jackie morris – Dolphin Book Blog for younger readers

The Jackie Morris Book of Classic Nursery Rhymes

The DolphinAugust 21, 2020August 22, 2020

Opening this book was like opening a treasure chest, full of beauty and wonderful things. Jackie Morris brings her flair for dreaming and imagination to the world of nursery rhymes.

At a time when much effort is spent in decoding and information; this book is a journey into a creative imagination, to worlds beyond and characters with such possibilities.

The Jackie Morris Book of Classic Nursery Rhymes, published on September 10th, brings together 20 nursery rhymes that have been told for generations, such as Sing a Song of Sixpence and Pop! Goes the Weasel. The exquisite illustrations by Jackie are complete works of art in themselves and you can be completely lost in the pictures for hours!

Children of course enjoy the books as much as I do and will find favourite rhymes and pages to share with their parents at bedtimes. My favourite page is probably Grey Goose.

Jackie Morris is the illustrator and compiler of the collection. Jackie's fame has risen to new heights with the immense success of The Lost Words, for which she won the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal in 2019. She has numerous books in her portfolio and the illustrations always tell as much of the story and adventure that lies in the words. In Jackie's introduction to the book she writes about the importance of nursery rhymes, for listening and feeling, and as the geography of childhood.

Otter-Barry Books are the publishers, they have worked with Jackie Morris for many years. They have an exciting range of books in their published lists. Check their website for a full list of options.

I will enjoy having this book in my library and sharing with children around me, and then again, I may just spend time with it myself!

Sue Martin

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Can You See a Little Bear?

The DolphinAugust 8, 2018August 9, 2018

This is a book that anyone (including me!) would happily take to bed to read and look at the pictures.

It will lead you into a land of dreams, far away, where bears live with crocodiles and giraffes spend time with guinea pigs.

The best picture for me is of the little bear in the bath with a large blue bath cap on his head in a tent!

A work of art? A book of sheer delight? The most beautiful illustrations from Jackie Morris and exquisite words from James Mayhew, travel with the characters on the page and follow the little bear to bed.

The creative duo of Jackie Morris and James Mayhew are with Otter-Barry Books, in the publication of this charming gift edition of Can You See a Little Bear. Other editions of this book are always in demand and it will be perfect for children and parents.

Educationally it is a joy to have, as it develops interest and curiosity,and questions are bound to follow. A wonderful set of activities and thoughts from Jackie Morris accompany the book, look out for the cinquain !

Watch the video from Jackie below, about making a deeper book for young children which would become a favourite and also give time for parents and children to have a conversation.

Jackie Morris is an author and illustrator, photographer and painter. She lives in a small house by the sea in St David’s, Wales. She has published many books; The Lost Words, Walking in Water, Tell Me a Dragon, The Snow Leopard and many others.

James Mayhew is an author, artist and storyteller, whose books reflect his passionate advocacy of the arts for young children. His books include…. He lives on the other side of the country to Jackie, in Bungay, Suffolk.

Otter-Barry Books are publishers who aim to make a difference to children’s lives through their books of quality, creativity and interest.

A book which we recommend for all ages.

Buy a copy from us, securely on-line, or visit your nearest bookshop!

Sue Martin

Mrs Noah’s Pockets by Jackie Morris and James Mayhew

The DolphinSeptember 12, 2017March 25, 2018

Mrs Noah's Pockets cover image — Buy this great book here...

When Mr Noah builds the ark, he makes two lists, one for all the animals who will come on board, and one for those troublesome creatures he will leave behind. Meanwhile, Mrs Noah gets out her sewing machine and makes a coat with very deep pockets.

The waters rise and rise and Mr Noah is very busy gathering in all the animals.

‘Mrs Noah went for one last walk, wading through water, into the heart of the Mythico Wood, on errands of her own.’

This is a beautiful book with a starlit combination of author, Jackie Morris and illustrator, James Mayhew. It is published by Otter-Barry Books, and is a delightful new book on their collection this year, published on 7^th September 2017.

