It's Hallowe'en......

Hallowe'en is one of our oldest traditions which is believed to have its roots in the Pagan festivals, and more particularly in the Gaelic ritual of Samhain. 

Traditionally observed around the world on the 31st of October, Hallowe'en heralds that special time between the worlds on the eve of the Christian feast day of All Souls.

At this time of year I always try to have a Hallowe'en themed story on the go and this year I am highlighting some really special spooky stories from the publishers, Alma.

After-Supper Ghost Stories by Jerome K Jerome

As they relax after dinner on Christmas Eve, the members of a family and their guests turn to telling ghost stories. These ghoulish accounts range from the melancholy to the macabre, and get increasingly bizarre as the ghosts leap out of the tales and make an appearance in the family’s home. Fact and fiction, the real and unreal collide, until the reader is not sure who is haunting whom.

A masterful work of comic horror, Jerome K. Jerome’s After-Supper Ghost Stories is a witty look at why Christmas Eve is so perfect for ghost stories and why ghosts love the Yuletide season.

Tales of Horror by Edgar Allan Poe

A murderer is forced to reveal his crime by the sound of a beating heart, a mysterious figure wreaks havoc among a party of noblemen during the time of the plague, a grieving lover awakens to find himself clutching a box of his beloved blood-stained teeth, a man is obsessed with the fear of being buried alive – these are only some of the memorable characters and stories included in this volume, which exemplify Poe’s inventiveness and natural talent as a storyteller.

Immensely popular both during and after his lifetime, and a powerful influence on generations of writers and film-makers to this day, Edgar Allan Poe is still counted among the greatest short-story writers of all time and seen as one of the initiators of the detective, horror and science-fiction genres.



The Horror Handbook by Paul Van Loon and Illustrated by Axel Scheffler

What happens to a vampire when he dies? How does somebody become a werewolf? How can you protect yourself from witches? All of these questions and more are answered in this book, which will finally give you all the information you ever wanted to know about ghosts, zombies, monsters and all kinds of creepy-crawly creatures that give us the heebie-jeebies.

Full of tips, anecdotes and trivia – and delightfully illustrated by Axel Scheffler – Paul van Loon’s Horror Handbook is a fun and fascinating reference book for all fans of scary stories and things that go bump in the night.

***Giveaway question *** 

Who or what is your favourite spooky story or spooky character?

Leave your answer in the comments below with a contact email or Twitter address and which book you would like to win.

** UK ONLY **

Jaffa will pick 3 spooky names out of his witches hat on Wednesday 2nd November!!



**Just to add if you have problems commenting than do get in touch with me jaffareadstoo(at) hotmail(dot) co (dot) uk  and I will add your details to the comment list**

Huge thanks to William at Alma Books for generously providing these amazing giveaways.

*** Good Luck ***

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An interview with Paul Van Loon and Axel Scheffler....

To celebrate the release of The Horror Handbook, Alma Books caught up with the author, Paul van Loon, and the illustrator, Axel Scheffler.

A bit about Paul van Loon and Axel Scheffler

A highly successful children’s author from the Netherlands, Paul van Loon is best known in the English-speaking world for his Alfie the Werewolf series (published by Hodder in the UK). Originally an illustrator, Paul became a writer by accident when he could find no one to put into words a story he had thought of. He is never seen without his dark sunglasses, which has led to rumours that he is a vampire.

Axel Scheffler was born in Hamburg, Germany. He studied History of Art, before moving to the United Kingdom to study illustration at Bath Academy of Art in 1982. Since then he has worked as a freelance illustrator in London. He is best known for the children’s books he has illustrated through his partnership with author Julia Donaldson. Together they created The Gruffalo, which has sold over five million copies, in almost 50 countries throughout the world. He lives in London.

Paul van Loon

Q. How old were you when you first started writing?

I was 22 when I wrote my first story. I had made a drawing and I thought it needed a story. I didn’t have any writer friends at that time, so I wrote the story myself. And so I discovered that I really liked writing. ☺

Q. What was the inspiration behind The Horror Handbook?

I had written several books about vampires, werewolves and other grisly characters and I thought that my readers would like to learn more about all this horror stuff...

