The Laureate's Party Book

Quentin Blake was appointed the first Children's Laureate in May 1999 and as such embarked on a personal journey through the world of children's books, promoting both their value and the pure pleasure that reading can bring to children of all ages. In The Laureate's Party, Blake strolls through a selection of his favourite books, tempting the young reader with samples of some of the finest work from some of the finest authors and illustrators the world of children's books has to offer. Blake says in his introduction: "At the beginning 50 books seemed like a good number: and indeed it is except that now I have made the list I realise how many people I have left out." One can only sympathise with Blake at having to draw the line on a list that really could go on forever. However, his selection is indeed fine, and children and adults alike are allowed to luxuriate in the familiar, the serious, the funny and the thought-provoking and the simply joyous titles that every self-respecting library should have. From Beatrix Potter through to Mark Twain, there is truly something to suit every age and taste, and as a guide to the finest in children's literature The Laureate's Party does its job with aplomb, giving a deeply personal perspective that is sure to encourage debate as to who else deserves a place on the list. There are certainly a fair few obvious omissions, but in truth the task of choosing just 50 titles when for every one of them there are at least a dozen more equally as deserving of a mention is an unenviable one. As it stands The Laureate's Party dips its toes into a deep pool of talent, giving an ideal starting point for debate amid the adults on the merits of the chosen books, while allowing young readers the opportunity to test the water with samples from a wide selection of books to suit all tastes. (Age 8 and over) --Susan HarrisonRead More