Pirates are in the news with the Australian Navy heading off a planned pirate attack off the coast of Africa. So, I thought I’d catch up with children’s author and pirate expert, Sherryl Clark. She’s the author of eight pirate books including four Littlest Pirate ‘Nibbles’ (two turned into picture books), Pirates of Quentaris, and her big, bloodthirsty, upcoming novel, Pirate X.

Why pirates? Why are you so interested?

I started with one pirate – Stede Bonnet – who was the most hopeless pirate in history! I got hooked on his story, and then I got hooked on the research! Pirate X is the story of a boy who ends up on Bonnet’s ship.

It’s not so much the pirate myths that I like, it’s the real history behind pirates. For example, everyone thinks they buried their treasure, but nearly all of them spent it while on land, having big parties and blowing the lot! And then they’d have to go back to sea and steal more. Obviously, the shop owners and tavern keepers in the towns they berthed in weren’t averse to their money either!

What’s your coolest pirate fact?

Too many to choose from! One would be the ship’s articles. The captain and crew on a ship would draw up their own set of rules, and if you broke any of them, you were in big trouble. A common rule was no gambling with money, because it caused too many fights. So although they appeared lawless and dangerous, they still had their own codes of honour.

What kind of pirate memorabilia do you have at home?

Way too many plastic cutlasses and pistols people have given me, for a start! I have a great flag, and a pair of sunglasses with hologram skulls and crossbones on them. Lots of books, a little treasure chest, and a huge pair of gold earrings (pirate bling).

If you were a pirate what would your name be?

Some witty people might say Captain Clarrrrrrrrrk! I kind of like the idea of being Captain Blood. Something suitably dark.

Do you think modern-day pirates use terms like ‘Ahoy me hearties’ and ‘Arrrrrrrr’? Do they keep parrots on their shoulders?

No, modern pirates seem to use rocket launchers, from what I read in the news. I guess that overcomes the problem of damp gunpowder.

What are the top five pirate books around?

Try these:

Pirate Diary: The Journal of Jake Carpenter by Richard Platt and Chris Riddell

Pirateology

Pirates by John Matthews (has a skull and crossbones on the black cover)

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

and if you’re a good reader, the C.S. Forester Hornblower books have lots of historical ship action from the Navy side. And I’d like to add Pirate X to the list, but it’s not published just yet. I’ll let you know!

Catch more pirate and Sherryl Clarrrrrrrk action at:

www.thelittlestpirate.com

www.sherrylclark.com

Cheers!

Tristan.

www.tristanbancks.com

You’ve read the books (seventeen times), seen the movies (eighteen). Soon you can step inside the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios. (Surely your folks will buy you a measly old plane ticket to Florida in order for you to fully indulge your love of literature… and stuff.)

The website humbly claims that ‘this completely immersive world will transcend generations and bring the wonder and magic of the amazingly detailed Harry Potter books and movies to life.’

You can take a virtual tour of HarryLand on Youtube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjnmhivaItU

I’m not even that much of a HogwartsHead and I want to go. (I think all school librarians should arrange an excursion as a matter of urgency.)

Tristan.

www.tristanbancksflow.blogspot.com

 www.guysread.com has just been revamped and it’s got heaps of cool boys’ book stuff. You can get tips on knockout reads, rate your fave books and link to other fun sites like the dude who gets paid to make cool stuff out of Lego.

Great Book Suggestions: www.guysread.com/books

Authors You Might Want to Check Out: www.guysread.com/books/authors

The Guys Read Top 20: www.guysread.com/books/ratings

Stats and Facts on Boys and Reading: www.guysread.com/about

Hope you like it.

Tristan

www.tristanbancks.com

Wouldn’t it be cool to be able to draw? Or maybe you can and you want some tips on what to do with your talent? Come and spend a few minutes inside the mind of picture guy (and writer) Gus Gordon, illustrator of The Undys series and the new picture book, Wendy.

What is the best thing about being an illustrator?

The parties and the waterskiing for sure! Other than that it would probably be the daily challenges of trying to control a wobbly line.

Have you ever drawn your way out of a life-or-death situation?

Oh yes, many times! The most terrifying of these type of situations is when your paper is wet and you keep poking your pencil through (pirate situation) or when your hands are handcuffed behind your back (kidnapped by guerrillas situation.) It always amazes me how fast you can draw when there is a shiny sword near your throat. Other than that, no.

Do you and Michael Wagner speak much when you’re working on the Undys books together?

Yes. Luckily he is a nice guy so we have long chats … It often helps to speak to the author. You can get some good insight into the stories (or back stories) of your characters – things that you may help you with the illustrations. Especially when you’re designing the characters. His characters are strong and very visual so that makes it much easier.

Do you have any advice for others who would like to spend their lives getting paid to draw funny pictures? 

