Recent events and appearances

• November 2008
  • 01 November Battle of Ideas: Battle for the Reader 10.30am-noon. Do we need a National Year of Reading? Are we reading the right things? Is it wrong to be elitist? With Dr Shirley Dent, Professor Philip Hensher, Professor Swapan Chakravorty and Honor Wilson-Fletcher. Chaired by Angus Kennedy. See event details.
  • 05 November BBC Four. 9pm. Contributor to Picture Book: When We Were Very Young on children's picturebooks.
  • 05 November 7pm Illustrated talk on The Plimsoll Sensation. Cruising Association HQ, Limehouse Basin. Members £4; Non-members £7. Book 0207 537 2828 or email office@cruising.org.uk. See event details
  • 12 November BBC Four. 9pm. Contributor to Picture Book: Part 2 on books for early readers.
  • 19 November BBC Four 9pm Contributor to Picture Book: Part 3 On books for 8+.
• October 2008
  • 17 October 4-5pm, Cheltenham Literature Festival. Chairing event on Gray's Anatomy to mark its 150th anniversary. With editor-in-chief Susan Standring, author of The Making of Mr Gray's Anatomy, Ruth Richardson and anatomy expert Harold Ellis.
  • 18 October Cheltenham Literature Festival. In conversation with Elizabeth Jane Howard. 11am-noon. Discussing her novel Love All.
  • 18 October Cheltenham Literature Festival. In conversation with Jamila Gavin and David Almond. 2-3pm.
  • 19 October Cheltenham Literature Festival. Chairing family event with Shirley Hughes and Clara Vulliamy. 2.30-3.30pm
  • 26 October In conversation with Lauren Child. Victoria and Albert Museum lecture theatre. 3-4pm
• September 2008
  • 08 September Farewell remarks, Publishing News party. Penguin board room, The Strand. By invitation.
  • 10 September 6.30-8.30pm. Chairing Q & A with Michael Morpurgo and Michael Foreman about their new book Kaspar (about a cat on the Titanic). Simpson's on the Strand, London. By invitation, HarperCollinsChildren'sBooks.
  • 22 September Bath Festival of Children's Literature. Chairing panel: Illustrators in the Spotlight. With Mini Grey, Polly Dunbar, Anthony Browne, Michael Foreman 6-7pm. www.bathkidslitfest.co.uk
• August 2008
  • 20 August More4 News on Enid Blyton topping poll for best-loved author.
  • 22 August Edinburgh Book Festival. Chairing The Art of Illustrating with Anthony Browne. 5.30-7.30pm.
  • 24 August Edinburgh Book Festival. Facilitating family event with Anne Fine. 2-3pm.
  • 24 August Edinburgh Book Festival. Facilitating event with Jonathan Stroud 5-6 pm.
  • 30 August Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators conference, Robinson College Cambridge. 11am. Session on reviewing, with Julia Eccleshare, chaired by Celia Rees.
• May 2008
  • 22 May Write Away Conference, University of London, Institute of Education. 'More than Information: Engaging hearts and minds through non-fiction.' Keynote Speech on trends and challenges in children's non-fiction
• April 2008
  • 01 April Yorkshire libraries tour part 2. Hull Central Library. 12.30pm. Illustrated talk on the Plimsoll Sensation.
  • 01 April Whitby library. 7pm. Illustrated talk on The Plimsoll Sensation.
  • 02 April 2pm North Bridlington Library. Illustrated talk on The Plimsoll Sensation.
  • 02 April 7pm Wakefield: Crofton Library, Wakefield. Illustrated talk on The Plimsoll Sensation.
  • 03 April Knaresborough Library. 7.30pm. Illustrated talk on The Plimsoll Sensation.
  • 06 April Oxford Literature Festival Event 095. 1pm Long room, Town Hall, St Aldates. Chairing teen reading event with Kevin Brooks and Melvin Burgess.
  • 06 April Oxford Literature Festival Event 140. 4pm Christ Church Marquee. When the Magic Began. Talk with readings from classic children's books by actors Teresa Gallagher and Anton Lesser. Sponsored by Naxos AudioBooks.
• March 2008
  • 12 March Doncaster Central Lending Library 2.30pm. Illustrated talk on The Plimsoll Sensation.
  • 12 March Leeds, Headingley Library. 7pm. Illustrated talk on The Plimsoll Sensation.
  • 13 March Halifax Central Library. 1pm. Illustrated talk on The Plimsoll Sensation.
  • 13 March Merseyside Maritime Museum, Liverpool. 7pm. Illustrated talk on The Plimsoll Sensation.
  • 14 March Chigwell Local History Society. Illustrated talk on The Plimsoll Sensation. 8pm.
• February 2008
  • 08 February Oxford Brookes University children's publishing course lecture 12 noon.
  • 26 February Illustrated talk on The Plimsoll Sensation for the Friends of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich. 6.30 for 7pm.
  • 27 February On Simon Mayo show, Radio Five Live, 3-4pm discussing children's classics
• December 2007
  • 17 December Presentation on The Plimsoll Sensation for Plimsoll Road and friends. St Thomas's Church Hall, Monsell Road N4. 6.30-7.30pm.
• October 2007
  • 05 October BBC Radio 4 The World Tonight on Happy Endings
  • 13 October Cheltenham Literary Festival. Event 183 7-8pm Chairing conversation with John Walsh (Sunday at the Cross Bones) and Patrick Gale (Notes from an Exhibition)
  • 13 October Cheltenham Literary Festival Event F4 1.15-2pm Introducing Judith Kerr (When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit). Cheltenham College Junior School.
