Kids in Scotland got The Book of Blast Off in Bookbug Bags, and it's so cool to see comet science represented with Rosetta and Philae! ☄️🛰

The actual regime that these people are hankering after is Dubai: a small elite of citizens, most immigrants to be transient, insecure and all immigrants to be second-class. In reality they would hate the world they would create and would find ever-more ridiculous scapegoats for their failure.

It's a rotten day, at least where I'm sitting, so here's Jenny Agutter reading my story FOLLOW THE TRACK ALL THE WAY BACK, illustrated by @benmantle.bsky.social published in the UK and Ireland by Walker Picture Books. www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

Well this is a turn up for the (picture) books. DINOSAURS IN THE SUPERMARKET by me and @sarahwarburton.bsky.social is being republished by @scholasticuk.bsky.social next January. Here’s a sneak peek of the eye-catching new cover. How many naughty dinosaurs will you spot?

Every READER counts in this new racing adventure! The brand new TEN WHIZZY RACERS book, by me & Richard Merritt hits bookshops TODAY! So take a pit stop and refuel with a copy as soon as you can. We’re COUNTING ON YOU!! TEN WHIZZY RACERS: FROSTY FALLS FRENZY published by @ladybirdbooks.bsky.social

Every READER counts in this new racing adventure! The brand new TEN WHIZZY RACERS book, by me & Richard Merritt hits bookshops TODAY! So take a pit stop and refuel with a copy as soon as you can. We’re COUNTING ON YOU!! TEN WHIZZY RACERS: FROSTY FALLS FRENZY published by @ladybirdbooks.bsky.social

Start your engines for a BRAND NEW countdown adventure! The sequel to the award winning TEN WHIZZY RACERS: CHAOS AT CRACKLING CREEK by me and Richard Merritt is out TOMORROW from Ladybird Books!

Amused - actually, no, revolted - to read Camilla Long, of all people, in the Sunday Times telling us that Angela Rayner isn’t an authentic working class hero. I mean, she’d know, wouldn’t she?

Reform UK, which has a grand total of four MPs, was just given an uninterrupted platform for an hour and a half on the BBC and Sky News channels, in order to talk about its plans for mass deportations When was the last time the Greens (with four MPs) or the Lib Dems (with 72) were given the same?

I'm delighted to announce that 10 Whizzy Racers: Chaos at Crackling Creek by me and Richard Merritt has been awarded the Bizziebaby Gold Award 2025! Available in all good bookshops from @ladybirdbooks.bsky.social bizziebaby.co.uk/product-revi...

Watching the Peter Ustinov Death on the Nile. Script by Anthony Shaffer of Sleuth and Wicker Man fame. Apart from noting that most of the cast is now dead, I’m finding it hard to get past the fact that the murder victim - spoilers! - is called Mrs Doyle.

“Get the back-to-school giggles with this sweet tale. Imagination runs wild here – or does it? It’s a great first day read for littles.” Lovely review for the new US edition of OH NO! DINOSAURS IN MY SCHOOL by me and Sarah Warburton.

Silly Name for a Monster' by the brilliant @timothyknapman.bsky.social with illustrations by me was published 11 years ago today! I've always been really fond of this one! You can read more here - tinyurl.com/lupsrng #childrensbooks #illustration

www.achuka.co.uk/blog/ten-whi... Great review from the lovely folk at ACHUKA!

Virgin Media's customer service is truly appalling. They were to replace a cable today. They did not arrive to do so. My wife has spent hours on futile calls to call centres staffed by people with no apparent ability to give a straight answer to a straight question or solve the problem. #Sludge

'None of the bands are being paid today ... because the whole event is for three charities: Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital and – huge nostalgia rush on hearing this name after growing up in Solihull – Acorns Children’s Hospice.' www.theguardian.com/music/live/2...

Looking forward to this Friday

Lovely write-up of #WolfKing on CBR 🐺👑 www.cbr.com/netflix-flaw...

'A pioneering project to fill gaps in Irish history is making 175,000 more records and millions more words of searchable content freely available to researchers and members of the public.' 1/2

I don't think I have to tell most people who follow me why libraries are important, or that they're under threat in the UK. But I want to make sure everyone knows Lambeth libraries are going on strike and there's a solidarity hardship fund HERE linktr.ee/savelambethl... #KidlitUK #SaveLibraries

This is cool! Author copies of TIME TRAVEL SLEEPOVER, Egypt and Knights & Castles, by me and Matt Robertson, IN GERMAN! UK editions published by Quarto Books.

I'm a great admirer of Tess of the d'Urbervilles and Mayor of Casterbridge, but my favourite Thomas Hardy work was the way he'd roll up his sleeves and throw Stan and Ollie out of the saloon for non-payment of the bill.

Despite that huge special effects budget, Doctor Who can never make Cardiff look like London.

Thrilled to bits by these: Vietnamese editions of SOMETIMES I AM FURIOUS and SOMETIMES I JUST WON’T by me and the mighty Joe Berger. Available in the UK from @macmillankidsuk.bsky.social

At last, I'm delighted to share the film I wrote to accompany the excellent exhibition MI5: Official Secrets, which is currently on at The National Archives in Kew. Take a look at the film, and go and see the exhibition for yourselves. It's extraordinary. www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPKv...