Yes. Don’t do it! You will eventually lose your mind. Having said that, this is not such a bad thing for a creative person. Persistence is the key. Stick to your guns, your style will find a home in the end.

What are some of your fave illustrated books?

The Undys (of course) by Michael Wagner.

Aussie Bites (Penguin) are generally always good.

Anything by Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake.

‘Basically you’ll find yourself in the middle of a battle. There’ll be bullets firing, arrows flying, men fighting to the death, and anything from cannons and spears to battle axes and bombs…’

Napoleon Smythe is at the library when he receives a note that lures him into an extraordinary adventure. In the bowels of the building the librarian (actually an undercover special agent) is overseeing Operation Battle Book and Napoleon is her latest recruit. His assignment? To collect DNA from Sir Francis Drake in the Battle of Cadiz, Spain, 1587.

Battle Boy is not a never-seen-before scenario. There have been lots of kid spies in wildly implausible situations, but it is so jammed full of spectacular gadgets, historical characters, battle scenes and fun illustrations that, if you’re a primary school boy, you’ll eat it up and reach for the next in the series.

Battle Boy is the new Zac Power. It’s a training ground for future Anthony Horowitz and Matt Reilly readers. And it gives librarians a serious rock ‘n’ roll edge.

I’ll be hunting down an interview with author Charlie Carter for this blog in coming weeks and I’ll be looking to give away copies of the first two books, so check in soon.

Tristan.

www.tristanbancksflow.blogspot.com

Lincoln Hall’s real-life Everest adventure, Alive in the Death Zone, has gained attention this week for its big win in the Children’s Book Council Awards. I’ve been devouring it a chunk at a time as I tour libraries for Book Week and I’ve discovered some Lincoln links  that you might want to check out. Here they are:

An Introductory Video on Lincoln’s Site

A review of the book by Connor, a year 5 student from Canberra

Lincoln’s Own Site: www.lincolnhall.net/

Wikipedia Page on Lincoln

[If you've read the book and you'd like to tell the world what you think, leave a comment!]

In seven days time, the world’s greatest bike race, Le Tour de France, kicks off in Monaco. Normally home the Monaco Grand Prix, F1 cars are giving way to the hundreds of cyclists next Saturday, 4 July as the great race begins. Over 23 days and 21 stages, over 400 riders will cover 3,459.5 kilometres. Up hills, down hills, on the flat, time trials, in peletons and breakaways. It’s totally intense.

In the last two years Australian Cadel Evans has finished second. Can he go all the way this year — or could returning legend Lance Armstrong make it eight wins? Or, one of the many, many talented and strong European riders?

SBS has a great website dedicated to the race.

In the meantime, the lead up to Le Tour de France has BBBB thinking about all things bikes and books. And of books with a French flavour. Here’s five of our favourites.

Nicholas series by Goscinny & Sempe (brilliant website, too!)

Toby Alone (and sequel) by Timothee Fombelle

Tintin by Herge (see here for the new museum dedicated to Herge)

365 Penguins by Jean-Luc Fromental and Joelle Jolivet

The Book of Time Guillame Prevost

And some Australian titles with a French (or cycling!) connection:

Mr Chicken Goes to Paris Leigh Hobbs

Boys of Blood and Bone David Metzenthen (great book set in World War 1)

Joan of Arc Lili Wilkinson (history of the Maid of Orleans)

or two for the road:

The really, really epic mini-bike ride by David Metzenthen

Greasy Rider by James Roy

Okay, On yer bike!

Siggy has. With a girl called Amber. Who’s a bit goth. And has two mums. And Siggy and Amber go ghost hunting. And Amber is seriously grounded.

Siggy and Amber is the latest novel by Doug Macleod. You can see Doug talk about the book here.

But he’s a shy fellow, Doug. He doesn’t mention that he has worked on shows like Kath and Kim, The Comedy Company and Seachange. Doug is also very funny, as you will see, if you read Siggy and Amber.

Marc Jarvis is fifteen. He lives in Camberwell, a leafy Melbourne suburb. And like many boys, he spends a lot of time dreaming about girls and the future. When work experience brings him into contact with Electra, a brilliantly gifted runner, his quiet suburban life will never be the same. Jarvis 24 is a novel that hits the funny bone and the heart. Author David Metzenthen talks about the origins of Marc Jarvis.

What was the spark for Jarvis 24 ?

