TGBH launches today!!!

Our new book THE GREAT BALLOON HULLABALLOO is published today!

http://meimatsuoka.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-great-balloon-hullaballoo.html

Please do check it out if you are near a bookshop and I hope you enjoy it!

FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW in Turkey

Children at a school in Izmir, Turkey have put together and performed a play based on "Karda Ayak Izleri" - the Turkish translation of my book "Footprints in the Snow"; published by Andersen Press UK (and by Kir Cicegi in Turkey).

The book has been really well received in the country; with 400 copies being bought by the Turkish Ministry of Culture for public libraries. I am overwhelmed by the fact that "Footprints..." was chosen as the story that they wanted to perform for their end-of-year play - they even printed and made all of their costumes by themselves!

Thank you so much to fellow author Arslan Sayman for directing their performance (And for the pictures) and of course a huge thanks to the children themselves!

Booktrust News

THE GREAT BALLOON HULLABALLOO has been listed as one of Booktrust's "Books We Like: July 2013"!

http://www.booktrust.org.uk/books-and-reading/children/books-we-like/


It is due to be published on: 1 AUGUST 2013

Vom Wolf, der lieb sein wollte

I am VERY excited to announce that "Footprints in the Snow" is about to be published in Germany this August!

Here is a brilliant animation created by Verlag Urachhaus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJYtlTrL6bQ 

Für all meine deutsch sprechenden Freunde...
Hier ist eine Animation von meinem in August erscheinenden Buch!

Writers' Room

I have an interview on the Free Word website:

http://www.freewordonline.com/content/2013/04/wr-mei-matsuoka/


"Free Word is an international centre for literature, literacy and free expression. We aim to push boundaries to promote, protect and democratise the power of the word for creative and free expression".


Thank you to Sam for a wonderful interview!

ARVON - with Tessa Strickland & David Roberts!

Arvon   Mon 13th - Sat 18th May 2013

 

Co-Tutor: Tessa Strickland (Barefoot Books)
Guest: David Roberts (Author/Illustrator)

Renowned for its five-day residential creative writing courses, Arvon has launched its 2013 programme of courses and I will be Co-Tutor in residence between the 13th and 18th May with the brilliant Tessa Strickland (aka:Stella Blackstone).

 

The week will take place in a beautiful writing house set in the inspiring countryside of North Devon, and include morning workshops, one-to-one tutorials and plenty of time and space to write. Arvon also run a grant system, for those who would not be able to afford the full course fee, around a quarter of participants receive help in this way, and the amount of grant can be as high as the full fee.

For more information on our 'Writing for Children' week:

http://www.arvonfoundation.org/writing-for-children-5


This year we are hoping for many aspiring illustrators to sign up, as well as children's writers (Or both, of course!)

So if you are, or know of anybody else that might be interested in signing up, please spread the word. It really is a wonderfully inspiring, creative and fun week in an absolutely beautiful setting - and places are limited!

BOOKABOO is back!

...and THE GREAT SHEEP SHENANIGANS will be aired on Sunday 24 MARCH 2013 at 7:25am!

It will be shown on ITV1 and CITV.

BOOKABOO is a popular award-winning television series, featuring a book-loving rock star puppy and a different celebrity guest reader each episode.

www.bookaboo.co.uk/

The new series sees Bookaboo on his first international tour in Canada and the reader for this episode is Canadian comedian and author Sean Cullen.

The Great Balloon Hullaballoo

By Peter Bently       Illustrated by Mei Matsuoka

Our new book 'The Great Balloon Hullaballoo' is finally finished!

 

 

It is due to be published later this year.

(I'm sorry, the picture isn't the actual thing - just one of the proof copies)

 

The third in a series of 'The Great...' book collaborations between Peter and I, Hullaballoo is set in outer space with lots of animal and alien characters.

 

 

Previous Titles:

The Great Dog Bottom Swap

The Great Sheep Shenanigans