Some of you may already know about my love of Julia D. The one and the only; the creator of 'The Gruffalo', 'Stick Man' and 'Room on the Broom'.
Well, a few months ago, she visited Cape Town to visit the animators working on 'Stick Man' and to do a few book signings. I heard about it in passing, in one of those purely coincidental moments, in a completely chance encounter with one of the animators and his lovely wife.
'She'll be here in a few days", they casually said
I felt my face turn a beetroot red, my eyes started to bulge and my voice started to squeak.
"Here?!"
I tried to contain my excitement, but the cat had left the bag - or the building - or whatever... I was ecstatic.
For years I had imagined what I would say to her if I ever got the chance to meet her. And one thing had always stuck: a poem. Of course... I wanted to give her a poem. And after a few days of prep, that's what I did.
A letter to Julia Donaldson:
She's coming, she's coming, she's coming here!
Quick with the hairbrush,
The toothbrush, the pants.
Put on your socks,
There's no time to dance.
Pull up your leggings
One leg at a time!
And on comes the dress
Hmmmphhh hhhhrrrrrr... oh whhhhhy?
It’s not the right colour!
So dive back in
Find something comfortable.
That's it!
A win!
Phew! That's better.
You look top class.
You're ready to meet her,
To meet her at last.
She's not like royalty,
Doesn't wear a crown.
She's not covered in jewels
Or a great flowing gown.
She doesn't sit high
up on a throne
I doubt that she's rude
Or a scary old crone.
I doubt that she’s nasty
Obnoxious or mean
A preposterous thought.
Quite frankly, obscene.
She's probably human
Just as you are.
Eats cheese sandwiches
Drives an old car.
As hard as you thought?
No no, not quite
You’ve got your lucky hat
You’ll be alright.
Ready, set, go!
You are good to leave,
Buckle your shoes,
And arms through your sleeves.
You're ready to tell her
She’s a big inspiration
No reason to shy
Just show admiration.
Pass her your message
And perhaps over tea
with biscuit in hand
She will begin to read:
"Julia Donaldson,
the scribe of tales,
I’ve been reading your words
Of mice and of whales
I have read them plenty
to many a child
(Some quite tame,
And some very wild)
Yet always a glint
shines from their eyes
As imaginations spark
And soar to the skies.
What a pleasure and joy
It has indeed been
To sit with these kids
Away from their screens
To delight in moments
Where a stick man gets back,
A mouse is saved
And a snail ‘backpacks’
With Axel at your side,
a marvellous team!
The Gruffalo's eyes
were given a gleam.
The Stick Man's various
personalities shown,
As he's left almost drowning
and away from his home.
A writer and artist
from when I was small
I find joy in knowing
I can follow my call.
And this I find nestled
in pages of Donaldson,
Of Dahl and of Suess
And the great Micheal Rosen.
So Thank you to you
You’re doing great work
And inspiring others
To live out their ‘quirk’
It is my dream to create
Characters that live,
That dance in the rhymes
That in existing, give.
I leave you with this
As the corners might tear
The paper may crumple,
Be tea stained and ware.
In doing what you love
I am encouraged too
My dream to write - clear
With thanks to you.
Warmest regards,
Katy Cambridge a big, big fan"
Thank you for doing what you love and in inspiring me to do the same. Have a wonderful time in South Africa. And if you visit Cornwall, there are a lot of children who adore your works. Especially a little boy called Luke. At age two and a bit, he knew the entire of 'Room on the Broom' and would read it to the grown ups. He spent every waking second dressed as the witch.
...
Well, a few months ago, she visited Cape Town to visit the animators working on 'Stick Man' and to do a few book signings. I heard about it in passing, in one of those purely coincidental moments, in a completely chance encounter with one of the animators and his lovely wife.
'She'll be here in a few days", they casually said
I felt my face turn a beetroot red, my eyes started to bulge and my voice started to squeak.
"Here?!"
I tried to contain my excitement, but the cat had left the bag - or the building - or whatever... I was ecstatic.
For years I had imagined what I would say to her if I ever got the chance to meet her. And one thing had always stuck: a poem. Of course... I wanted to give her a poem. And after a few days of prep, that's what I did.
A letter to Julia Donaldson:
She's coming, she's coming, she's coming here!
Quick with the hairbrush,
The toothbrush, the pants.
Put on your socks,
There's no time to dance.
Pull up your leggings
One leg at a time!
And on comes the dress
Hmmmphhh hhhhrrrrrr... oh whhhhhy?
It’s not the right colour!
So dive back in
Find something comfortable.
That's it!
A win!
Phew! That's better.
You look top class.
You're ready to meet her,
To meet her at last.
She's not like royalty,
Doesn't wear a crown.
She's not covered in jewels
Or a great flowing gown.
She doesn't sit high
up on a throne
I doubt that she's rude
Or a scary old crone.
I doubt that she’s nasty
Obnoxious or mean
A preposterous thought.
Quite frankly, obscene.
She's probably human
Just as you are.
Eats cheese sandwiches
Drives an old car.
As hard as you thought?
No no, not quite
You’ve got your lucky hat
You’ll be alright.
Ready, set, go!
You are good to leave,
Buckle your shoes,
And arms through your sleeves.
You're ready to tell her
She’s a big inspiration
No reason to shy
Just show admiration.
Pass her your message
And perhaps over tea
with biscuit in hand
She will begin to read:
"Julia Donaldson,
the scribe of tales,
I’ve been reading your words
Of mice and of whales
I have read them plenty
to many a child
(Some quite tame,
And some very wild)
Yet always a glint
shines from their eyes
As imaginations spark
And soar to the skies.
What a pleasure and joy
It has indeed been
To sit with these kids
Away from their screens
To delight in moments
Where a stick man gets back,
A mouse is saved
And a snail ‘backpacks’
With Axel at your side,
a marvellous team!
The Gruffalo's eyes
were given a gleam.
The Stick Man's various
personalities shown,
As he's left almost drowning
and away from his home.
A writer and artist
from when I was small
I find joy in knowing
I can follow my call.
And this I find nestled
in pages of Donaldson,
Of Dahl and of Suess
And the great Micheal Rosen.
So Thank you to you
You’re doing great work
And inspiring others
To live out their ‘quirk’
It is my dream to create
Characters that live,
That dance in the rhymes
That in existing, give.
I leave you with this
As the corners might tear
The paper may crumple,
Be tea stained and ware.
In doing what you love
I am encouraged too
My dream to write - clear
With thanks to you.
Warmest regards,
Katy Cambridge a big, big fan"
Thank you for doing what you love and in inspiring me to do the same. Have a wonderful time in South Africa. And if you visit Cornwall, there are a lot of children who adore your works. Especially a little boy called Luke. At age two and a bit, he knew the entire of 'Room on the Broom' and would read it to the grown ups. He spent every waking second dressed as the witch.
...