Oh, @susiedent.com! Mispronouncing mischievous is now acceptable, says Susie Dent www.thetimes.com/article/247b...

Author copies of the US edition of OH NO! DINOSAURS IN MY SCHOOL by me and Sarah Warburton heading across the Atlantic from Scholastic to cause mischief and mayhem. Full of fun, laughs and games of Spot The Dinosaur. Enjoy!

Berlin friends! Still two more dates for the triumphant new Germany production of BEFORE AFTER (DAVOR DANACH) by the brilliant OFFstage Germany. Don't miss it, it's FANTASTIC! Everything you need to know is at the other end of this link: offstage-germany.de/davor-danach/

Benedict Cumberbatch has given many excellent performances but none I think as good as his comic tour de force in the Cabin Pressure episode Uskerty. “Lotta lotta bees!” @johnfinnemore.bsky.social

This is an incredible story when you read it and discover what actually happened was: - Lammy paid in advance - The driver tried to extort him for a massive tip - Drove off with his luggage - At somepoint clocked he was a VIP - Is now selling the story to The Sun.

The full tawdry terrible story of appeasement, in all its detail, in which literally every moment is an echo of today.

Absolutely! Not up to much as a father , but given his war experience I can forgive, but glad of having seen almost all of Shakespeare's plays by the age of 14. Also he figures, heavily disguised of course, in my 3rd novel ('Kiss and Don't Tell', Silverwood books) to be out this summer hopefully.

Happy (probable) birthday!

We found this during the Origin Story episode on anti-vax. When people experienced the condition the vaccine prevented, they were grateful for it. But once it retreated into historical memory, they began to resent the thing which saved them.

Well that’s cheered me up on a Friday afternoon: THE GREEDY WOLF by me and @jeanjullien.bsky.social in… Dutch! Thank you, Walker Picture Books (who publish it here in the UK) x

latest review on the Big Bearded Bookseller blog, Somtimes I Just WON'T by Timothy Knapman and Joe Berger Full of energy in the writing and the illustrations this begs to be read whilst moving and gesticulating a lot and getting your audience to join in www.bigbeardedbookseller.com/2025/03/28/s...

The 1st of @timothyknapman.bsky.social & Richard Merritt’s countdown series with a racing theme #TenWhizzyRacers #ChaosatCracklingCreek @ladybirdbooks.bsky.social is #RedReadingHub’s #picturebook of the day reviewed on the blog wp.me/p11DI5-d3T

New book klaxon! TEN WHIZZY RACERS: CHAOS AT CRACKLING CREEK by me and #RichardMerritt is published by @ladybirdbooks.bsky.social this very day. It's the first of a series of Wacky Races-style counting books - perfect for the car-crazy kid in your family who's learning to count.

There’s another brilliant production of BEFORE AFTER by Stuart Matthew Price and me on the horizon - this one’s in Berlin and it’ll be the work of the fantastic #OFFStageGermany

You want to see an octopus riding a shark. 🎥: University of Auckland www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/s...

"Children's Book Roundup: March 2025." www.washingtonindependentreviewofbooks.com/features/chi... @candlewickpress.bsky.social @berbaybooks.bsky.social @modavey.bsky.social @timothyknapman.bsky.social @jeanjullien.bsky.social #booksky

Still out in paperback! Over the moon.

I made it into the Sussex Express! I had a great time visiting the lovely Fernhurst Primary School - though I seem to have lost my head at some point during the day - for #WorldBookDay www.sussexexpress.co.uk/education/pu...

Mike Myers as Musk is the cherry on this delicious slice of SNL resistance masquerading as comedy, but they've also nailed Vance's prep bully and the Epstein line is 👩‍🍳👌

David Niven's birthday, is it? Time once more for The Greatest Picture Ever Taken, then.

vaccinate your child. As a survivor of the measles, I lost much of my eyesight but am guaranteed immunity. My son, as an adult, just went and received a booster to ensure the 97% effectiveness that he can have with the vaccine. It is a PREVENTABLE DISEASE.

Poor @garethpjones.bsky.social - a fine and talented man but there is no escape from me!

Sometimes I am CHUFFED! It’s always a thrill to receive a coedition of one of your books, and I’ve just had two! Castilian versions of SOMETIMES I AM FURIOUS and SOMETIMES I JUST WON’T by me and the mighty Joe Berger, published in English by @macmillankidsuk.bsky.social

I'll be doing an event Pickled Pepper Books in Crouch End next Thursday. My new book, THE GREEDY WOLF, illustrated by @jeanjullien.bsky.social, will be front and centre but there'll be a few old favourites too! So come and join me! www.pickledpepperbooks.co.uk/collections/...

I'll be doing an event Pickled Pepper Books in Crouch End next Thursday. My new book, THE GREEDY WOLF, illustrated by @jeanjullien.bsky.social, will be front and centre but there'll be a few old favourites too! So come and join me! www.pickledpepperbooks.co.uk/collections/...