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).

"Bumblebee population increases 116 times over in 'remarkable' Scotland rewilding project." Read that again: **116** times. Why are we STILL having to argue the case for rewilding?? www.scotsman.com/hays-way/bum...

In 1908, aged 50, Olivia Tonge, freed of family ties, adventurously journeyed to India for an extended period, to paint. Her intricate, small-scale works covered both nature & cultural artifacts, & her informative annotations are well worth examining nenaghgal.blogspot.com/2009/07/sket...

I think I must have accidentally walked through the wardrobe.

Congratulations, Rachael. I thought the Grimmelings was outstanding when I read it a few months ago.

The Boy At The Window by LucyStrange is probably best read outside on a hot sunny day in easy reach of a defibrillator. The illustrations by Rohan Eason are far from comforting too. Absolutely superb. Congratulations to all and thank you BarringtonStoke.

What is an invalid handle? And how do I get a nice healthy one?

Ten thousand cheers for Barrington Stoke, knocking it out of the park again.

Blue tit, Great tit, Coal tit, Robin, Blackbird, Tree creeper, Wood pigeon, Dunnock, House sparrow. Magpie, magpie, magpie, magpie, ten million squirrels.

#NewIllustrationoftheDay by Martin Impey from his tour de force, Blitz: One Family’s War, his fictionalised account of his family’s experience of the beginning of the war, told with hundreds of scrupulously researched, characterful pencil and watercolour pictures. Out from Harbour Moon on 7 Nov.

So who’s gonna tell the #bees? Who’s gonna face up and tell them we fucked it up. Who’s gonna tell the bees that 1.5°C is gone? Who’s gonna tell them it was never on the cards to start with? Who’s gonna tell them that we’re accelerating in the wrong direction yet? 1/n #COP29 #climatefucked

I am hanging on to twitter until the conservation, ecology and wildlife trusts come over. Theirs are the accounts that matter most to me. If there is any way of checking this, I would be very grateful to know how. RSPB, Woodland Trust, etc. Thanks so much.

I began to paint in Lockdown - March 2020. Through trial and error and being a harsh self-critic, I’ve developed my skills. I paint for me! Painting is my meditation - I work quickly and instinctively, loving what colour can do and the freedom I feel as I push paint around the paper. Go easy on me 🤍

Are there any publishers on here? UK children's especially.

I am so pleased about this.

#NewIllustrationoftheDay by Quentin Blake is not new & a day late to celebrate the first Michael Rosen Day, 12 Nov. From The Sad Book (text by MR). Blake says this picture of Rosen [after his son's death] being sad but trying to look happy is the most difficult drawing he has ever done. Walker Books

'Trees A Crowd' (my favourite podcast) celebrates #nature and the stories of those who care deeply for it. Artist, actor & #Wildlife ambassador David Oakes' recent interview with the fab children's author M.G. Leonard @mglnrd.bsky.social is wonderful! 🪲 open.spotify.com/episode/0pvm... #beetles

Beautiful everyday Ladybird things. The buttons in the button box (And a spectacular bit of painting by Artist: Harry Wingfield )

I have just sent in the final proofreading of my last book. It has taken 18 months start to finish and is only 10k words. I think I should get an award for slowest writer on the planet.

Hello to old friends from twitter!