Jackie Morris is an author and illustrator, photographer and painter. She lives in a small house by the sea in St David’s Wales, a place of wonderful views and possibly a little bit of magic too?

James Mayhew is also an author, artist and storyteller whose books reflects his passionate advocacy of the arts for young children. He lives in Baldock, Hertfordshire.

The text is magical with a sense of mischief and purpose around Mrs Noah, as she sets out on her journeys in the coat with very large pockets.

At the end when the dove returns with the olive tree twigs and the animals are released, the answer to the mystery of the pockets appears in the illustrations.

I loved it and would like to read and look at this book again and again.

Sue Martin

One Cheetah, One Cherry: A Book of Beautiful Numbers by Jackie Morris

The DolphinOctober 21, 2016January 4, 2017

One Cheetah, One Cherry is stunning in design, colour and use of numbers for counting to ten. It combines maths and art with ease in glorious technicolour!

Always a joy to have a book by Jackie Morris in your hands. One Cheetah, One Cherry is no exception.

A real winner for Otter Barry Books.

Gold, blue and purple are combined to give excellent illustrations and works of art, they have wonderful creatures on every page in eclectic settings.

Six bright tigers for instance, playing pat a cake, has six wonderful tigers on their hind legs each with a different friendly smile on their face.

Seven giant pandas with pretty painted parasols, has the seven pandas out of their normal habitat and enjoying each others company.

An otter in a hat! Well fancy that!

A beautiful book to have and to share with others. It is a vividly descriptive book on numbers and will really support visual memory and understanding. And for the colour and energy of the animals alone this is definitely a book to buy.

Hope you enjoy the book. Review or buy a copy here.

Sue Martin

Dolphin Booksellers

The Seal Children<br>by Jackie Morris

The DolphinJune 21, 2016June 22, 2016

The Seal Children by Jackie Morris has been republished in this captivating edition by Otter-Barry Books.

The water colours on every page are a joy in themselves and you can spend so much time just looking as they portray the story in picture.

The story is about a fisherman who falls in love with a Selkie – half woman, half seal – she gives him her seal skin as a sign of her love, and bears him two children, Ffion and Morlo, before returning to her own people. When a stranger comes to the village, telling of a land far away, the children remember their mother’s stories of the cities of gold and pearls beneath the waves….

This is a wonderful book from Jackie Morris. Presented in a beautiful new gift edition, this is a haunting story of love and freedom, for all ages.

'A lyrical story with beautifully painted watercolours' Books for keeps

A book for everyone to have, in the home to share, and to read alone, in schools for all sorts of projects in education and in the libraries. It is a book that definitely will not be staying long on the shelves but will be on the table, by the rug or in the fireside chair ready to be read time and time again.

Recommended for all ages and especially for me!!

Sue Martin Dolphin Booksellers and Books Go Walkabout

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Something About a Bear<br>by Jackie Morris

The DolphinOctober 3, 2014December 26, 2014

This is just Amazing!!

A golden brown book full of beautiful images all about bears. This is the latest from Jackie Morris, written and illustrated this year, published on 2nd October by Frances Lincoln.

'Let me tell you something about a bear...

Where the water churns with the salmon, there the Brown Bear stands and catches the wild king of the river.

Eight wild bears - Moon Bear, Sun Bear, Sloth Bear, Brown Bear,Spectacled Bear,American Black Bear, Giant Panda and Polar Bear, all in their own habitats and some info about each of them.

The last page is the best! Brown Bears paws, just waiting to be touched, if you dare!

Sue Martin

Dolphin Booksellers - the best in children's books always on line.

Tell Me a Dragon

The DolphinMarch 28, 2014

'My dragon is made from the sun and the stars.

Sparkled with stardust,

all night he follows the silver moon path

across the sky....'

An excerpt about the first dragon in the book, 'Tell Me a Dragon' by Jackie Morris, published by Frances Lincoln.