Q. Out of every book for children you’ve ever written, which was your favourite and why?

Ooh, that’s a tough one! I've written eight books about a ‘horror bus’ (De Griezelbus). Together they sold over a million books and made me famous in Holland and I love them. The same goes for the books about Alfie the werewolf. I've written 17 books about Alfie. I've lived with him for 20 years now and he just won’t get out of my head. He just sits there and waits for a new story, so I guess he's my favourite character.

Q. If you were to recommend one of your children’s books for a child to read, which would it be?

Again, it‘s Alfie, I think. He’s a loveable little werewolf.

Q. What was your favourite book growing up as a child?

It was a book about a little gnome who lived in the woods and his name was Paulus (Paulus de Boskabouter). He had my name and I loved the stories about Paulus and his friends and foes, particularly the witch Eucalypta.

Q. What is your favourite book now?

I love ‘Where the wild things’ are from Maurice Sendak. I read this book when I was 18 years and it showed me the beauty of children’s books again.

Q. If you could give one piece of advice to a young writer, what would it be?

Read, read, read. Write, rewrite, rewrite!

Q. Do you have a special place where you write?

I have my own room full of books, guitars, film props from films that are made of my books, puppets and secret cupboards. It’s a bit like a museum. Somewhere in there is also my computer and an old desk. There I write my books, mostly at night, when the moon is full.

Q. If you could organise a dinner party to be attended by characters from books, which three guests would be at the top of your list?

Of course my little friend Alfie the werewolf and I would like to see Winnie the Pooh. And Dracula... I think that would be an interesting and a little dangerous combination. ☺

Axel Scheffler

Q. How old were you when you first started illustrating?

I can't remember when I first drew something – as a small child. It depends what you mean by “illustrating”. But if you mean illustrating a text, it was a bit later than that… I’ve drawn since I was a child, and I’ve been illustrating professionally since 1986.

Q. What drew you to The Horror Handbook?

The Horror Handbook was published in Germany first – about twenty years ago. I thought the text had a nice humorous touch and I enjoyed illustrating it very much.

Q. Out of every book you’ve ever illustrated, which was your favourite and why?

I don’t have one favourite book. I like some more than others – usually the more quirky ones like Highway Rat, Stick Man or The Smartest Giant in Town.

Q. You’ve illustrated books in many languages – do you have a favourite language to work with?

I’ve only illustrated books in three languages – German, French and English; although, of course, some are translated into many languages afterwards. I don’t really read French very well, so that’s a bit more difficult. To illustrate a text it doesn't matter to me which language the text is in – as long as I have some understanding – however, I think English is a great language for picture book texts.

Q. What was your favourite book growing up as a child?

I think my favourite was about a little bear called "Petzi" – it was originally a Danish comic strip (but without speech bubbles). The cover is on my new website – Petzi is a bear with red dungarees with white dots and has many adventures with his friends which include a penguin and a pelican. This would’ve been my favourite when I was five or six.

Q. What is your favourite book now?

I don’t have one favourite book but many. Nowadays I tend to read less fiction, more non-fiction, in German as well as in English.

Q. If you could give one piece of advice to a young artist, what would it be?

If you mean an illustrator – I feel it's a little self evident but: draw lots, go to museums, be curious, look at lots of (good) illustrations.

Q. Do you have a special place where you draw?

I work from home, in a studio at the top of the house: there is chaos, and I wish there was order. Every now and then I tidy my desk, but three days later it looks the same again. It used to be even smaller – I bought a bigger one, but the mess just grows with the table surface. I have given up hope that it'll ever be tidy.

Q. Your most well-known project to date is The Gruffalo – were you inspired by anyone in particular when creating it?

I wasn’t inspired by anything – it’s not based on somebody I know! The Gruffalo is just a furry monster… he’s sort of how I imagine monsters, living in deep, dark woods, with a name like that.

Q. If you could organise a dinner party to be attended by characters from books, which three guests would be at the top of your list?

I’ve got no idea! I think I’d probably invite the three little pigs, so they can shelter from the Big Bad Wolf.

Alma Books are really excited to be publishing The Horror Handbook

Alma Books
2016

and are running this fabulous monster story competition 

There's a fabulous chance to for children to write their own monster story, and for the five winners to have their story printed in a special book, signed by Axel Scheffler. If  you are interested, you can find more information on that by clicking here 

A bit about the book...

