Japanese Glass Flower is flowering at last. It's been at least 10 years getting round to it.

The horse op-ed is an instant classic. I can't tell you how much joy this piece gives me. It should be taught in every introductory writing class in no small part because the horse arguments are so compelling. "I have noticed that human children get to eat cake. But I am bigger than the children."

#NewIllustrationOfTheDay by Julia Moscardo who studied in Valencia, Leeds & Cambridge. From her picturebook Moon’s Lullaby, about a mother goose’s bedtime story. Painterly enjoyment of the effects of light above, on the surface of, & below the water. Little Tiger 2 April. @littletigeruk.bsky.social

#NewIllustrationOfTheDay by Charles Santoso from Kobi Yamada’s beautiful picturebook Others, about our common humanity. It refutes the othering of people from elsewhere/beyond the hedge, seen here as wrongly imagined. Ten Speed Press 31 March. @tenspeedpress.bsky.social @charlessantoso.bsky.social

Yes, but I did it first! Congratulations, Rachael, I am delighted for you. (Here's to the 1 * review team).

Peak primrose unlocked! For #wildflowerhour #storyplants, in the Middle Ages, concoctions of these beautiful flowers were used to treat gout & rheumatism, & more fittingly I think, also employed in love potions! They certainly seemed a great favourite with the Bee-flies today!💛

Jostling for your attention. A sunlit patch of Early Dog Violets under the Sarcococca shrub at the very end of my front garden path. #WildflowerHour

Tomorrow is closing day for our winter garden birdlist. So, rough order of appearance:Wren,Tawny owl, Rook,Blackbird,Robin,Jackdaw,Dunnock,Bluetit,Housesparrow, Great tit,Chaffinch, Siskin, Goldcrest,Woodpigeon,Longtailed tit,Coal tit, Greenfinch, Nuthatch, Mistle thrush, Lesser redpoll, Treecreeper

#NewIllustrationOfTheDay by Gill Smith from Where Are You, Eddie? by Michael Rosen, about a cat’s wisdom and how those we’ve lost are present in memories. Thoughtful image, in watercolour and crayon, with reminders of joys. Walker 12 March. @michaelrosenyes.bsky.social @walkerbooksuk.bsky.social

Nothing is up. But, the Chiffchaffs are back here in Derbyshire.

What a brilliant choice, Lizza.

#NewIllustrationOfTheDay by Ellie McKenna from Stay!, written by her sister Fran Harlow and based on the true story of a dog found sitting by a suitcase. Lovely scribbly but precise drawing that makes the back views of the dog and the old man speak volumes. Graffeg 5 March. @graffegbooks.bsky.social

So lovely

#NewIllustrationOfTheDay. Spread by Ruth Brown from her gorgeous new picturebook Tick-Tock Around the Clock: A day in the life of a cat. Stunning draughtsmanship in a wonderfully detailed handmade scene of the cat going out into the garden, with squirrels, birds, mouse, dog. Scallywag Press 3 March.

At least 100 Fieldfares, maybe twice that number- a lovely flock in a field of winter wheat. In the garden this morning: Chaffinches, Green&Gold finches, Siskins, L.Redpolls, Robins, Dunnocks, Blackbirds, House sparrows, Jackdaws,Woodpigeons, Great,Blue & Longtailed tits.

#NewIllustrationOfTheDay by Chiara Fidele from Mr Darwin‘s Tortoise, Angela McAllister’s story of a local boy who meets Charles Darwin on the Galápagos Islands. This spread is an exuberance of foliage and wildlife with The Beagle at anchor in the distance. Zephyr 12 Feb. @zephyrbooks.bsky.social

I love this.

#NewIllustrationOfTheDay by Seng Soun Ratanavanh from The Paper Bridge, one of 19 books longlisted for the Carnegie Medal for Illustration; 11 had featured in my daily posts, plus the illustrators of 2 more. This, photographing paper sculpture, would’ve done if I’d seen it. @florisbooks.bsky.social

Tamara de Lempicka, Autoportrait (Tamara in a Green Bugatti)" (1929) #WomensArt

So do I.

