Dec
24
2008
3

A Christmas treat

Oliver Jeffer’s brilliant Lost and Found has been adapted as a 30 minute short for television by Studio aka. So set your vision-boxes to Channel Four at half two this afternoon (or half twelve on Stephens’ Day) and enjoy the eye-candy.

More over on the studio aka site.

Written by david. in: Televsion | Tags:
Nov
19
2008
0

Last chance saloon

The final installment of the BBC Four series on children’s literature - Now We Are Growing Up - airs tonight at 9pm. The show features interviews with Philip Pullman, Jacqueline Wilson, Eoin Colfer, David Almond, Ralph Steadman and Dave McKean.

More on the series here and here.

Written by david. in: Televsion | Tags:
Nov
12
2008
6

More unmissable TV

The second part of BBC Four’s series exploring childhood reading - Now We are Six - is on tonight at 9. Looking at classic books, from Alice in Wonderland to The Wind in the Willows, Winnie the Pooh, the works of Roald Dahl, Raymond Briggs and Voices in the Park by Anthony Browne. Philip Pullman, Jacqueline Wilson, Anthony Horowitz and Quentin Blake all make appearances too.

Those who got to see last weeks episode tell me it was interesting, useful and was preceded by a great documentary about the life and times of Kenneth Grahame. Tonight’s preceding writer is E Nesbit, the lady behind The Railway Children.

If anyone needs me, I’ll be peaking in through the window next door. They have digital… More about the three part series here.

Written by david. in: Televsion, childrens books | Tags: ,
Sep
15
2008
0

Seeing the future

The journo’s have started up the smoke machines, donned their best towels (on their heads, don’t be rude) and polished up their crystal balls to have a look at what is coming up over the next few months in television and books.

TV this Autumn is covered on the times.co.uk - one of my highlights has to be Merlin on BBC One:

No Robin Hood this autumn (that’s back in the new year); Saturday teatimes will instead get a magical, Arthurian makeover. Colin Morgan will star as the fledgling wizard, opposite Richard Wilson, Anthony Head, Michelle Ryan and a dragon sounding suspiciously like John Hurt.

And in books Suzi Feay over in the Indepenent UK has a look at what will be the next big thing -

And the next big children’s book is… about a bunch of kids in a boarding school! Andy Mulligan’s Ribblestrop (Simon & Schuster, April 2009) is a hilarious and morally questionable tale about a disastrous school whose pupils can be counted on the fingers of one hand. The building was falling down even before a disaffected pupil set fire to it. Health and safety is non-existent, rebuilding and DIY forms a major part of the curriculum, and a donkey sanctuary occupies the playing fields. The book’s hapless hero, Sam, is concussed, scalded and stripped of most of his clothes in the very first chapter. Ribblestrop has the “crazy school” appeal of Hogwarts and the grim humour of Lemony Snicket, and looks like a winner.

It’ll be interesting to see how the predictions fair once the smoke clears… In the mean time I’m off to find a beginners guide to tarot cards.

Written by david. in: Televsion, books | Tags: ,
Sep
14
2008
8

Press Catch up

A few quick clippings from the papers over the last few days:

> Deirdre Falvey has a look at children’s festivals throughout October - no mention of the Book Festival though which is really odd… (irishtimes.com)
> Frank Cotrell Boyce
looks at Terry Pratchett’s new book - Nation (guardian.co.uk)
> Adele Geras
enjoys Eva Ibbotson’s The Dragonfly Pool (guardian.co.uk)
> UK children’s minister, Ed Balls, is against age-branding on books (guardian.co.uk)
> Amanda Craig looks at three books featuring well-known heroes as children (times.co.uk)
>
I’m sure I linked to this already but: Philip Pullman’s Essential Reading List (times.co.uk)
>
Stephanie Meyer’s new book has been put on indefinite hold after a draft was leaked online (times.co.uk)
> Star of MTV’s reality show The Hills Lauren Conrad is working on a young adult fiction series (rte.ie)
>
UTV’s new sitcom, No Heroics, following the everyday lives of British superheroes kicks off next Thursday (Guardian.co.uk)

Right, back to nursing a hangover. Ugh.

Jul
29
2008
0

Patrick Ness - buzzin’

If you’re near a TV today at about 4pm switch over to the Den on RTÉ 2. Patrick Ness, the man behind The Knife of Never Letting Go, is on The Buzz with Sonagh and Declan.

>> Go watch the clip on RTÉ.ie

Written by david. in: Reading, Televsion | Tags: ,

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