Category Archives: Everyone

It was published in 2008, won the CILIP Carnegie Medal in 2010 and is a darkly, funny tale.

I’ve just finished Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book featuring the story of Nobody Owens – a normal boy, known to his friends as Bod, who lives in a graveyard. Brought up and educated by ghosts, he is initially prevented form leaving, because the real danger to his life exists in the ‘real’ world outside the graveyard. For anyone who feels at home with stories of ghosts, vampires, witches and werewolves, then this is must. Bod is very much at home in the graveyard. His parents, Mr & Mrs Owens are there – both dead of course, so at least he can live at home again. Quite how this happened and how they all came to be there as a ‘family’, is the gist of the story. For a while, as Bod grows up, this is all quite normal!

I’ve had this book for quite some time, but like all of Gaiman’s stories, it’s one to savour. Beautifully, but sparsely, illustrated by award-winning illustrator and cartoonist Chris Riddell. This is another masterpiece of storytelling – a children’s (and certainly adults) classic.

Sadly, London Book Fair 2024 has come and gone. It’s now just a week since the doors closed on what I estimate was a very successful event.

Certainly it appeared better laid out and the new LBF app proved invaluable. Not only could I find all the seminars listed by day, but was able to highlight my choices and get a 10 minute reminder of the start. Using the LiveVoice app also made it possible to listen to the main stage presentations, without having to join an endless queue.

Here we are, once again, with World Book Day and the topic uppermost on many parents mind is ‘what about the costumes?” ‘what will it cost for my child to go to school dressed as their favourite character?’

This is no surprise and it gets worse every year. Some schools are letting children go in pyjamas to celebrate reading before sleep. Really? From reports on child literacy it might be an idea to spend the costume money on books and getting the kids to read, but then that’s too obvious.

According to stats from the National Literacy Trust last year, 43% of 8-18 year old’s don’t enjoy reading – the lowest since 2005. Back in 2019, 25% of 10 and 11 year- old pupils didn’t reach the required reading statndards! I know chidren who simply don’t ever read. They were happy to chew books when they were toddlers, but actually reading and understanding is an alien pastime. Blame can’t always be laid on the schools. We’re bring up a generation who will have the latest smart technology at their fingers tips, but will talk in abbreviated garbage and emojis. Sadly we have to lay some of the blame on the parents. There are many thousands of households have no books at all and the child’s ‘favourite character’ is gleaned from TV, film and video games.

World Book Day was conceived in 1995 by UNESCO and is celebrated in over 100 countries. This year booksellers are doing their utmost to capitalise on the event, quite rightly, Bookshop.org, who support indie bookshops, are actively encouraging children to visit stores where books can be bought for as little as one pound.