Do you have time to draw / sketch for pleasure as well as work ?
Yes! :) I try to even if I don't have the time, to draw or write something completely different to the project that I'm working on at that moment... It helps me to disconnect and go back to the project with fresh energy.

What has been the proudest moment of your career so far?

Well... After finishing the MA, my life changed so much I couldn't believe it. I used to work as a graphic designer, and being able to work as an illustrator now, makes me feel so lucky ! Although everything still feels so unreal...
I think the happiest moment was winning the "Read it again" award... it was so exciting!!! A big honour! being such a special award where children were the ones who voted. Another very happy moment to me, was being shortlisted for the Waterstone's Children's book Prize and having "My Grandpa" published in Catalan (my first language)!

THANK YOU Marta for popping by to see us it was lovely to meet you, We can't wait to sniff your next book.
THANK YOU to Sarah at Child's Play for sending us a copy of NO!

FOLLOW MARTA's Blog here!

Winston Was Worried - Review

Winston Was Worried - Written by Pamela Duncan Edwards and Illustrated by Benji Davies

I've been spending a lot of time in the waiting room at our local vets of late with Mouse (the cat) .. The poor old biddy now has precautionary trumpet head and quite frankly other than a tin of sardines the only thing that has cheered her up of late and distracted her from the indignity was a good story! and that came in the form of the wonderful Winston Was Worried.

Before we leap in lets take a moment  to appreciate the hilarious end papers .. ahhh what a funny bunch of unusual looking canines (yes I know "pot and kettle")
 Some of whom you might recognise as they featured in our Friday Doggy Doodle Gallery!

Winston is a pup with a prickly paw problem of huge proportions.. or so he thinks.
There is a dratted splinter in Winston's paw and he is completely and utterly convinced that this is quite frankly the worst thing ever to happen EVER.. and he's quite keen on telling everyone who'll listen and quite a few who won't just how down in the dumps he feels.

Finally after much relentless complaining about his splinter to all and sundry Winston licks it clean away completely oblivious to the chaos and calamity happening all around him - Winston is soon to come up with a brand new ailment and finally ends up at the vets with all of his less fortunate chums!

Pamela's wonderful text is refreshing and jolly and great for joining in whilst reading aloud with little pups. 
A dynamic author / illustrator partnership in which Benji has created some beautifully vibrant retro illustrations and hilarious characters which leap and bound off the pages. Winston Was Worried is a treasure trove of detail to paw over with a good scoop of visual slap stick. (keep a beady eye out for the cheeky little bonus sub story on each page - miniature mousey perfection) 

We give Winston Was Worried 5 boney-o's out of 5 ! .. and a head trumpet for good measure.
Barking mad wonderful stuff...


All images (c) Benji Davies

STUCK in a tree with Oliver Jeffers

It's not everyday you find yourself stuck in a tree on Finchley Road, it's not everyday you find yourself stuck in a tree with Oliver Jeffers but today is one of those very days!

I've been a fan of Oliver's work for many many years now (human years not dog years!) and in a desperate bid to catch up with him while he was visiting the UK I wrote a blog entitled "50 reasons why Oliver Jeffers should appear on the Book Sniffer" - I didn't think in a million GAZILLION years that I would actually get to meet and interview the man himself - but I did.. can you imagine, what a treat and entirely thanks to magical Rosi from Harper Collins to whom I am eternally grateful. 

The Pirates Next Door - By Jonny Duddle

Well shiver me bloomin' timbers land lubbers, I appear to be the last to jump on board the jolly ship that is
 The Pirates Next Door! by Ship Mate Jonny Duddle
Here I am modelling a Johnny Depp style piratical moustache grown just for this very special occasion,

The Pirates Next Door is Jonny Duddles second Pirate book for Templar and one for which he has just scooped the very well deserved Waterstone's Children's Book Prize! TOOT TOOT!

Ever been to Dull-on-Sea? it's a bit like Dorking but with PIRATES!

