Tag: the girl with the parrot on her head

The Girl with the Parrot on her Head – on stage!

I recently discovered that La Compagnie El Triciclo, based in Montpelier, have created a theatre production based on Peut-on mettre un loup dans un carton? (the French edition of The Girl with the Parrot on her Head, published by Albin Michel). Juliette Mouchonnat directs and acts in the show, which features tabletop puppets, shadow puppets, pop-ups and original music. I think it looks magic. I especially love the wolves at the end of this trailer:
It’s incredible to see someone else take my story and make something new from it, and something so creative and exciting. I don’t know if everyone who makes books sometimes imagines them being transformed into films, plays or tv but I do: strangely, I always thought that in my wildest dreams puppet theatre would be the best medium for The Girl with the Parrot on her Head.
The space station

 

I only wish I could go and see it! Or that it could come here… If you happen to be near Montpelier, there should be more performances from April 2018.

Many thanks to Cie. El Triciclo for permission to repost their pictures and trailer. Peut-on mettre un loup dans un carton? is available from Albin Michel.
Peut on mettre un loup dans un carton?

BIB and Migrations exhibitions

This week the Biennial of Illustrations (BIB) opens in Bratislava. Amazingly, IBBY UK and ICPBS (International Centre for the Picture Book in Society) have chosen to include The Girl with the Parrot on her Head in the UK submission. From The Girl with the Parrot on her Head
Each country puts forward up to 15 illustrators and work from all the nominated books will be exhibited from 9th September to October 29th at the Slovak National Museum. Some people will win golden apples and other prizes, but those sound extremely bad for your teeth – probably best just to be in the exhibition?

ICPBS and IBBY have also organised two exhibitions at BIB which aim to raise awareness of the experiences of child migrants. The Migrations exhibition is made up of over 300 postcards featuring images of birds and messages from illustrators from all over the world (including mine, below).
Postcard for Migrations exhibitionIf, like me, you can’t make it to Bratislava you can explore the postcards and messages in this interactive map (mine’s pinned to Birmingham so I think it must be done by postmark). The exhibition is expected to tour after BIB. Worcester University Illustration tutors have also created (larger) new work on the theme of Migrations.

Ezra Jack Keats Awards

Ezra Jack Keats award
I was so extremely happy to hear that The Girl with the Parrot on her Head is an Honor Book in the Ezra Jack Keats Awards. It’s especially lovely because Keats’ books are glorious, and because these awards are given to “books that portray the universal qualities of childhood, a strong and supportive family, and the multicultural nature of our world.”

I was sorry to miss the ceremony in Mississippi, but representatives from Candlewick were there and kindly read out my thanks and posted my award – which I had no idea was an actual shiny thing!

Many thanks to the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation (which does all kinds of excellent stuff) and to Walker and Candlewick for publishing this quite strange book.

 

 

Klaus Flugge Prize shortlist

I was extremely excited to be shortlisted for the first ever Klaus Flugge Prize (for debut picturebook illustrators) for The Girl with the Parrot on her Head. The party had gold balloons AND tiny macaroons! Nicholas John Frith won for his very beautiful Hector and Hummingbird: interviews with him and all the shortlisted illustrators are here.
Paperback edition of The Girl with the Parrot on her Head
Thank you very very much to the judges! And to Andersen for starting the prize.

Sheffield Children’s Book Award shortlist

I’m very happy to say The Girl with the Parrot on her Head has been shortlisted for the Sheffield Children’s Book Award! It’s especially exciting as the prize is judged by children, voting through schools and libraries. Here’s Sheffield Libraries’ tweet:


The winners will be announced in November.