Frances McKay Illustration

Dreamer: Saving Our Wild World

Bee Willey's Dreamer is going down very well in the USA. The following is a review from the highly regarded School Library Journal.

"Once I had a dream, a special dream, a dream about our world." So begins a young boy's night of dream visits to regions around the world where animals and habitats are threatened or spoiled by human activity. A simple scheme of brief text in broad double-page views creates both an inviting journey and evocative lessons. "I dreamt I was a whale…and no hunters/chased after me." Sometimes the boy is an animal—a seal, an elephant, a panda. At other times, he dreams of the earth itself. "I dreamt I was a lake…/and no one filled me/with junk." A stream, an island, a rain forest, a valley pictured as a splendid Grand Canyon vista, and the air where "nothing blackened me" are other destinations. Each setting is beautifully conveyed in the mixed-media paintings, with lovely sweeps of color suggesting some backgrounds. The boy is always present as a relaxed observer or sometimes a tiny figure active among the habitat's animals. Small objects and animals judiciously placed add detail and bits of humor. These are particularly fun in the opening bedroom scene and the boy's concluding flight through space, paintbrush in hand. "I dreamt I painted a smile on the face of the earth/for all to see." A final page invites readers to dream of a better world and take action. Several statistical notes on wildlife losses are followed by a comprehensive listing of websites of international organizations. VERDICT A skillful blend of fiction and nonfiction that makes for thought-provoking bedtime reading and early classroom discussion.

Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston

 

Dreamer: Saving Our Wild World by Brian Moses and Bee Willey.

Published by Otter-Barry Books

ISBN 9781910959596

 

 

 

 

 

 

Literary Festival at St Mary's Lower School in Colchester

On July 8^th St Mary’s School had their book festival, several local authors were there to talk to the children and in the afternoon four illustrators from FMI went to educate and entertain the girls; Bee Willey, Tom Morgan Jones, Elys Dolan and Nicola Pontin, all volunteered to come to Colchester.

Click on images to enlarge

Bee had copies of her new book Dreamer, soon to be published by Otter Barrie Books. It is a wonderful, lyrical story written by Brian Moses, with a boy dreaming of a world free of pollution and trouble.

In the Art Room, Bee read Dreamer to a group of girls and then helped them create a frieze using the themes from the book. Considering the short amount of time available, it was a terrific result. Colourful and exotic animals spread across the wall, they all had a great time.

Tom, Elys and Nicola were all in a large marquee, busy with different age groups. They read from their recent books and then got the children to join in with different activities.

Tom’s group all drew portraits of Shakespeare, based on the book, The Boy at The Globe, that he has recently illustrated for Barrington Stoke.

Elys read them her best selling Steven Seagull Action Hero, and then had an observation quiz for the girls based on the book.

Nicola, read her book about the Baker Troll and then had all the children designing their own Troll characters.

A local photographer took some great shots, which appeared in all the local papers.

It was a really fun afternoon and the local Colchester bookshop, had a pop up shop, selling copies of all the new books to the children and parents at the end of the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wonderful Beast's Storm of Stories

Last Bank Holiday Monday, I ran a shadow puppet workshop, for Wonderful Beast’s 'Storm of Stories', based in Aldeburgh. Here are some of the pics we took.

We worked around the story of the Wild Man of Orford, following a performance of Martin Bonger’s “Return of the Wildman’. It all took place in the fabulous Pumphouse in a beautiful marquee. Working with the technician, we set up a magical stage where people could perform their own version of the story, using their character 'shadow puppets’.

 

 

All ages came and everyone got stuck in. Magical moments were had by all.

 

 

Bee Willey

 

Dreamer

Here is a preview of Dreamer, Bee Willey and poet Brain Moses' forthcoming book for  Otter-Barry Books. Janetta Otter-Barry, formerly of Frances Lincoln, has a long-standing work relationship with Bee ( School for Princes and Celebrity Cat) and Bee is proud to be included in the first publications of the new company.

Brian Moses writes of the book: 

Every now and then we all need reminding of the beauty of our natural world.

