A quick Q&A with Thomas Docherty

 Author and illustrator Thomas Docherty answers our questions in a quick fire Q&A.

 His newest picture book, Wash-a-Bye-Bear is out June 2012.

 One of your books, Ruby Nettleship has been selected for the Summer Reading Challenge this year, congratulations! How does it make you feel?

It’s a wonderful feeling to think of all the children who will be reading my story and enjoying the pictures this summer. The book has a very positive, inclusive message, as well as being a lot of fun and I’m proud that the libraries have picked up on it and decided to include it in the challenge. I’m very fond of the story in particular as a lot of it was inspired by the area where I live and work in Bristol.  

Do you think libraries are important for children?

I think libraries are important for everyone. I am lucky enough to live near a brilliant local library and it is a hub of community activity and always full of a wide range of people of all ages. When I take my own children to the library I like the way that they have the freedom to choose their own books and are able to experience a wide range of ideas and styles and make up their own minds about what they read or look at.  When I was young, I was lucky enough to be taken to the library by my mum and dad, and as someone who found reading quite difficult, it was the picture books and comics that I found there that kept me interested in reading.

Do you remember the first book you loved?

I read a lot of books when I was young and loved them all but the first books I discovered for myself (in the library) and still love to this day are the Asterix books. Their ingenious combination of words and pictures probably played a large part in me wanting to write my own picture books.

Wash-a-bye-bear is a gorgeous book, where did you get the inspiration from? 

 The idea came from two places. An image in my head of a child seen from behind, sat in front of a washing machine, watching a bear go round and round (I don’t know where that came from!). Alongside that was the idea of how children explore very adult emotions through playing with their toys. As the story progresses, Flora is learning all about unconditional love and all the anxieties and rewards that go with it. I think that is something that all children and parents can relate to.

 

Did you have a special bear growing up?

I never had a bear that I could not do without but I did have a bear that had belonged to my grandma that I was very fond of. He was called Big Ted and he was so old that he was stuffed with straw and quite hard and scratchy. He had been so hugged and loved over the years that he was darned and patched all over and had a lot of character. I think he must still be somewhere in my mum and dad’s house.

What are you currently working on?

Two things. A rhyming picture book written by my wife Helen called ‘The Snatchabook’ about a night time book thief. And I am just about to start on a new picture book with Templar called ‘The Driftwood Ball.’ The only way to describe it is West Side Story with woodland creatures and of course, a happy ending.

Want to know more? Visit www.thomasdocherty.co.uk or http://www.templarco.co.uk/picture_books/thomas_docherty/thomas_docherty.html

Hay Festival Frolics

THE HAY REPORT

It always feels like going on holiday when I set off for the Hay Festival and last week was no different.

I love the setting, the way its so laid back, the eclectic mix of folk - the amazing events and of course, the lovely Templar illustrators and authors who came along this year, to what seemed a bumper number of visitors.

Jonny Duddle and Adam Stower quickly teamed up and had lots of fun – their events were great too. Though poor Adam had a late Friday afternoon session, when it was at its hottest. The Hexagon venue was a mini-conservatory and at one point a few of the children were lying spread out on the cushions almost comatose – but still listening to the story.

For Jonny’s events people were encouraged to dress up in pirate costume - and they all joined in with their ooo aaaargh’s in hearty pirate voices. Jonny looked a pretty convincing pirate too, in his new gear and I rigged up our very sad parrot on his flip chart.

Thomas Docherty brought his usual magic to the festival and his two events were lovely – the children and parents really joining in, and lots of compliments from teachers there with their own children.

On Friday evening Adam very kindly met up with 15 students from Hereford Art College for a mini-masterclass – they passed around their sketch books and chatted about life as an illustrator. I think Adam was very impressed with the standard of their work.

Not too much partying that night as Adam had a 9am event on Saturday morning – which went well. Much cooler for a start and he had charmed the bookshop lady so he was signing books for ages.

Johnny O’Brien arrived in the nick of time for his 11.30 event - which played to an audience of over 100 and everyone loved the enactments and his memorabilia. He also took a writing masterclass later that afternoon with about 10 people ranging in age from 12 to 30’ish. Then he was off – flying to Japan I believe.

Thomas Docherty and Ruby Nettleship at The Oxford Lit Fest

Thomas Docherty - Guest Blog from Oxford

"I have done quite a lot of literary festivals now and feel very comfortable telling my stories to groups of children and their parents and my event in Oxford on Saturday seemed to go down very well. I have made some large cardboard cut out props to help me tell my stories and I do some live drawing. I also project the illustrations from the books at the same time but I find that the cut outs grab the children’s attention in a way that the images on the screen do not. The fact that they are obviously quickly hand drawn and painted and can be passed around and held also makes them more ‘real’ to the audience. Having said that, I have a giant ice lolly prop, which if I invite the younger members of the audience to take a bite and say what it tastes like, they will happily do so and say ‘apple’ or ‘lemon,’ where as the older children tend to say ‘cardboard!’ Because the event was centred around my latest book ‘Ruby Nettleship and the Ice Lolly Adventure’ the publishers had arranged for there to be and ice cream bicycle at the exit and everyone who wanted got a mini milk, which presumably tasted better than my cardboard props!"

Emma Dodd and Thomas Docherty at the Discover Children's Story Centre

It feels like we haven't seen Jayne for ages! She was out and about last week with Simon Bartram and Emma Dodd and on Sunday (6th March) she spent the day with Emma again as well as picture book creator Thomas Docherty at the Discover Centre in Stratford. She has been keeping in touch with her blogs, however, and here is what happened over the weekend.

Click here to see more of Emma's books
Click here to see more of Thomas' books

The Big Write is a festival of children's literature run by the Discover Children's Story Centre in Stratford, east London, during March. On Sunday, two Templar authors and illustrators, Emma Dodd and Thomas Docherty told stories, drew wonderful pictures and charmed the children and their parents.

Thomas had a storytelling event and picture drawing workshop and even the tiniest tot joined in. His wife, Helen and two children Lucia and Bethan came along too and joined in with the others. Thomas put a huge piece of card on the floor and asked all the children to help him draw a magical playground - and they did! Wonderful imaginative work by all. I do hope this picture goes up on the wall alongside all the others.

The magical playground takes shape...

Emma's audience once again enthusiastically joined in with all the animal noises for her Miaow Said the Cow reading and their drawings too were lovely.

The fans queue up to get their books signed by Emma

Thanks to all at Discover for making us so welcome and to all those who came along for joining in and making it such a fun time.