What happens to a vampire when he dies? How does somebody become a werewolf? How can you protect yourself from witches? All of these questions and more are answered in this book, which will finally give you all the information you ever wanted to know about ghosts, zombies, monsters and all kinds of creepy-crawly creatures that give us the heebie-jeebies.

Full of tips, anecdotes and trivia – and delightfully illustrated by Axel Scheffler – Paul van Loon’s The Horror Handbook is a fun and fascinating reference book for all fans of scary stories and things that go bump in the night.

Available from Alma Books and all good book stores

Huge thanks to William at Alma Books for the opportunity to feature this delightful book and to share not just the interview with this fascinating  author and illustrator, but also for the chance to feature some of the amazing drawings from The Horror Handbook.

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Review ~ The Jungle Books by Rudyard Kipling

Alma Books

2016

A bit of blurb..

The adventures of Mowgli, the young man raised by wolves in the jungles of Central India, and his friends Baloo the bear, Bagheera the panther and Kaa the python, as they face the arch villain Shere Khan the tiger, have become so popular that they have achieved an almost mythical status throughout the world. They were collected by Kipling in The Jungle Book and its sequel, The Second Jungle Book, which also contain other stories set in India which prominently feature animals, such as the well-known ‘Rikki-Tikki-Tavi’, which describes the struggles of a mongoose against venomous cobras.

Here presented with brand-new illustrations by Ian Beck, these hugely popular tales, inspired by ancient fables and Kipling’s own experiences in India, form a vivid account of the relationship between humans and nature, and will continue to inspire readers young and old.

Age range 12+ to adult...

Here are my thoughts..

It's always a treat when a lovely book like The Jungle Books pops through the letterbox, which then takes me, instantly, back to when I was a child. Back to days of endless sunshine, summer holidays stretching before me and the possibility of sitting in the long grass with a book and a chocolate biscuit. I read The Jungle Books when I was about eleven or twelve, but before that I had often listened to the some of the stories read to me by my mother, or by my teacher at school and I loved the stories so much, that when I was able to buy my own copy, I did.

Of course, we've all seen the Walt Disney version of The Jungle Book which is based on Rudyard Kipling's First and Second Jungle Books and yet, inside, the story is so much more. There are tales of great adventure and derring-do, stories that remind us to be kind to one another and stories which make you smile and which also make you ask questions. 

The Jungle Books were first published in 1894, and have been reissued many times. This new version by Alma Classics is an easy to read paperback, which, contains the first jungle book and also its sequel, which, together with beautifully simple drawings, is a real joy to read. From the very the beginning Kipling's rich prose and poetry draws you into the heat of the jungle, to the danger lurking in corners, and to all the myriad sights, sounds,colours and legends of this amazing landscape. 

I especially liked the extra material for young readers which goes into some detail about the author, the books and the characters, along with a wonderful informative glossary.

Best Read With...A bottle of ice cold, fizzy lemonade and a Blue Riband biscuit...

About the Author

Famous for his tales of adventure in British India, Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936) is one of the most popular writers of all time and the first English-speaking recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature.

About the Illustrator

Ian Beck is an author and illustrator known for his beautifully illustrated books which include his young fiction series, 'Tom Trueheart' (translated into over seventeen languages), and numerous picture books including The Teddy Robber and Lost in the Snow. He has also collaborated with authors including Bertie Doherty and Philip Pullman on classic fairytales retellings and continues to write and illustrate picture books and titles for young readers.

Amazon UK

My thanks to Alma Books for my copy of The Jungle Books

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The author in my spotlight is ... James Wilson

Alma Books
May 2016

A bit of blurb...

A powerful novel of friendship, rebellion and betrayal...

England, 1950s. While out playing in the woods, ten-year-old Mark meets a man living in an old railway carriage. Despite his wild appearance, the stranger, who introduces himself as Aubrey Hillyard, is captivating – an irreverent outsider who is shunned by Mark’s fellow villagers, and a writer to boot. Aubrey encourages Mark to tell stories about his own make-believe world, and in return he informs the boy about a novel he is writing – a work of ominous science fiction.

As the meddling villagers plot to drive Aubrey out, Mark finds himself caught between two worlds – yet convinced that he must help Aubrey prevail at any cost.

James ~ welcome to Jaffareadstoo and thank you for answering my questions about your novel,  The Summer of Broken Stories...

