Duchess of Cambridge & Jane Austen are Cousins!

Yes, it's true!  Our beloved Jane Austen and Kate are related.  Well, to be fair they aren't closely related, they are 11th cousins, 6 times removed.....

The Attribution Song

Why do you need to cite sources in your work?

 This catchy song by Nina Paley tells you why.

How to draw like your favourite illustrator

The Guardian website have a series called "How To Draw". 

They have asked well known authors and illustrators to teach their readers how to draw something.  For example Nick Sharratt (illustrator of Jacqueline Wilson's books) shows you how to draw a character.  Have a go, it's great fun!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/childrens-books-site/series/how-to-draw

Flipbacks

They aren't paperbacks or hardbacks, they are flipbacks!  They open from the top and are about the same size as an Iphone.  These books have been big in Europe for the last 18 months.  The books are being released in New Zealand on 12 July and titles include:

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

Misery by Stephen King

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

Have a look at the books via this link:

http://www.flipbackbooks.com

A World Made of Books

I love this clip.  It was made back in 2008 to celebrate the 4th Estate Publishers anniversary.

Pottermore

Yes!  Great news for Harry Potter fans.
Have a look at this announcement from JK Rowling.

10 Most Powerful Women Authors

The American magazine Forbes has recently published an article about the 10 most powerful women authors.

How many names do you recognise?

How many of their books have you read? 

It is a really interesting article. 

http://blogs.forbes.com/avrildavid/2011/06/06/the-10-most-powerful-women-authors/

J K Rowling

Danielle Steele

Toni Morrison

Stephenie Meyer

Mary Higgins Clark

Maya Angelou

Alice Walker

Jhumpa Lahiri

Joyce Carol Oates

Isabel Allende

The Travelling Restaurant - Barbara Else

On the mysterious sailing ship, the Travelling Restaurant, 12 year old Jasper Ludlow - by all accounts an ordinary boy- embarks on an adventure across Old Ocean and Lake Riversea.

Jasper faces whirlpools, troublesome monkeys and hungry pirates in the search for his baby sister and his quest to save the kingdom of Fontania from the Provisional Monarch, Lady Gall.

An edge-of-your-seat tale of treachery, courage and magic.

This book is ready for borrowing now!

 
 

Chris Ryan's New Series

Chris Ryan has a new book out called Agent 21.  Chris Ryan talks about his new books in this YouTube clip.

New Books

These new books are available from the end of next week.