Saturday 25 February 2017

ECO KIDS & OKIDO MAGAZINE...

ECO KIDS PLANET MAGAZINE

I don't always remember to mention when the new issues come out but Eco Kids planet magazine's current issue is all about the Island of New Guinea (and two of my articles are on the cover: Birds of Paradise Trumps and Matschie's Tree kangaroos - who knew kangaroos lived in trees?!)

This is such a great kids' nature magazine - so much great stuff to read, make, discover and learn, but perfect length and detail for 7 -  10 year olds.




#nature
#science
#geography
#animals
#ecokidsplanetmagazine


OKIDO MAGAZINE 


Are you keeping up with Okido magazine? It's only gone MONTHLY!

Issue 46 is all about DESIGN - and includes all the usual favourites; Squirrel Boy, Messy Monster, Zim, Zam and Zoom, Find Foxy plus Okidoodles-a-plenty, a fantastic story by the talented Robert Paul and there's even an original story/activity by the brilliant Benji Davies (yep, the writer/illustrator of The Storm Whale!)
My poem in the issue is called Look at All the Shapes! and doubles as a fun shape-locating activity!
Look...(at all the shapes)






















PS Okido magazine's Facebook page ran a competition to WIN one of three copies of If I had a dinosaur and is currently running a competition to WIN one of five copies of A Roller-coaster Ride Around the Body. 

Click on the pic above - follow the link to enter - Good luck!

#facebook
#okidomagazine
#arollercoasterridearoundthebody
#ifihadadinosaur
#FranklinWatts
#ThamesandHudson
#Hachette
#childrensmagazines
#picturebooks
#artsandscience
#accidentallearning
#STEM


Friday 24 February 2017

Nice mention here...

Check out Jill Bennett's super review of If I had a dinosaur on her: RED READING HUB

I like this bit best as it really gets what we were aiming for:

"Dinosaurs are an unfailing source of delight where young children are concerned: Gabby Dawnay’s rhyming contemplation will doubtless provide both fun and opportunities for listeners’ own imaginative musings. They might well, inspired by Alex Barrow’s charmingly witty illustrations, try to create their own If I Had a Dinosaur visuals."



#ifihadadinosaur
#dinsaurs
#review
#ThamesandHudson
#childrensbooks





Sunday 12 February 2017

And they're off...TWO NEW BOOKS OUT!

 A Roller-coaster Ride Around the Body and If I had a dinosaur are both  OUT!

(Click on the titles above to see them on Amazon)

Alex (needs to update his blog!) did a quick-draw response to the photograph of Sir David Attenborough taken by David Levene for the Guardian Best Photographs of 2016. Because how perfect was that to tie-in with the launch of the dinosaur book, along with Dippy's travels across the UK this year?!

We will be visiting various schools and bookshops in the coming weeks, starting with beautiful children's bookshop Ottie & the Bea this half term, on Wednesday 15th February.


Hot off the press!

Snot Spread - our Editor looks excited!


And some ace stuff on the BookTrust website, including a blog piece written by me talking about how the book came to be, inspirations and how Alex (Barrow, illustrator) and I work together.

Read the blog here and read the BookTrust info here
And there's even a COMPETITION here!

Hot off the press!



More more more on these books anon, including decorated windows at legendary Tales on Moon Lane bookshop and a very special guest appearance...watch this space!

#IfIhadadinosaur
#ARollercoasterRideAroundtheBody
#alexbarrow
#DavidLevene
#theGuardiannewspaper
#dinosaurs
#Dippyontour
#NaturalHistoryMuseumLondon
#BookTrust
#FranklinWatts
#thamesandhudson
#picturebooks
#illustration
#rhymingbooks
#talesonmoonlane
#ottieandthebea



Wednesday 1 February 2017

BOOK RELEASE COUNTDOWN...


Alex Barrow and I have two new books coming out on 9th February 2017!

A Roller-coaster Ride Around the Body published by Franklin Watts
"A body book with a difference! Get on the roller-coaster ride for a visually-led, fast-paced treat, with rhythmic text and wacky illustrations by CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal nominees." 
Available to pre-order from Amazon 
AND...
If I had a dinosaur published by Thames & Hudson
"A witty and charmingly illustrated bedtime story about a little girl who imagines what it would be like to have a dinosaur of her very own"
‘Gabby Dawnay's rhyming text scans perfectly, and is pleasingly complemented by Alex Barrow's simple, impactful illustrations … It is a joy to be able to pick up a book about dinosaurs featuring a main character who is female, and yet whose gender is utterly irrelevant to the storyline’ – Teach Early Years






If I had a dinosaur has been long-listed for the BookTrust's Time to Read campaign. 


Available to pre-order from Amazon

Sir David Attenborough photographed for the Guardian by David Levene 2016
If I had a dinosaur was originally inspired by Sir David Attenborough's BB programme: Attenborough and the Giant Dinosaur !

 #arollercoasterridearoundthebody
#FranklinWatts
#bodybookwithadifference
#childrensnonfiction
#diversityinpicturebooks
#rollercoaster
#ifihadadinosaur
#ThamesandHudson
#dinosaur
#titanosaur
#BookTrust
#TimetoRead
#AlexBarrow
#childrensillustration
#DavidAttenborough
#TeachEarlyYears
#childrensbooks
#celebratediversity



BACKGROUND information...

My first picture book - called A Possum's Tail - is a collaboration with brilliant illustrator Alex Barrow and came out 6th February 2014. A second book called London Calls! is a whistle-stop tour of London, led by a Pearly grandma and her granddaughter. London Calls! came out on 4th September 2014 and is my second book with Alex Barrow. A Possum's Tail was nominated for the 2015 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal.
Both books are by Tate Publishing.

Please see my AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE or CURRICULUM VITAE for more details & updates.

As well as writing children's books, for children's television and two award-winning children's magazines, I do both private and commercial art commissions, a selection of which you can see here.

The children's shoes are part of an ongoing series of "first shoes", including several cards commissioned by the Almanac Gallery.

Hand-drawn, bespoke invitations, announcements, portraits and menus, such as the examples here are also available upon request..

Any enquiries please email: gabbydawnay@gmail.com

OKIDO MAGAZINE AND TV

I've been a regular contributor to children's art and science magazine OKIDO since 2007. HAPPY 10th BIRTHDAY (WOW) beautiful Okido!

An Okido animated kids tv show, based on characters from the magazine is currently in production with Doodle/Squintopera http://www.doodle-productions.com. The original adaptation of the show (co-created/adapted by myself, producer Ceri Barnes and Doodle Productions) was acquired by CBeebies. 52 x 11 minute episodes will be coming to a screen near you soon in 2015.......... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............................
MESSY GOES TO OKIDO Series ONE & TWO is now available to stream on Netflix & most episodes are available to watch on YouTube. Series THREE is currently in production.

CBeebies

CBeebies
OKIDO

Cartoon Forum 2011 Okido booklet

Cartoon Forum 2011 Okido booklet
Okido Cartoon Forum 2011

Happy Birthday OKIDO!

Happy Birthday OKIDO!
Okido was 5 years old this issue...the wonderful art and science magazine for kids I've been lucky enough to have worked on for the past - 8 - years now