Little Tilda a sassy small person with a taste for adventure befriends a pirate boy who just happens to have docked his family pirate ship just next door (as you do). This is quite possibly THE most exciting thing ever to happen in Dull-On-Sea (population 2227) A proper ropey old band of piratical types cause all sorts of havoc around town much to the dismay of the local residents all of who have taken umbridge at their new slightly unusual (for unusual read, hairy, smelly, peg leggy and rough as a gnats chuff) neighbours.

Jonny is a complete craftsman and master of characterisation and his illustrations require pouring over for may hours to spot all the little hidden treasures!

Things of note which I spotted included:

• A dog with a peg leg
• The exhaust from the back of the pirate car making plumes of skull shaped clouds
• The shaving cut on Tilda's dads chin complete with bloody tissue
• Skull shaped cereal - I wish that was real!
• Tilda's black cat making saucy eyes at the peg legged dog (an on going romance)

Eventually the Pirates decide to move on to Oceans new, much is the way of the Pirate but not before they leave behind something for the residents of Dull-On-Sea to remember them by! (revealed in a stonking fold out)

The clever rhyming text weaves and twirls and smashes though the pages with moments of sheer gigglesome joy.

A cracking unique piratical rumpus of a story which demands at cutlass point to be read over and over again!

We can't wait to find out what will happen next with these beardy reprobates. Where will they dock their pirate ship next...

We give The Pirates Next Door 5 gold coins out of 5!

Buy it NOW or walk the plank!

INTERVIEW WITH JONNY DUDDLE COMING SOON

YES we will be firing him out of the quick fire cannon! It would be rude not too!

The Easter Parade with Clara Vulliamy!

Dust off your Easter Bonnets and polish those eggs it's time for a special afternoon tea with The ever-so-delightful-sweet-as-a-cupcake creator of Martha and the Bunny Brothers Clara Vulliamy.

Last week I was lucky enough to receive a wondrous package from lovely (bookeater and probably sniffer)  Rosi at Harper Collins - It was a beautifully wrapped parcel containing a brand new hard back copy of  Martha and the Bunny Brothers I Love School  and a hand made felt bunny which is now pride of place on the mantelpiece. Such care and attention to detail sums up Clara and her beautifully crafted books.

I cast my mind back to the very first time I met Clara - It would be no exaggeration to say it was one of the best working days of my publishing career. 
Clara appeared at Orchard Books like a beautiful crafty buttony angel with boxes full to the brim with "Lovely things" buttons, ribbons, matchboxes full of sweets and a collection of illustrations and character sheets for a new concept for a series entitled  Lucky Wish Mouse. Hence forth I was smitten. Following that meeting we spent many days sticking gluing and making wonderful packages, party invites, activity sheets and promotional material. Such heady joyful crafty days.

That may well have been 4 or 5 years ago now and Clara has continued to create sunny happy joyful books for tiny people. From The slightly anarchic Bear With Sticky Paws, to the Lucky Wish Mouse and her ten tinies and Muffin the yummiest small brown bear to her newest creation Martha and the Bunny Brothers each one leaps of the page full of character and charm and total craftsmanship.

Well with a new book to gas about and lots to catch up on I couldn't miss the opportunity to invite Clara to Book Sniffer Towers for high tea on the lawn.
Well the sun shone with gay abandon as I set out my finest china and stacked the cake stand....

Here's a funny shot of Martha all strapped in and ready to go! Look at those delish cakes!

Clara and Martha on their way!

The new Martha and the Bunny Brothers series is adorable - are you pleased with the finished product?

Thank you so much! I am pleased. It’s a series that’s very close to my heart, so I was especially on tenterhooks to see how it would look, and if people would like it.

I experimented with lots of new things – more text, more jokes, and a kind of scrap-book feel with loads of collage and detail to pour over. My hunch is that if books are to survive they need to be delicious, desirable objects… or, as I tend to say, if you don’t want to stroke it you probably don’t want to buy it!

Martha is clearly named after your beloved daughter. Are they similar in character?

When I was first writing this story I just couldn’t decide on a name, which is unusual because it mostly comes to me instantly: my characters tend to introduce themselves, in fact. Then I realized it was staring me right in the face! I now have the unfortunate situation of needing to refer to my daughter in conversation as ‘human Martha’ – how undignified.

