Meet Astro Fred!

This is the story
of Astronaut Fred,
who travels the stars
in his spaceship bed.

Meet Astro Fred, a daring young adventurer who travels through space meeting mysterious monsters and exploring exciting new worlds. Join his first escapade as he reaches the moon – but who does he meet and what dangers will they face?

Designed to be read at nighttime and educate during the day, Astro Fred is an innovate story that has been created to spark the imagination and inspire young minds. Furthermore, with literacy rates consistently lower for boys, it is hoped that Astro Fred can help to address the balance and get more boys interested in reading.

Author Paul Tildesley says that the key inspiration for writing Astro Fred was his children: “My kids are always running around with these wonderful ideas and creating imaginative games. I wanted to make something to feed this imagination and give back some of the fun they’ve given to me.”

With the act of reading aloud to his children being a key part of Paul’s day, he wanted Astro Fred to be a book that the whole family can enjoy. With illustrations inspired by 1980s graphics and retro toys adorning the pages, the book will appeal to parents as much as their children.

Paul has also created Fred to be a good role model that children can relate and aspire to. Given how much the behaviour of young children is influenced by the world around them, watching Fred help others in need and his good deeds will show children the importance of kindness. 

Astro Fred is running on Kickstarter throughout June 2015. To buy your copy and discover the fun pledge rewards, visit the page here. Astro Fred is also on Facebook, Twitter and Youtube.

How Stories Are 'Supposed' To Go

Miss Prince by Alicia L. Wright

By Alicia Wright

Miss Prince, my latest book wasn't supposed to be about vampires. And it isn't, really. But with all the arguing about how vampires are supposed to act in recent years, I got to thinking about it.

Who decides how stories go? You may argue that it is the writer, but is it really? Anyone and everyone can influence a story. It happens in real life all the time. People worry if they will get into trouble or if bad things will be said about them if they don't do what others expect.

In the Otherworlds, it's not much different. Things go according to how stories say they should. You might think you'd be lucky to be born a princess, yet it seems there's not a single princess who won't have to face being cursed or kidnapped, and the less we say about wicked step-mothers the better. And princes? They have a grand old time of it, fighting monsters and villains without even breaking a sweat – until they get married. All of sudden, they aren't allowed to rescue people any more. Kings just have to sit around while their daughters get kidnapped.

The Otherworlders argue that this how things should be and it stops the really bad things from happening - like the bad guys winning. But it's all very well to say that sort of thing if you're not a princess or a king or a vampire.

I always got very annoyed when I was child whenever anyone told me I couldn't do something because I was girl, for example. People would be very angry if we said characters had to act a certain way because of their gender, social status or race. So I thought... how would the vampires feel about it? And the princesses, and the princes and the witches and the villagers for that matter?

I feel very strongly that you shouldn't let other people decide who are.

And I hope that other people feel that way, too. Even about vampires.

Alicia L. Wright is the author of YA comic fantasies Eggs, Butter, Sugar and Disaster, published in 2011 and Miss Prince, published in 2014. You can download free samples of both books from her publisher's website. In her spare time Alicia also draws a webcomic based on Miss Prince and its sequels called Vampires Don't Belong in Fairytales. You can find her on: Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, deviantART and Tumblr. 

The MCBF2015 team are looking for your blogs, stories, book reviews, photos, poems - simply anything and everything to do with your favourite children’s books! Email mcbf@mmu.ac.uk to get involved.

Relaxing With Books After Revision

Mia Poppy Lomax Mchale, Saffron Burrows and Niall Devine.

Mia, Saffron and Niall wind down with books after a SATS revision session at Fairfield Road Primary School in Manchester.

The MCBF2015 team are looking for your blogs, stories, book reviews, photos, poems - simply anything and everything to do with your favourite children’s books! Email mcbf@mmu.ac.uk to get involved.

My Favourite Childhood Books

By Adam West

Such is the list of my childhood favourites it’s really quite tough choosing a winner from the pack. From early memories of my mum doing all the characters in different voices in Winnie The Pooh, to loving the beautifully detailed illustrations of Jill Barklem's Brambly Hedge series, I could happily write a whole book on the topic. But I think the books you treasure the most are the first ones you read by yourself. For me, like so many, they were written by Roald Dahl.

His genius, like that of his modern day contemporary, the equally revered J. K. Rowling, was to create worlds of sheer fantasy that suck the young reader in, completely immersing them in the tale. Where they differ is that Roald Dahl was able to abandon one world and reveal another time and again. Reeling some off in my mind now (Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, James & The Giant Peach, The Twits, Fantastic Mr Fox, The BFG, Matilda, Danny - Champion of The World), I realise another similarity with Rowling; all these titles and more have been plundered by the film industry, thirsty for the kind of ready-made fantasy world only the fertile mind of a creative writer can bring to life.

Roald didn’t have the kind of happy childhood I was fortunate enough to enjoy, and his books are pure escapism; heaven for a young, over-active imagination. Perhaps he found it cathartic, perhaps his goal was to provide escape for kids having a tough time like he did. Whatever, he left behind an incredible body of work which is still loved internationally today and speaks to the child in all of us.