What inspired you to write The Summer of Broken Stories?

The popular view of Britain in the 1950s sees it as a dull, grey, conformist place – little more, really, than a kind of monochrome prelude to the psychedelic explosion of the 1960s. But I was a child then, and that’s not how I remember the period at all. And I wanted to capture something of what it actually felt like – or at least, what it felt like to me, growing up then.

But the world I was trying to recreate wasn’t just some kind of lost idyll. Beneath the superficial calm there was an underbelly of anxiety – expressed in comics, or on TV, or in the work of novelists like John Wyndham. And what struck me, looking back, was that – for all that in many ways that world feels remote now – the sense of unease you find in these stories still links it, in unexpected ways, with the world we live in today, the stories we tell ourselves now, more than fifty years later. And it was this that gave me the second strand of The Summer of Broken Stories.

Without giving too much away – what can you tell us about the story?

It’s narrated from the point of view of ten-year-old Mark, who – while he’s out with his dog one day – finds a strange man called Aubrey Hillyard living in a disused railway carriage in the woods. Hillyard is writing a science fiction novel about a sinister entity called The Brain, and does a deal with the boy: he’ll tell Mark about The Brain, if Mark will tell him stories about the fictional world of his model railway, Peveril on the Swift. This seemingly innocent encounter ultimately changes the whole course of Mark’s life. 

The Summer of Broken Stories is a story about friendship and betrayal – in your research for the novel, did you discover anything which surprised you? 

As I said, I – just! – remember the 1950s, so it required less research than my other books, all of which are set in earlier periods. The biggest surprise, I think, was to realize just how much freedom children had then, compared with their modern counterparts. One of the characters in the book – an elderly woman who, during “tea”, plies Mark with home-made country wine – is closely modelled on someone who treated the ten-year-old me in exactly the same way. Today, I imagine, she might well be had up for supplying alcohol to a child.

Have you always wanted to write and how did you get started?

I first wanted to be a writer when I was five. If someone had told me then how long I would have to wait to see my first book in print, I’d have been devastated! I started with non-fiction, and then – by a slightly circuitous route – made my way back to my first love, the novel. 

What do you hope young readers will take away from this book?

Although it’s narrated from a child’s perspective, The Summer of Broken Stories isn’t intended specifically for young people. I hope – as I do with all my novels – that it takes readers into an unfamiliar world, and shows them there something that they recognize, from their own experience, to be true.

Can you share with us anything about your next writing project?

It’s set in the 1960s – so, chronologically, a sort of extension of The Summer of Broken Stories. But the similarity ends there: the new book is told from a number of different points of view, and centres on the life of a young singer who disappeared mysteriously in 1970. I don’t want to say a lot more at this stage – except that I’m very excited about it!

About the author





Visit the author's Website

Follow on Twitter @jcwilsonauthor

Huge thanks to James for spending time with us today and also to Thomas at Alma Books for his help with this interview. 



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Review ~ The Bears' Famous Invasion of Sicily by Dino Buzzati

Alma Books
May 2016

Translated by Frances Lobb

Starving after a harsh winter, the bears descend from the mountains in search of food and invade the valley below, where they face fierce opposition from the army of the Grand Duke of Sicily. After many battles, scrapes and dangers, the bears’ reign is established over the land, but their victory comes at a price.

First published in Italian in 1945, this book has been recently reissued with a glorious cover, which seeks to reintroduce the story of The Bears' Famous Invasion of Sicily to a modern day readership. However, inside the book,  the story remains gloriously alive with Buzzati's original 1940s artwork, both in colour and black and white, which is quite stunning and very evocative of the era in which the book was published. The story was been beautifully translated into English in 1947 by Frances Lobb and there is a poignant letter from Dino Buzzati to Frances Lobb, dated December 1947 in which he says "Brava! Bravissima!" for her wonderful translation of his story, and I so agree with this sentiment.

I'm not going to tell you the story of the Bears of Sicily, as this book is best read in its entirety without spoilers from me, but what I will say is that from the moment you open the book, you begin to realise what a special book you hold in your hands. The words flow well, and interspersed with prose and verse what emerges is a story of true bravery in the face of cruel adversity. There are moments of violence and some younger readers may be put off by that, but probably no worse than they would find in modern day children's stories, and I suppose it's readership is aimed at maybe ten, eleven, twelve year olds who can immerse themselves in a story without adult interference. At the end of the book there's an extensive reader's companion by Lemony Snicket which is nicely informative and which offers a wonderful additional insight to the story.

