National Libraries Day Events - Chesterfield and Brimington Libraries, Saturday 8th February 2014

Did you know that Saturday 8th February 2014 is National Libraries Day?

The aim of the day is to encourage people to use their local libraries and find out about the services they have to offer. There are events going on in libraries all over the United Kingdom. You can find out if there's an event in a library near you using the map on the National Libraries Day web site.

If you live near Chesterfield or Brimington Libraries in Derbyshire you might like to come along to one of my FREE events. I'll be reading my new piratical picture book Here Be Monsters, illustrated by Poly Bernatene, and talking about monsters and maps.

Here's a trailer I made about the book.

We'll be drawing maps of monster-infested islands and one lucky treasure hunter at each event will win a signed copy of the book.

Fill in your own treasure map and if you can guess where the treasure is hidden
you could win a signed copy of Here Be Monsters.

TICKETS ARE FREE and available from each library, but there are limited numbers for each event so please request them in advance. The events are suitable for children aged five and over.

EVENT DETAILS

Saturday 8th February

Brimington Library 
11.00 am - 12.00 noon

Church Street

Brimington

Chesterfield

Derbyshire

S43 1JG

Tel: 01246 271547

email: brimington.library@derbyshire.gov.uk

Saturday 8th February

Chesterfield Library 
14.15 pm – 15.15 pm

New Beetwell Street 

Chesterfield 

Derbyshire 

S40 1QN

Tel: 01629 533 400 

email: chesterfield.library@derbyshire.gov.uk

Visit my web site to find out more about HERE BE MONSTERS

Visit the National Libraries Day web site

Monstermatic Competition Winners

Earlier this month, Macmillan published a Let's Read edition of my picture book MONSTERS: An Owner's Guide. The book is illustrated by Mark Oliver and features Shambles, one of a range of self-assembly, fully-interactive, mechanical monsters produced by the Monstermatic Company.

To mark the publication, I ran a prize competition and asked readers to send me their own monster drawings. I received a collection of monstrous masterpieces from creature creators of all ages. Here they all are.

Scroll down to the bottom (if you're brave enough to go past so many monsters) to see who's won!

Tim Budgeon's helpful and mischievous UGGIE

Emma Collins sent me a selection of monsters

ELEMONSTER, part elephant, part monster
was created by the Yewman younglings. 

This looming monstrosity was created by Charlotte

The magnificently titled HUNGRY TOOTH SCARY was created by Esther Lacey

LUMMOX, the monster that despite his size,
just wants to fit in, was sent in by Kyle Andersen

FLUFFBALL by Rowan, age 6, can make his arms longer and shorter 

EGGLEGS, by Emer, age 8, can swap his head over

This is PLODASAURUS (he likes to plod)
by Lily Slaymaker, age 8

 FLIBBERSTOMP from J aged 4 

There's some terrific artwork there, so a big THANK YOU to everyone who sent something in.

I'm giving two signed copies of the book as prizes.

The first goes to the creator of my favourite monster, which is EGGLEGS, by Emer. It's a great design with a nice variety of body parts –  tentacle arms, spindly legs, batwing ears. And the interchangeable head is a great feature for a Monstermatic product!

The second winner, picked at random from the remaining entries (using the random number generator here) is the smashing selection of monsters sent in by Emma Collins.

The two winners!

“MONSTERS - An Owner’s Guide” PRIZE COMPETITION

I’m always sad to see one of my books go out of print, but I was particularly sorry when MONSTERS - An Owner’s Guide, the picture book created by myself and illustrator Mark Oliver, went out of print a couple of years ago as the book had proved very popular on school visits and had quickly become one of my most borrowed books from UK libraries.

So I was delighted when publisher Macmillan told me that they were giving the book a second chance by publishing it as part of their Let’s Read mini-picture book series. Although written in rhyme, the book is set out like a user’s manual, so it’s well suited to Let’s Read’s smaller handbook-like format.

Some important Dos and Don’ts to remember when using your monster.

To celebrate the book coming back into print, I’m running a PRIZE COMPETITION! Shambles, the mechanical monster featured in the book is just one of a range produced by the Monstermatic Company. Here they all are.

The full range of Monstermatic Monsters (click image to enlarge).

To have a chance of winning a signed copy of the new edition, send me your own sketch of a new Monstermatic Monster – and don't forget to give it a name! The competition is open to all ages, so get your little monsters drawing too!

I’ll post all the entries on this blog and pick two winners, who’ll each receive a copy of the book. One copy will go to the creator of my favourite monster sketch and the other will be chosen at random. You can send me your monsters in the following ways:

• Twitter: Tweet your monster picture to @ScribbleStreet including the hashtag #Monstermatic

• Email: Send your monster picture to monstermatic@scribblestreet.co.uk

• Monstermatic Transfer: Draw your picture on a sheet of paper and then feed it into the mouth of any Monstermatic Monster while shouting my name repeatedly into the monster's ear / auditory orifice.*

The competition will close on Sunday 26th January 2014 and the winners will be announced shortly after.

Find out more about the book at my web site

*Please note that I accept no liability should an entrant come to any harm as a result of attempting this.