Human Martha is a lovely, creative, big-hearted bunny too. She does have a very overfilled schoolbag, but she doesn’t wear her wellies in bed.

Do you listen to music / the radio while you are working?

Actually I’m a silence-addict. I don’t want noise of any kind – apart from the occasional cheerful burble from the guinea pigs upstairs…

If you could pack a treasure box with 5 treasures what would you put inside?

What a challenge! I’m a bit of a hoarder so I’d find it very tricky to leave anything out. Two treasures would be my two children’s first pairs of shoes: there’s something very touching about them, somehow.

Could it be a huge treasure box? If so, the final three treasures would be three paintings by my Mum, my Dad and my husband Mark.

Do you have another exciting projects on the horizon?

Well I DO, and it’s so completely thrilling that I’m bursting to tell but I’m not sure if I’m allowed yet. A little clue: it involves collaborating with probably the best children’s book creator on the whole planet who I just happen to be related to…

You have recently embraced Twitter, How are you finding it and can you recommend anyone for us to follow? (You can follow Clara on Twitter @ClaraVulliamy)

Twitter is terrific larks, packed with funny and generous-spirited people, and an enormous temptation for spending time that should be spent working!

 My Twitter-friends in the children’s book world are probably on the Book Sniffer radar already (@Alex_T_Smith, @hoonbutton, @DavidMelling1, @carylhart1), but it’s been great to get to know some YA writers too, like @EmmaPass and @HelenaPielichat – very entertaining and talented – as well as poet @Elephantthai and new book-blogger @Pollylwh. And I really recommend @ChildLedChaos and @bridgeanne for chatting about books, being a mum and general loveliness. I’m on board with @LoveAllBlogs too - very fabulous. It’s been really nice to get to know people outside the publishing business.

Your new website is gorgeous - do you think it is important for authors to have an online presence?

 I’m so glad you like it! Having a site is like having a lovely sitting room, where I can arrange the cushions nicely and welcome people in for a cuppa and a chat on the sofa. I’m not a great fan of the hard sell, sites that are too self-promoting. I’d rather have a place that’s friendly and inviting, suggesting ideas for arty-crafty family activities and celebrating other illustrators and writers too. I’ve loved showing some behind-the-scenes glimpses of my job – the highs AND the lows!

What was the best piece of advice anyone gave you when you were studying at art college and what piece of advice would you have given yourself back then?

Nothing worth remembering from art college. My Mum advised me to watch out for the ears I painted looking too much like doll’s house hams, all pink and over-sized.

I wish I had known then, and would tell anyone now, not to worry too much about what Other People will like, but above all to write and draw to please yourself.

If you could collaborate with any other author / illustrator who would you choose?

Apart from the above-mentioned (shhh…), I have also been in a secret huddle with the wonderful James Mayhew, coming up with something rather special. I’ve been pestering him to write me a story for YEARS!

Find out more about James here

Will you be doing any events to promote the new series?

These Bunnies are very well-suited to a huge range of different events, from making felt rabbits at the Oxford Literary Festival to drawing iBunnies on iPads at The Apple Store in Covent Garden…

I’ve started The Happy Bunny Club on my site, which will be hop-tastically good fun. You know what I’m like – any excuse to fill stripy paper bags with goodies and nonsense and pop them into the postbox!

Beaming in the sunshine! there were actually cakes left over - GASP!

BUY ME HERE

REVIEW: I Love School

Martha is full of vim and so so SO excited about her first day at school ( I don't remember being that excited YELP!)  Each Tropicana coloured spread is full of wonderful things to spot and count and can be poured over for hours.

Martha has two equally charming small bunny brothers who are not entirely sure that they want to be left behind when their big sister goes off to have fun at school. Martha does her best to keep them entertained whilst gathering all her most important things to take to school including .. A crown (obv) and flag (natch) and armbands (hmm maybe).

ALL this and Martha STILL has time to create the Happy Bunny Club.

If only we could all aspire to be so productive. Martha is a little gem as is Clara Vulliamy and the Martha and the Bunny Brothers series is full of happiness and charm and is destined to be a HUGE rootin' tootin' success!

It is sunshiny sugar coated perfection in book form, I just wish I had had these books when I was a little bunny!