  • 14 October Cheltenham. Event 204 2-3pm Chairing conversation between Martin Amis and Zachary Leader about Kingsley Amis.
  • 14 October Event 196 11am -12 noon Chairing Jonathan Coe (The Rain Before it Falls) and Blake Morrison (South of the River).
  • 18 October Redbridge Libraries October Bookfest. Hainault Library 7.30 pm. Presentation on The Plimsoll Sensation
  • 22 October On NBC news: 'Dumbledore is gay'
  • 28 October Judging Debating Matters libraries debate, at the Battle of Ideas, 12.45 Royal College of Art, South Kensington
• September 2007
  • 15 September St Hilda's College Gaudy, after-dinner speech about The Plimsoll Sensation
• August 2007
  • 23 August Interview with Jennifer Donnelly Edinburgh Book Festival 5-6pm
  • 24 August Celebrating the Carnegie, with Medal winners Tim Bowler, Theresa Breslin, Jennifer Donnelly and Mal Peet. Edinburgh Book Festival 5-6pm
• July 2007
  • 01 July Judging Institute of Ideas Debating Matters semi-final, National Portrait Gallery
  • 02 July Platform interview with David Almond. Children's Book Show event for schools. 2pm, The Purcell Room, South Bank, London
  • 10 July Bookshop Barnie, The Economist Bookshop. In conversation about The Plimsoll Sensation with Austin Williams.
  • 19 July 'Richard and Judy' about Harry Potter
  • 21 July Today programme, Radio 4, about Harry Potter
  • 25 July BBC Radio Wales Jamie Owen programme 11-12, about The Plimsoll Sensation
• June 2007
  • 01 June 11.30am, Hay Festival, chairing "Myth and Magic" event with Helen Dunmore and Cat Weatherill
  • 28 June Announcing winner of the 2007 Branford Boase prize for a first children's book. 6pm, Walker Books, London. Won by Siobhan Dowd for 'A Swift Pure Cry'.
  • 29 June Visit to Sevenoaks Prep School
• May 2007
  • 03 May, paperback publication of The Plimsoll Sensation.
  • 12 May, Enid Blyton Society Day talk, Loddon Hall
• April 2007
  • 16 April, 11-12am, London Book Fair panel event: "Are Picture Books At Risk?" With Chris Riddell, Helen Mackenzie Smith and Martin Salisbury.
  • 21 April, Introducing Jacqueline Wilson 2pm UCL Bloomsbury Theatre, London.
  • 25 April, The Rotary Club of Scarborough Cavaliers: The Charter Night Celebrations. Royal Hotel, St Nicholas St,Scarborough. Illustrated after-dinner talk on The Plimsoll Sensation.
  • 29 April, 1.45-4.45pm, Orange Prize readers' event, Carriageworks Theatre, Leeds. With Kate Mosse, Naomi Alderman, Louise Doughty, Marina Lewycka, Jill Dawson, along with Clare Allan and Roopa Farooki (two of the three authors shortlisted for the Orange Award for New Writers).
• March 2007
  • 09 March, 7pm for 7.30-8.30pm, Bath Literary Festival, Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution. Illustrated talk on The Plimsoll Sensation.
  • 23 March Oxford Literary Festival. Illustrated Talk on The Plimsoll Sensation. Noon. Christ Church.
  • 27 March, Judging Institute of Ideas Debating Matters North East Regional Final at Kings Road Centre, Newcastle University, on the motions: 'America is dumbing down world culture' and 'Scientists should adopt the precautionary principle'
• February 2007
  • 04 February Live interview re The Plimsoll Sensation for ABC National Radio, Australia. (Broadcast am in Western Australia.)
  • 05 February 8 pm Private reading group visit, North London. (For reading group visits, contact js-kg@tiscali.co.uk.)
  • 08 February, in conversation with Pauline Francis, author of Raven Queen. Globe Theatre.
• December 2006
  • 04 December, chairing panel to choose Top Ten winners of the CILIP Carnegie and Greenaway medals for children's books, to celebrate the 70th anniversary in 2007.
  • 11 December, Friends of Leeds Art Fair lunch with illustrated talk about The Plimsoll Sensation
• November 2006
  • 02 November, Literary dinner organised by the Association of Women Graduates, Dundee, with Robert Lacey, author of Great Tales from English History, and Ann Cleeves, author of Raven Black
  • 09 November Acceptance at British Charitable Maritime Foundation awards dinner of the 2006 Mountbatten Maritime Prize for The Plimsoll Sensation presented by Countess Mountbatten of Burma . Also present, as a guest of Little, Brown, was Samuel Plimsoll's grand-daughter, Mrs Sally Shaw.
• October 2006
  • 02 October, chairing Picture Book Rebels event with Jeanne Willis and Ed Vere Puffin Books. By invitation
  • 07 October, 5pm, Falmouth Literary Festival, illustrated talk on The Plimsoll Sensation
  • 12 October, 8.45-10pm, Times Cheltenham Festival of Literature, chairing event with Ben Fogle and James Cracknell, about their book The Crossing
  • 13 October, 10am, Times Cheltenham Festival of Literature, illustrated talk on The Plimsoll Sensation
  • 17 October Queens School, Bushey, 4.30-8.30 pm. Judging Institute of Ideas debating competition
  • 20 October Small Feet Go Far festival of Swedish children's literature, Unicorn Theatre, London. Event at 14.30-15.15 with Martin Widmark
• September 2006
  • 14 September, 3pm, children's reading consultation, Much Ado Books
  • 14 September, 7pm, Much Ado Books, Alfriston, Sussex; RNLI literary dinner, speaking about The Plimsoll Sensation, with Kathryn Hughes, author of The Short Life and Long Times of Mrs Beeton