World Book Day. Bicycles and banana splits.

An epic World Book Day, out with Paul Doyle of Neath Port Talbot Libraries.

We went to Ynysfach Primary School, where I was captured performing Peter Samson's poem "On My Bike' with a class. It's a lively poem, and leads to some fabulously strange and imaginative writing from the children, after we have all pretended there are pedals sticking out of our ears, of course.

Then in the afternoon to Blaengwrach Primary, where we had a break about halfway through the poetry workshop to devour a huge banana split!

Paul and I were given seats with all the children, and thoroughly enjoyed the fair trade dessert. I have to say this is the most unusual event I have ever attended during a school visit!

Here's Paul, in the background you can see a member of staff dressed as a giant banana.

It was a great day of laughter, imagination, and creating poetry.

Cardiff Children's LitFest. Poetry. Libraries. Fun.

After a rampaging poetry reading at Cardiff Central Library with an audience of young children, I staggered out into the fresh air with a slight headache from laughing so much,  and went to look at the children's poetry exhibition in the Old Library.

I had worked for a morning at Penyrenglyn Primary School, and some of the children's work was exhibited. It looked wonderful, enlarged from the original A4, and displayed in the beautiful exhibition space, along with lots of work from other schools, who had all had visits from writers.
We had written about Can't You Sleep Little Bear?  

It doesn't get much better than this - to perform poetry and songs to a young audience enjoying words and ideas, and then to see the results of workshop work displayed in a lovely exhibition.
All thanks to the Cardiff Children's Literature Festival. I am proud to have been part of it.
www.cardiffchildrenslitfest.com
www.francescakay.co.uk

A cat on my shoulder.

Here is Jack in his favourite place when I am working in my shed. I sit with him on my shoulders for hours, and when I do move around he steadies himself with his claws. He purrs into my ear, and is very warm. So much better than a parrot.