At Books Go Walkabout we held an author event in March with Jackie at William Tyndale Primary School, London, as part of their Bookweek adventures.

Jackie had the classes spellbound and intrigued as she talked about the places in West Wales where she writes and gets inspiration. The children all live in the city and a far cry from the wildness of the Welsh coast.

From a painting Jackie completed at the school, the Year 5's began to use water colours and explore making a wash of colour.

Lots of fun and lots of learning.

Sue Martin

Books Go Walkabout Dolphin Booksellers

Twitter @booksgo

Sue, Jackie...after lunch!

Jackie Morris and Help Musicians UK in Covent Garden

The DolphinSeptember 13, 2013

card Jackie Morris was in Covent Garden on 12th September, well actually, in the beautiful Swiss Church in Endell St, Covent Garden, to show her new Christmas card design and to talk about her life in writing and illustrating.

The talk was on behalf of Help Musicians UK and proceeds from sales of Jackie's designed card will go to support musicians of all ages and Jackie also donated prints of her work to be auctioned.

Jackie talked about how she includes all of her life into her art and writing, her walks at St David's and into the fields and with views across the sea and hares racing across the fields.

Engaging, creative and just beautiful,and sitting in the midst of the London hubbub, it is easy to drift away into that delight of the Pembrokeshire countryside and wish you were there.

JM hare Her latest book,The Song of the Golden Hare, published by Frances Lincoln is out in print in October. It's a must!

Follow Jackie's work through her blog and on facebook. You can buy the cards too from Help the Musicians and you can buy her books, details on her website.

We are pleased to work with Jackie on getting her stories and books to the children, who don't have much chance to see them.

Sue Martin

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East of the Sun and West of the Moon

The DolphinApril 26, 2013April 27, 2013

A most beautiful story,from Jackie Morris with her wonderful illustrations of a polar bear, forests, skies and seas. A story, which Jackie describes as...

" ...there are some stories that when you hear them for the very first time it is as if you know them, as they are part of your soul. You then spend the rest of your life trying to understand them.... It is a journey, an adventure, a love story that in the writing took an unexpected turn."

It is a magical story and a book to treasure and return to. It will make you go back to it and try and relive the story or find yourself as the girl seeking through all the winds to find her lost love in the castle east of the sun and west of the moon.

Published by Frances Lincoln the book is available via this Amazon link. The format of the book is wonderful with a neat hardcover. It's a book for a present and especially for yourself too, a treat and a joy.

Jackie lives in a small house by the sea in Pembrokeshire where she writes and paints. She has a range of wonderful books, such as The Snow Leopard and Can You See a Little Bear? Jackie's website is a dream and is worth hours of exploring.

There is a competition to win the necklace from East of the Sun, West of the Moon on Jackie's blog.

Dolphin Booksellers - the best in children's books always on line.

Jackie Morris Watercolour – auction for Tiger Conservation

The DolphinMarch 25, 2011March 26, 2011

Jackie Morris, children's book illustrator and author has some wonderful illustrations of tigers. These fill many of her books with colour and splendour, and capture that engaging image of the tiger in the wild. Yet, within the picture lies a sense of majesty,strength and compassion.

The original watercolour from the book, Lord of the Forest, illustrated by Jackie and written by Caroline Pitcher is being donated by Jackie and auctioned on eBay in aid of the 21st Century Tiger.

From the 21st March for 10 days you can bid in the auction for the painting.

21st Century Tiger is a unique fund raising partnership between the Zoological Society of London and Global Tiger Patrol.They raise money to support conservation products throughout Asia.

Jackie says." Even though in my lifetime I may never see a tiger in the wild, my world is a richer place for knowing that these wonderful creatures are there.... It is my hope that when I have grandchildren tigers will still walk through their dreams and through the forests of the world as living creatures and not something from history, creatures of myth."

Information can be found at 21st Century Tiger

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