We give Martha a huge cake, a bag of sweets some shiny buttons and a pink ribbon out of 5!

BONUS FEATURE :

Here are the questions and answers submitted to Clara via the Book Sniffer Facebook Page .. Revealing indeed!

We’re all raving about keeping our libraries going AND we’re all naturally excited about how we can present our work through Apps and new platforms/ seeing our artwork move, etc. It’s a big question but ideally how do you see the two things working happily alongside each other in the future?

Very good question.  These are both exciting and unsettling times.

I was talking to my brother, who is a print journalist on The Observer, where they’re worrying that people will only want to read the news online. We remembered the quote – but couldn’t remember who said it: we don’t need good newspapers, we need good journalists. I suppose it’s the same with children’s books: it’s not the paper or the screen that’s the vital ingredient, but the good story. The technology is thrilling and seductive, but I dearly hope there will always be dog-eared, chocolate-stained, crumpled REAL book for children to curl up with, and a library of treasures to enjoy.

Clara is very hands on. Likes to physically make things as well as do the 2D work. Does she make a distinction between the two. Is there a dividing line. Or is it all just creativity one way or another? How does she decide whether something becomes 2d or 3d? Before she starts working or during the process?

I’m getting more and more 3d – I am glad you’ve noticed! My books include sewing, cutting and sticking, feature real buttons and scraps of old fabric (the PERFECT convenient excuse for being a hoarder…). Inspiration for stories often comes from objects found or made, and stories often inspire me to make objects, or invent workshops in which children can make things. There’s no distinction – all woven together as part of the creative process.

Bunnies made by the clever kids at Oxford Lit Fest!

People are keen to highlight the connection between Mother and Daughter but not many people are aware that her father was an artist. Can she tell us a bit about what his work was like, how it differed from her Mother’s work, etc. How it influenced the creativity in the house, etc?

It’s a real pleasure to mention my Dad, who was a wonderfully talented draughtsman and printmaker. His subject matter was mostly architectural, based on very careful observation, and not at all illustrative. He was far too modest, but his pictures go on giving huge joy to everyone lucky enough to have one. I was brought up to draw and draw and draw, in a natural, un-forced, non-anxious way.

Name three things that define the perfect working circumstance. For example, a sunny day, a cup of hot chocolate and the start of a new project OR a rainy day, last spread of a 6 month job and a packet of Pork Scratchings.

Ha! Great stuff. I’ll take the sunny day please, a bag of chocolate buttons and that cheeky moment when my character looks right out at me from the page as if to say – ‘Well? What fun have you got lined up for me today?’

Which three things, outside of other children's books and art inspire

you in your work?

First: seeing other people doing a job they really LOVE – whatever it is, not necessarily a creative thing. It really inspires me to know people who followed their dream, come what may, and still find their work fulfilling.

Second: children – their courage, humour, speech and peculiarities.

Third: I’m worried that this is very superficial and silly, but I have to say it. HABERDASHERY.

What are the three best types of cake?

• Victoria sponge with cream and raspberries;

• Anything with real homemade lemon curd;

• A very delicious Dime Bar cake that only IKEA seem to sell.

Absolutely definitely on no account whatsoever can there be any dried fruit.

Most people think that writing or illustrating children’s books is a dream job. What are the real life ups and downs of being published and working in a creative industry?

Yes, it does seem enormously desirable to lots of people! I find it’s mostly ups: writing stories in which anything is possible, losing myself in making the pictures, sometimes hearing that my books have connected with a small person somewhere. But I’ve had overflowing waste-paper-baskets of false starts and bad work, plenty of knock-backs… the trick is to be in a state of great sensitivity on the inside, where the creativity lives, and to be as tough as old boots on the outside to deal with whatever the publishing world is going to throw at us next!

What's your cocktail of choice?

Anything with champagne in it. I’d walk a long way for a Peach Bellini.

CHEERS! THANK YOU and a big squeeze to Rosi at Harper Collins for sending us a copy of Martha and the Bunny Brothers I love School and THANK YOU to Clara for popping by - always an utter joy and a pleasure. Visit Clara's Craft website here!

Now where did I leave my bunny ears ....