Cicadas on the dot

It's hard to believe this tiny insect is the one making the biggest noise at night. But here's something even odder. Did you know ... cicadas live for either 13 or 17 years? Exactly. On the dot. But how? And why? No one knows. Why do they live only in prime numbers–(numbers divisible only by themselves and the number 1.) (I knew that) How do they know their time is up? Is it up to them? Scientists have got some guesses of course. They're very complicated so you'd better read them for yourself in this clever article. But something about this makes me feel joyous and calm. There is an order and a pattern and a plan. Down to the tiniest detail. Even for teeniest tiniest insect.

music and sounds

The genius jazz trumpeter and composer, Dizzy Gillespie (1917-1993) said, "I don't care too much about music. What I like is sounds."

The lost art of reading aloud

Great Editorial in NYT by VERLYN KLINKENBORG. (Though Children's books I would add to poetry as the other realm where reading aloud has not died out. And I trust it never will.)

Inspired Bicycles

This is incredible... the light, the music, the guy, the everythingness of it. ( Danny MacAskill April 2009) (excuse me but I have to go and get on my bike now)

The Cure To Swine Flu?

If you find yourself in CT, in New Canaan, at Elm Street Books at 2.30pm on Sat 16th... You're in LUCK! we will be curing Swine Flu ... I'll be reading How To Get Married... By Me, The Bride and the VERY TOPICAL (rumored to be The Cure to Swine Flu) Being A Pig Is Nice: a child's eye-view of manners. More information contact: kathleen@elmstreetbooks.com or here.

BBC interviews with Roald Dahl

Dahl (1916 - 1990) recorded these interviews for the BBC in 1988, two years before he died. He was 71 at the time. Julia Eccleshare was the interviewer. Listen to extracts from the interviews here. For even more amazing interviews from the master of storytelling and voice, check out the official Roald Dahl website (once there click on Roald Dahl) BONUS: Various random Dahl facts (which one isn't true?): he was a spy he worked for Shell he could speak Swahili favorite music: Beethoven favorite TV program: the news he wrote all his children's stories in a writing boat (the last one: he wrote in a hut not a boat.) EXTRA SUPER BONUS: take a tour of said hut here

What the Critics are saying about Being A Pig (it's Nice)

the new book's almost out and the reviews are in... from the barn: “A Complete Stinker!” A PIG “Horribly Good!” A MONSTER “Perfectly Terribly Terrible Table Manners!” A MONKEY
 “Superb Pacing”
 A SNAIL “Krall and Lloyd-Jones's manners are World Renowned and the envy of all the barn.” SPOKESPIG FOR THE EXTRA STINKY TIMES To get hold of your copy/find out more, click here.

Tribeca Wednesday 13th

come along to B&N Tribeca at 11 am Wednesday 13th where I'll be reading from ... How To Get Married... By Me, The Bride. More here.