Meet some me and some Famous Big Girls this Sunday at Bookazine Princes Building!
October 16, 2019 at 6:48 am | Posted in Bookshop event, girls' education, Hong Kong events, Room to Read | Leave a commentTags: Agatha Christie, Amelia Earhart, Bookazine Princes Building, Frida Kahlo, International Day of the Girl, Marie Curie, Room to Read
For everyone who loves GIRLS WHO MAKE A DIFFERENCE – and that means all of us, everywhere, young and old, girl or boy, mum or dad, family or friend – this Sunday is a very special day!
Yes, it’s the International Day of the Girl and fabulous Hong Kong bookstore Bookazine is celebrating with a fantastic FREE event from 10am to 12noon at their Princes Building Store!
And there will be some very famous ladies represented there! No less than Amelia Earhart, Agatha Christie, Marie Curie and Frida Kahlo, each of whom have made huge contributions to the worlds of aviation, writing, science and the arts respectively!
And yes, you’ll see me all dressed up as Agatha Christie, one of my favourite mystery authors of all time, as I tell you a little about her life and work! (You’ll also see three other real life inspirational Hong Kong women colleagues, all leaders in their fields!)
I can’t wait to see you there! But remember to email the link here to RSVP to reserve your place!
And if you want to support girls’ education and literacy to give them the very best start in life, just click on this link to find out more about international charity Room to Read, for whom I am a very proud Writer Ambassador!
And last but not least…two famous New York libraries!
October 16, 2019 at 2:59 am | Posted in New York | Leave a commentTags: Carl Sagan, New York Public Library, Pierpont Morgan Library
Finally, here are two of the most extraordinary libraries you could ever hope to visit!
A very expensive private library: The Pierpont Morgan Library
I spent a whole Saturday afternoon in New York exploring this wonderful library and museum, created by one of the richest men in New York, financier J Pierpont Morgan, about one hundred years ago!
He travelled the world collecting the rarest and most beautiful books he could find. Just imagine – I saw an original Gutenberg Bible (the earliest printed bible), one of the earliest maps of the world and one of the most beautiful bible covers in the world!
There was also a special exhibition of Maurice Sendak’s stage sets! You’ll know Maurice Sendak’s name from his great children’s classic, Where the Wild Things Are. And of course I had to buy myself another Maurice Sendak book, Swine Lake. It’s the hilarious story of a wolf who decides to eat the ballerinas in a piggy production of the ballet Swan Lake! I laughed out loud when I read it!
A very beautiful, large and famous public library: The New York Public Library
The New York Public Library is the third largest public library in the world! It holds nearly 53 million items and has 92 branches throughout the city. Phew! And just look at the famous Rose Reading Room and its even more famous ceiling:


The great astronomer and philosopher Carl Sagan once said:
” I think the health of our civilization, the depth of our awareness about the underpinnings of our culture, and our concern for the future, can all be tested by how well we support our libraries”
Thank you, New York, for supporting public libraries.
And on that note, I’ll end my “New York Report”! I think you’ll agree with me that it is one of the greatest cities of the world, where books, libraries, poets, writers, art and culture are celebrated and thriving.
As the T-shirts say, I LOVE NEW YORK!
My favourite bookshops in New York!
October 15, 2019 at 8:24 am | Posted in New York | Leave a commentTags: Albertine, Books of Wonder, The Strand
New York is FULL of readers who love books! So of course, there are some fantastic bookshops, and some day soon I hope to see my books there! Here are just three of my favourites.
Books of Wonder
I loved this beautiful bookshop for children. Everywhere I looked, there were my favourite story characters on the walls, the shelves, even the revolving doors! Here you can see just a small sample, with one of the wonderful members of staff!
The Strand Bookstore
This is one of the most famous bookshops in New York, and as the banner says, it has 18 miles of books for sale inside! You can even buy books by the foot!
Albertine
Last but not least is this exquisite French bookshop in fashionable 5th Avenue! I bought my lovely French husband some books here, which has made him very happy! Just look at the ceiling! Isn’t it beautiful?
Just say it after me: WE LOVE BOOKSHOPS!!!
Hans Christian Andersen, Alice in Wonderland…and me!
October 15, 2019 at 7:57 am | Posted in New York | Leave a commentTags: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Central Park, Hans Christian Andersen, The Tale of Ping Pong Pig
Here I am in Central Park, New York, with one of my favourite children’s authors – the great Hans Christian Andersen, author of some of the most famous children’s stories of all time, like The Ugly Duckling, The Emperor’s New Clothes, Thumbelina and The Little Mermaid. I thought I’d read aloud The Tale of Ping Pong Pig, but I think the duck preferred Hans Christian Andersen’s story!
And here is the wonderful statue of Alice in Wonderland with her friends the Mad Hatter and the White Rabbit, just nearby – isn’t it wonderful?
A famous Hippo…and a Rat in New York!
October 15, 2019 at 4:38 am | Posted in New York | Leave a commentTags: Ballerina Hippo, The Tale of Run Run Rat
Meet the most beautiful Hippo in New York, on the Flatiron South Plaza in Downtown New York! Isn’t she simply gorgeous!
But as they say, no matter where you are in any big city, there’s a Rat nearby! Here’s a giant Rat I saw when I was sitting in a taxi. Whoaar!!
Now Run Run Rat would like to point out that he might not be quite as big, but he’s much faster!
Illustration by Harry Harrison
Squirrels of New York (and some sparrows…)
October 15, 2019 at 4:17 am | Posted in New York | Leave a commentTags: Sparrows in New York
I don’t know about you, but to me, there’s something very special about squirrels! And in Central Park there are hundreds of them (probably thousands), going about their business with great industry, just like any good New Yorker, with no regard for the noise we humans make! Here is a video I took, just for fun!
And just so they don’t feel left out, some rather cute little sparrows having a bird bath!
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