No joke: I got angry hate mail today for writing an obituary of a Black woman scientist—because the person felt she did didn’t deserve the recognition. Which just makes me want to share it again: www.nature.com/articles/d41...

February takes its name from februa, a Roman festival of purification held in readiness for spring and new beginnings. The month’s birthstone is amethyst, so here is a small gathering of amethyst-hued February flowers, welcome heralds of the turning year & the lengthening light.

Thank you, Hannah

‘The Book of Bogs contains fragile, furious, resilient ecosystems of writing, demanding the protection of a vulnerable environment we need more than we know.’ Wonderful review of a spell of a book I’m so proud to be in, by @jennychambles.bsky.social @caughtbytheriver.bsky.social

“About Time” has been shortlisted for the #InformationBookAwards run by @sla.org.uk Here’s an interview my co-author Rebecca Struthers and I did about writing the book. Rebecca was a joy to work with.

Today I saw 20 Peewits, Lapwings, Green Plovers tumbling against a grey sky. They were so square winged and black and white and fluttering, like half a shelf of paperback books that had decided to take flight.

That's nice, Sam, thank you. Especially for the comparison with the beautiful Song of Lewis Carmichael. I love that book.

Thank you for the shout for 'Saffy's Angel,' Nicolette. Really appreciated.

A note on #NewIllustrationOfTheDay. These daily posts aim to demonstrate the range and quality of children’s book illustration today. But they are also, I hope, an oasis of skill and beauty/humour/curiosity in everyone’s day, whatever else is happening. Please share with anyone who might enjoy that.

Thank you so much, Sam. So pleased to hear that you enjoyed meeting Rosa.

Stop whatever it is you’re doing: I HAVE YELLOW LOOSESTRIFE BEES ON MY DOTTED LOOSESTRIFE. I learned about these gorgeous beings years ago in @brigitstrawbridge.bsky.social’s wonderful Dancing with Bees and have dreamed of having them in my garden ever since. Life will never be the same.

Sarah van Fleet just opening in the garden here. This is J L Carr's #AMonthInTheCountry Rose.

Thanks for this, The Authors Guild.I have 6 books with these people, all with advances earned out.For years it has been very difficult to obtain payments & statements. Posted for in particular other UK authors who may not be aware of the news. @authorsguild.bsky.social @albertwhitman.bsky.social

Thanks so much, Pippa. I've just found your ABBA review- so very kind.

Thank you!

Superb!

Thank you so much, Jacqui.

#NewIllustrationOfTheDay by Jennifer N R Smith, author and illustrator of Life: the Wild Wonders of Biodiversity. A hint of vintage engraving about this plate with a key, including sea otter, harbour seal, blacksmith fish, sea urchins. From Thames & Hudson on 10 April. @thamesandhudson.bsky.social

I'm thrilled that Jodie is included in #SparkReading this year. This fantastic programme from @BookTrust is designed to spark a love of reading in KS3 students, building reading enjoyment through sociable shared reading experiences. Find out more: booktrust.org.uk/spark-reading

What a treasure of a book.

Lots of adorable cat photos on my feed today. Is that because it's #Caturday? I don't own a cat but here are some I drew for Rosa by Starlight, by Hilary McKay.

This is lovely. Thank you @imogenrw.bsky.social for including Rosa By Starlight.

Thank you, Keith. (Still finding my way around these blue skies.)

It was a joy to write this story of Grace Darling's family and childhood, and a double joy to have it illustrated by the magnificent Keith Robinson.

Blackbird and berries! 😀😍🐦 #Birds 🪶

It’s a huge honour to have illustrated three of the The Times best children’s books of 2024. I know that sounds like an annoying humble-brag, which it is! BUT I also mean it. Thank you @jprosewriter.bsky.social, Ross Montgomery and @hilarymckay.bsky.social for trusting me with your beautiful books 💜

If you go to the Illustrators’ Fair at Granary Square, Kings Cross on Sat 7 December, do look for the plaque just off Coal Drops Yard that commemorates Samuel Plimsoll, The Sailors’ Friend, whose history was much bound up in this site. For more about him see my book The Plimsoll Sensation (Abacus).