The MCBF2015 team are looking for your blogs, stories, book reviews, photos, poems - simply anything and everything to do with your favourite children’s books! Email mcbf@mmu.ac.uk to get involved.

Ahoy There Me Hearties!

Louie McGlochlan, aged 4.

Louie enjoying How Pirates Really Work by Alan Snow.

The MCBF2015 team are looking for your blogs, stories, book reviews, photos, poems - simply anything and everything to do with your favourite children’s books! Email mcbf@mmu.ac.uk to get involved.

Ella Rose and the Elephant

Ella Rose Lomax Mchale, aged 3.

Ella Rose reading THE slightly ANNOYING ELEPHANT by David Walliams.

The MCBF2015 team are looking for your blogs, stories, book reviews, photos, poems - simply anything and everything to do with your favourite children’s books! Email mcbf@mmu.ac.uk to get involved.

Curtis Jobling Presents Harrison Wilman with the Neville Johnson Comic Strip Competition Prize

Curtis Jobling awarded Year 8 pupil of Marple Hall School, Harrison Wilman, as the winner of the Manchester Children’s Book Festival 2014 Neville Johnson competition. Harrison entered the comic strip competition after Curtis’ inspirational visit to his school back in 2014, along with fellow class pupils.

Judging the competition, Curtis was blown away by the creativity and innovative ideas featured in the competition entries, but he had no doubt that Harrison’s entry deserved the prize. Harrison’s entry followed the theme of ‘what would you do if you were invisible for a day’, and featured a boy carrying out a series of mischievous adventures unbeknown to others involved.

As the winning entry, Harrison’s comic strip was designed by a professional comic book illustrator, and framed by bespoke furniture brand Neville Johnson, as well as a signed copy of Curtis’ new edition to the Haunt series: Dead Wrong. In addition to these wonderful prizes, Harrison had no idea he had won the competition, and was surprised by a visit from Curtis and the MCBF team, as were the rest of his class members.

The team took this surprise visit as an opportunity to announce this year’s Festival competition in association with Usborne Books, which invites children to design a comic strip based around time travel, inspired by Matt Brown’s series Compton Valance.

Have you ever dreamed about time travel? Ever imagined what it would be like to go wherever you wanted and do whatever you wanted? Well, we want to hear all about it! Imagine that you, or a fictional character, have the power to travel backwards or forwards in time. How would you use your superpower? Where would you go? What would you do? You don’t have to be an artist – just make your comic strip unique, fun and exciting. Print off a template and entry form from the MCBF website and when you’ve finished, send it to:

MCBF Comic Strip Competition

Room 123

Geoffrey Manton Building

Rosamond Street West

Manchester

M15 6LL

Or email your completed entry to: mcbf@mmu.ac.uk

Amber Shares Her First Memories of Reading

By Amber Hodson

My first memories of learning to read involved many pop-up books. I can’t remember exactly what they consisted of but I do vaguely remember colourful aliens and starlit backgrounds. At primary school my love of books heightened soon after the installation of a small library which was tucked away in a small side room. Hundreds of children’s books adorned the shelves and once a week we would all pick a book and read from it.

I have many books which I could quite confidently place under the title of ‘Best Books According to Amber’, but if I had to choose only one I’d go with Roald Dahl’s The BFG. A truly remarkable tale written by an amazing children’s author. The BFG was one of the first ‘major’ books I managed to read by myself from beginning to end.

The story of Sophie and the Big Friendly Giant captured my imagination like no other, especially at an age where my fantasy worlds clashed with reality. What if there are giants that visit humans when the world is sleeping? What if there are such things as snozzcumbers?

Since then my love for the written word has followed me into adult life. Whilst I don’t often venture into book stores for a physical copy of the latest novel, I do find myself browsing the Kindle Book Store for hidden treasures and deals. My fond memories of reading as a child have stayed with me all these years and I’m not afraid to admit that I still find myself reaching for Beatrix Potter, J. K. Rowling or Roald Dahl books in a bid to turn back the clock.

The MCBF2015 team are looking for your blogs, stories, book reviews, photos, poems - simply anything and everything to do with your favourite children’s books! Email mcbf@mmu.ac.uk to get involved.

#BookSelfies for ReadWell

We asked for your support with the ReadWell #BookSelfie campaign and you did not disappoint! Take a look at some of our favourite pictures.

ReadWell is a registered charity that enriches the lives of seriously ill children in hospital by bringing them free books and professional storytellers. To donate text Read 98 £2 to 70070. To find out more about this charity and their projects visit the ReadWell website.

Oliver, Neil, Teddy and Rose Harrison reading their favourite bedtime stories.

Rachel Bruce reading Cakes in Space.

Natalie Carragher and Lisa Bach reading The Smartest Giant in Town and Some Dogs Do.

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Kaye Tew enjoying Carol Ann Duffy's Underwater Farmyard.

  Sián Olivia with her favourite children's book The Bedtime Bear.

Why not share your book selfies, stories and photos on our Reading and Writing Relay blog? The MCBF2015 team are looking for your stories, book reviews, photos, poems - simply anything and everything to do with your favourite children’s books! Email mcbf@mmu.ac.uk to get involved.