NEW BOOKS NEW HEIGHTS

HELLO – latest news from ALBERT HQ and lots to report… we are very pleased to say.
The official launch of new ALBERT the tortoise picturebook ALBERT IN THE AIR in paperback went well and now we are in the thick of publicity – with radio and bookshop events. And more school visits.

It was great to chat with Ian Skye at BBC Radio Derby again – thanks to all the team for a great chat.

Also great chatting with Lizzie Roper at BBC Radio Jersey and Guernsey in the Channel Islands – thanks everyone there.

Then we chatted with lovely Gilly Hope at BBC Radio Newcastle – always a pleasure and great fun. Thanks to all the team there too.

And we had a right laugh chatting again with Gayle Lofthouse at BBC Radio Leeds. Thanks to all.

We also had a great chat with the folks at Radio Swindon 105.5 – thanks everyone there.

Of course, when a new book comes out you also like to receive Reviews – and we appreciate them all. Please keep posting YOUR Reviews. We had a great one from a lovely Blogger – who also has a tortoise, regally known as Prince Toby. It seems owner and tortoise approved of Albert in the Air according to the write-up on their blog The Reptile Files. Thanks to Dr Lucy Andrews and Prince Toby.

We also love reading the new books out loud – and we had a lovely response from 30+ toddlers at a local group packed into a church hall. Thanks everyone!

We’ve also been signing a lot of books.. Our last blog told of all the books we signed on a visit to publishers Graffeg in Cardiff…

We also signed a load of books for a local bookshop to us – in Chingford. Thanks Jo and team for all the support.

We did an epic signing session on a visit to the offices of great charity Bookmark Reading. You might recall we support Bookmark .. after they asked writer / wrangler bloke to write a foreword for the latest edition of their magazine The Story Corner – which has now reached more than 100,000 children in schools, children’s hospitals and pupil referral units.

Publishers Graffeg agreed to gift Bookmark 100 books by Ian Brown and illustrator Eoin Clarke – which will be distributed in due course to schools and other venues.

Bookmark aims to “let every child read” and provides books and library equipment to schools and also places volunteers to help children with reading skills and confidence. If you think you can help – please contact them.

You might have noticed that Albert now shares this site with a new set of characters from writer Ian Brown and illustrator Eoin Clarke. – Hugg ‘n’ Bugg and their new book FINDING HOME.. Hugg is a messy yeti and Bugg is a mountain flea who doesn’t like the cold. The stories – rhyming, comical adventures – are set in the Himalayas.
Quite by chance, a sponsored trek to Mount Everest Base Camp to raise funds and awareness of Bookmark was already planned when we became involved with the charity. A new book, set in the Himalayas? A trek to the Himalayas and to Everest? It seemed too good to miss this opportunity.

So, the other day – as well as signing 100 books for Bookmark – Ian Brown donned suitable costume to hand over a copy of Hugg ‘n’ Bugg FINDING HOME to go with the trekkers to Everest Base Camp and to the Himalayas where Hugg and Bugg dwell.

There will be lots more about the trek and the Hugg ‘n’ Bugg books to come.

More ALBERT news too – as we’re still very busy visiting bookshops, schools and doing interviews talking all about real Albert and the bookseries.

Thank you all for all the support – it means the world to us.

More soon. Til next time…