The spark that really got Jarvis going was a conversation that I had with a friend of mine about his two boys. One of the boys is super-confident about himself and the impact he has on the world, the other son worries about just about everything. I immediately wanted to write about the kid who worries, as I was always worried when I was at school – although I was a functional, left-wing type of a kid, who hid it pretty well. I’d already started Jarvis, but scrapped the first attempt, as it had no life in it until I heard about this under-age worrier….When I discovered Marc’s voice, and his way of thinking, I felt I could write his story with a real sense of truth. I also heard of a girl who won an inter-school 200 metre race by such a huge distance, a chant went up around Olympic Park…’How much she did she cost? da-da da-da da-dah!’ I’ve always been interested in sprinting, although I couldn’t run out of sight on a foggy morning, so it was great to write about someone who can really fly.

So, in my experience, it takes two sparks to make a story: and Marc and Electra provided them for me.

Jarvis 24 is a very funny story, but there’s also a lot of emotion beneath the surface, isn’t there?

There’s emotion below and beneath everyone and everyone’s story; everyone’s thinking, thinking, thinking – but generally they’re not telling, in my limited experience. I really wanted to tap into Marc’s ways of thinking, and his views on the world. Hopefully I could present an authentic young guy. I really turned the bullshit detector onto him (and onto myself) to give his world view… and although some of the things might not appear to make sense to some readers, they seemed to make sense to me and Marc…so they’re in, meaning if Marc’s thoughts don’t seem straightforward or rational, the reader (and my editor!) will just have to navigate them as best they can.

Did you do any research for Jarvis 24?

I did do research for Jarvis 24, although it wasn’t all that scientific. I walked up Glenferrie Road at dusk every Wednesday while my daughter was at basketball practice, and drank a coffee. I read Cathy Freeman’s life story and was truly inspired by photographs of her running; she was like a swallow and a hawk, totally focused, so graceful and powerful and fast. I also re-visited myself as a sixteen year-old maniac sitting under a tree in the dark thinking about stowing away on a ship or jumping onto a moving freight train… and meeting the girl of my dreams. I also spoke to quite a few car sales people about their work, which was really interesting…but generally I just tried to lock into my characters, and let them proceed.

Marc is a pretty easy-going guy. He doesn’t really have a particular goal or aim in life. Was that you as a teenager?

Marc isn’t that easy-going and neither was I. When I was young I was stubborn, pig-headed, had strange expectations of the world, and refused to listen to good advice. My goal in life then was to live some kind of adventurous life. I wanted to hit the road, but at the same time, I loved farms and animals and the country and ships and rivers. I misunderstood the world; I thought there were no consequences for people who wanted to buck the system, that you had forever to do whatever… you don’t! And then, because I wasn’t great at working for other people, I decided I wanted to write about this kind of imagined world of mine – and so live out these adventures one by one. Yes, I’m a mess!

Marc and his friend Trav are pretty obsessed with girls, aren’t they?

Marc and Trav are obsessed by girls. They love them, like them, and they are mystified by them. Marc sees each girl as a separate solar system, complex and intriguing, to be wondered at, and to hopefully be understood. He is fascinated by every thing about girls, and the very best of luck to him!

What’s the difference between reading about sport in a novel and in the newspaper?

Writing about sport in a novel allows me to control the outcome! Reading about sport in a paper is someone’s attempt to recreate the facts or analyse someone or some situation. I find writing sport scenes difficult, but when I watch sprinters, or great football teams, or someone playing something well, or with great passion, it offers a challenge to try and capture some essence of it. Sport can be utter rubbish or it can reach great heights; you just have to work out what you’re seeing!

You are well known for historical novels like Boys of Blood and Bone, Black Water and Wildlight. Is Jarvis 24 a conscious change of direction?

Jarvis 24 isn’t really a change of writing direction for me, as I simply do whatever project that seems to offer a trajectory. I’ve never intentionally concentrated on historical or contemporary settings; I simply write the story that I feel strongly about, and that might be interesting to other people. Let me just say, though, that I won’t be writing anything mythological or fantastical soon! I’m a realist writer. I love the real world. It’s the best place I’ve found, so far…if you combine it with your own imaginings.

What did you enjoy most about writing this novel?

I liked writing very much from Marc’s perspective; I liked it that he had a misinformed idea of his own self, that he didn’t really know what he was going to do next, or actually how he felt about things until he’d done them – but he was honest!

(David Metzenthen was an early supporter of the Boys, Blokes, Books and Bytes project. Thanks, Dave!)

Theodore Daniels, or to give him his full name, Theodore Erasmus Romeo Daniels, has a problem.

It’s called high school. Primary school was a breeze. Lots of friends, everyone knew each other, and if you didn’t, well, that was okay. But high school is a whole other thing. Theodore’s best friends all go to a different school. The new crew are not so friendly, but Theodore isn’t making things easy for himself, either.Suddnelly it seems a short step from Theodore to Theodork.

See how Theodore makes out in Year Seven in Theodork by Jessica Green. Can he survive his new school, and can he survive himself? I enjoyed Theodork. It’s pretty funny and it has the ring of truth.