Wednesday, 24 July 2013

BANJO & RUBY RED Becomes A Book

Look what has become a real book! 


You can open it, smell it, turn the pages and READ it!  

It's got a quarter binding that looks and feels really nice. And the cover has my two favourite colours on it. 

And so far, there's nothing about it I don't like. 

Banjo & Ruby Red, written by Libby Gleeson, is a lovely story about the antagonism and eventual friendship between an old farm dog called Banjo, and a haughty chicken called Ruby Red. 

My dad, who isn't one to come out and say anything too gushy,  got a bit emotional at one point in the story and I deduced that he really liked it! 

Banjo & Ruby Red is coming out in August, but I believe my local bookshop unpacked some today. 

Here are some of my favourite images:











9 comments:

  1. Bought a copy last week - my two girls love it! They can now pick out books you've illustrated from our collection :)
    Thanks to you and Libby once again for a beautiful book.

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    1. Thank you Katrina!

      So glad to hear your girls like Banjo & Ruby Red. And what good skills they have being able to pick out my stuff. Very pleased to hear that

      Freya

      ps: I'm a bit slow replying, sorry.

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  2. Yay! I cant wait to get my hands on one.

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  3. Hi Freya,

    I have to tell you a little story. I have a young dog called Snip. One of his favourite people in the world is a one year old girl called Freya! I took Snip to Freya's house recently and little did I know, one little red chicken lives there and was out in the garden. Snip ran around the corner of the house and next thing we knew, squark, squark, squark, the chicken flies past, followed closely by the dog who caught it in mid air, then proceeded to run around the yard with it in his mouth. Feathers were flying and we all looked on - horried. I tried calling him and he bought the chicken to me and dropped it at my feet! The chicken looked stunned but was still breathing, then my friend walked towards it and the chicken got up and ran away! Infact, she has has been fine and happily laying eggs ever since!

    Not long after this incident, Banjo and Ruby Red popped up on my FB feed. It was about to be Freya's first birthday, so I couldn't go past this for her. Could it be a more perfect gift for a girl called Freya who owns a red chicken and loves a dog?!

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  4. Kirrily!

    What a wonderful story with some lovely little coincidences! Thank goodness the chicken is still alive! What a naughty Snip!

    I had a similar experience when our dog got a hold of our red chicken, Socca, and played with it for a time while I was out one day. I came home and saw his poor chicken being mauled by our dog, lying virtually dead near the chicken coop. I was nearly hysterical, as I rather loved this chicken, and crying, decided I'd put the poor chicken out of it's misery. I pulled it's neck very hard as that's what I'd heard you do and it snapped horridly and I sat crying with this chicken limp in my lap. And then it got up and walked off!

    It's wing was a bit droopy for a few days, but just like your friend's chicken, it has been laying eggs brilliantly ever since. She's three years old now and still very beautiful and ALIVE!

    The feathers I drew in the book were drawn from those plucked by my parents' border collie from our black chicken. Hard to resist a chicken if you're a dog! But as I can't even kill a chicken, maybe they're tougher than we think.

    Thanks for your story Kirrily. It's lovely. I hope Freya likes Banjo & Ruby Red. And I hope Snip didn't get a taste for chickens.

    Freya

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  5. I'm really digging your illustration work.

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  6. Thank you Freya for another gorgeous book. Now 'The Runaway Hug' jostles for fave position on our bookshelf! I think I had a little tear there just like your dad. A delightful story. You are so very talented. Briony

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  7. Hello Briony,

    Thank you SO much for your message! I must admit, I feel quite proud of this book and I'm so glad to hear you and your family like it too.

    Freya

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