But we also need to remember that it is a fragile beauty that can, and will disappear if we don’t take care of our environment. No matter how small or insignificant we feel, everyone can play a part, and children, at an early age, can begin to develop an awareness of that.

 

 

My poem ‘Dreamer’ was written with that awareness in mind and I read it at every performance I give. I’ve felt for a long time that it could be a picture book but I knew that it would need a very special illustrator to lift the words off the page and let them take flight.

 

 

Bee Willey is such an illustrator and I am delighted to be working with her on this project. Half the illustrations are now completed and I am amazed at what I’m seeing.

 

Sometimes we can remind ourselves of the world and its beauty by travelling to special locations, and sometimes there are artists who can bring that beauty to us. Bee can do that and I can’t wait to see the complete book.

 

Dreamer is due to be published in 2016.

 

 

Bee Willey: www.beewilley.com

 

Brian Moses: www.brianmoses.co.uk/ 

 

 

 

 

 

Run, Run, as Fast as you Can...

Last month we wrote that Bee Willey would be running workshops at the Third Felixstowe Book Festival. Focusing on the Ladybird Books story of The Gingerbread Man the aim was to: offer an insight into the development and materialisation of a character in storybooks: a chance to see preliminary stages and drawings of characters as they form and gel, and see how they reveal themselves and form the visual narrative within the book.

It seems to have gone down well and these images are part of the work that the children - writers, readers and illustrators of the future - made in the workshops.

 

You might catch the Gingerbread Man and more about Bee's work here:

http://felixstowebookfestival.co.uk/2148/investingfuture

http://finkingcap.blogspot.co.uk/

The Third Felixstowe Book Festival

Bee Willey will be working for the Felixstowe Book Festival this month and will give mixed media illustration workshops in three schools to celebrate 100 years of Ladybird Books. Here's the blurb and a link to the Festival programme:

Bee Willey is half-French and half-English and travelled a lot as a child, not just between those two countries but also to Australia, Greece, Easter Island and Tahiti. Today she’s a creator of light, colourful and wondrous illustrated worlds. Bee has provided illustrations for The Drawer of Hidden Treasure (Collins) and School for Princes, by Jamila Gavin (Frances Lincoln), among many others.

Bee will offer an insight into the development and materialisation of a character in storybooks: a chance to see preliminary stages and drawings of characters as they form and gel, and see how they reveal themselves and form the visual narrative within the book.

http://felixstowebookfestival.co.uk/

 

River Story

"A luscious blend of cool blues and verdant greens lights up the pages of this poetic picture book, which traces the course of a river from its source." Publishers Weekly.

Follow a river from its beginnings as a mountain stream formed from melting snow, as it rushes over rocks and through valleys to the busy city, and finally to its end, where it joins the sea.

River Story was published on 12th May 2015 by Candlewick Press (MA)

 

Bee Willey

Happy Easter

Irene Dickson

 

Jane Eccles

 

Jill Latter

 

 

Algy Craig Hall

 

The Christmas Rabbit, a story about the Easter Rabbit who helps Father Christmas out, and becomes the Christmas Rabbit for a day. Published by Cadeau, Germany.

 

 

Henning Löhlein 

 

 

 

Elisabeth, Elspeth, Betty and Bess, All went together to seek a bird's nest. They found a bird's nest with five eggs in. They all took one and left four in. 

 

Alan Marks

 

 

 

Bee Willey

 

Rachel Boulton

 

 

 

Once upon a time the Easter Bunny stubbed his big toe on a chair (very painful) and was unable to deliver all the Easter eggs. He was in a real tizz about it until his family (rather a large one) gathered around to help him out. But with out the Easter Bunnies magical abilities how would they be able to deliver all the Easter Eggs? - their solution was to create the first Rabbit Air Force ( the R.A.F. for short). 
 
So this Easter if you see choccy eggs falling from the sky you know why - and you know that the Easter Bunny has stubbed his big toe again.

 

Sean Julian

 

 

Click here to enlarge the image and click again to zoom in on the fun.

 

Elys Dolan

 

 

Happy Easter from everyone at Frances McKay Illustration.