The Bears' Famous Invasion of Sicily sits very comfortably as an ideal parent/child  'read it together at bed-time' sort of book. 

Best Read with...A Buzzati cocktail, spicy with ginger and a few roasted chestnuts...

About the Author

The novelist, journalist and painter Dino Buzzati is one of the most important voices of twentieth-century Italian literature. He is best remembered today for his novel The Tartar Steppe and the story The Bears’ Famous Invasion of Sicily, which he illustrated himself and has become a classic of Italian children’s literature.

About the Translator

Frances Lobb was the pen name of Leila Buckley (1917-2013), a linguist, poet and scholar who was educated in France, Germany and Italy. During the Second World War she worked in the Political Intelligence Department of the Foreign Office. Her other translations include poetry,politics, and philosophy and a number of children's books by Karl Bruckner and Michael Ende. She was also the author of three highly individual novels.

My thanks to Alma Books for my delightful copy of this classic children's story book

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Review ~ The Story of a Seagull and the Cat who taught her to fly by Luis Sepúlveda

Alma Books
17th March 2016

That only those who dare may fly..

What can I say about this delightful book that will do the story justice? Firstly, the cover, it makes me smile every time I look at it. The expression on both the seagull and the cat's face is just a real tonic for a gloomy day. The book is interspersed with beautiful black and white line drawings which really brings the story to life. And what of the story, well, I started this on a dark afternoon when the clouds were rollicking by at top speed and there was a distinct hint of rain in the air, but all that really didn't matter, as within minutes of picking up the book, I was immersed in a story of dedication, bravery and the heroism of keeping one’s word when all the odds are stacked against you.

Kengah is a seagull, who caught up in a dreadful oil spill, knows that she is dying but makes a mammoth effort to lay her one little blue-speckled white egg, in the hope that her chick, once hatched will have a chance of survival, and that's where Zorba, the big fat black cat from the port of Hamburg,  comes into the story, when Kengah, with all hope gone, begs Zorba to care for her, as yet unhatched, chick, imploring Zorba to teach it to fly.

“Then  Zorba knew that the poor gull was not just delirious: she was totally mad.”

What then follows is a story about a cast of intelligent and sensitive cats who learn that life can offer many challenges and none more so than the care of an orphaned seagull, but rise to the challenge they most certainly do. The cats are delightful, there's Segretario and Colonel who live at Cuneo’s Italian restaurant and eat Lasagne al Forno for breakfast, Einstein with his love of books and learning, who despairs when he can’t find the page he needs in his encyclopedia because the rats have eaten it, Seven Seas, an ocean-going cat who wears a made-to-measure oilskin, Angelina, the beautiful cat, and of course, there’s Zorba, the big fat black cat, who with poignant sensitivity sets out, with a little help from his friends, to teach a baby seagull, called Lucky, to fly.

My thoughts about this lovely story, well, it’s bright and beautiful, sad and funny, wonderful in its simplicity and alive with curiosity. Beautifully written, expertly translated from its original Spanish and charmingly illustrated. Without doubt, it’s  a special little book which will appeal to readers of all ages, not just for children, who I am sure will also love it, but also for adults who like escaping from the mayhem into the magical world of children’s stories.

Best Read with....a nice bowl of milk and a packet of Squid flavoured Dreamies ( Jaffa's suggestion)

About the Author

Born in Santiago, Chile, Luis Sepúlveda is the multi-award-winning author of many adult novels and stories for children. Politically and socially engaged, he was persecuted and jailed by the Pinochet regime and worked for years as a crew member on a Greenpeace ship. The Story ofa Seagull and The Cat Who Taught Her to Fly has been translated in over 40 countries with several film and theatre adaptations.

About the Illustrator

Satoshi Kitamura was born in Japan and has lived in the UK for many years, where his books have won many prizes, including the Mother Goose Award (for Angry Arthur) and the Smarties Prize (for Me and My Cat). Nowadays, Satoshi is back in Japan where he studies Spanish in his spare time, and is working his way through Sepulveda’s oeuvre in the original.

My thanks to the publishers Alma Books for my copy of this book to review.

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