A Children’s Author-Illustrator, Journalist & Publisher.
CEO of UK publishing company JNPAQUET Books Ltd & media company JNPAQUET Media Ltd. He has written over 50 children's books -- translated into over 15 languages -- including the highly acclaimed bilingual children's books series "The Book of The Animals" and "The T-RRIBLE". Through his books, he aims to promote literacy and bilingualism around the world, promote fun-learning as a positive attitude towards reading and provide inspiration for the next generation of young readers and writers. Three times Award-nominated author (Runner-up) at the "Brazilian International Press Awards UK" for Best Literature, 2012/2013/2014. | | |
Every library you visit tells you a different story, alike every book you read. Every library that closes is a story that disappears forever... #savethelibraries #books #childrensbooks #children #story #storytelling #storytime #libraries #librarians #familytime #saveourlibraries (at Carnegie Library)
One of my favourite libraries in the UK, Herne Hill's Carnegie Library, is being occupied by some local residents to halt its closure by London’s Lambeth Council.
"It will have a neighbourhood library service, health and fitness facilities (when it reopens in 2017)," a spokesman for Lambeth Council said.
What the Council means by:
- "Healthy Living Centre" is a gym which has a lounge.
- "Neighbourhood Library" is a self-service facility in the gym's lounge offering "a small selection of books," Wi-Fi access and computers.
In other words a "neighbourhood library" would not be a library.
(Lambeth Council Culture 2020 Report, as nicely explained by The Friends of Carnegie Library)
We are here talking about a beautiful Grade II listed building, built in 1906, that has hosted a public library for 110 years and that the council now wants to “transform” into a gym (?!?!) Absolutely revolting!
I was invited to read some of my books to the local children at the Carnegie Library during my UK Book Tour 2013 and I just loved the architecture, the style and the spacious rooms. What a lovely place!
I do hope the Council will think again about its plans for the library and not destroy this beautiful cultural hub to create a gym instead!
Don’t let Lambeth Council take away a fabulous place for children and adults to read and enjoy reading.
Don’t hesitate to show your support to The Friends of Carnegie Library.
#SaveLibraries
I was invited to read some of my books to the local children at the Carnegie Library during my UK Book Tour 2013.
Reading some of my books with one of my characters, The T-RRIBLE, at the Carnegie Library, during my UK Book Tour 2013.
The T-RRIBLE showing he too is against the closure of the Carnagie Library.
On the day after the terrible Paris attack of 13 November 2015, alike millions of other parents across the globe who were struggling to explain the horrific events of Friday night to their children, I had to face the very same task: since other children or the adults at school would probably talk about it, maybe even give scary details about what had happened, how on earth would I explain something like that to my small children?
So, I thought I would write something down as this is what I do for a living. I knew that, as a children's author, this would certainly be the most difficult piece I would ever have to write.
After hours trying to put into easy words various feelings and images I had seen and absorbed from TV footage and various internet reports, I eventually managed to write a text that I also illustrated with little people, the "Littlefaces", to bring my text to life and get my little ones to understand what I wanted them to understand.
Although they had not seen any actual footage of the events, my children seem to have understood most of what I explained in my text and loved the little illustrations. After a big bear hug, I suggested they put into drawings what they were feeling about the events. The result: some bad guys with guns, some people on the floor and a picture showing Paris on a huge map of France. Everything was coming out of their imagination, from what they had understood of my text and drawings.
Relieved by the way my children felt, I thought "This text could help other children and parents out there." I made a few changes and corrections because I wanted the text to be as specific and at the same time as general as possible, so that it could also apply to any child anywhere, because terrorism acts are not confined to one location only.
A book with little characters was thus born, "Littlefaces", which I hope will help parents talk with their children about their feelings when such terrible events take place.
Sometimes, what we imagine can be worse than what we actually see. That's why expressing our feeling through writing or drawing can help free our mind, and so, help us to move on.
If you are still unsure what to say or what to do to explain something like a terrorist attack to your children, do follow the NSPCC* advice to parents:
LISTEN.
Don't shy away from a conversation on a difficult subject
ASK.
Stimulate discussion by asking them how they think and feel about what they've heard
HONESTY.
Be truthful, don't make up lies or skirt around the reality of the situation
REASSURE.
Explain that these events are very rare
COMFORT.
Give them a hug and tell them that you will always be there to protect them and to keep them out of harm's way
"It is crucial that children can talk about their feelings following these senseless killings, and are given reassurance and support." (Peter Wanless, Chief executive of the NSPCC)
For more advice watch this video "How should you talk to your children about terrorism": www.thetimes.co.uk/nspcc/
Also, visit the NSPCC website: www.nspcc.org.uk
.
“Littlefaces - Something bad happened… Let’s talk about it!” is currently available on Amazon: in print and in eBook.
........................................
(*The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) is a charity campaigning and working in child protection in the United Kingdom and the Channel Islands.)
Returning from private storytelling event at North Kensington Library, London. A super lovely and lively audience with little Spanish speaking learners. What a blast it was! #reading #getreading #keepreading #booksforlife #bilingualchildren #bilingualism #funlearning #fun #sillysanta #children #read #thebookoftheanimals #spanish #spanishfriendly #drawing #languages #language (at North Kensington Library)
Returning from private storytelling event at North Kensington Library, London. A super lovely and lively audience with little Spanish speaking learners. What a blast it was! #reading #getreading #keepreading #booksforlife #bilingualchildren #bilingualism #funlearning #fun #sillysanta #children #read #thebookoftheanimals #spanish #spanishfriendly #drawing #languages #language (at North Kensington Library)
Returning from private storytelling event at North Kensington Library, London. A super lovely and lively audience with little Spanish speaking learners. What a blast it was! #reading #getreading #keepreading #booksforlife #bilingualchildren #bilingualism #funlearning #fun #sillysanta #children #read #thebookoftheanimals #spanish #spanishfriendly #drawing #languages #language (at North Kensington Library)
Have your little ones been hit by the half term boredom yet? Are you looking for something interesting for them to do? Why not offering them a bilingual book and get them to play one of the following games...
...
THE LANGUAGE GAME.
To play the Language Game, you need a bilingual book whether in print or eBook (there are plenty available at: www.BilingualBooksFor.Me) and two players. Player 1 reads the first page loud in English, whilst Player 2 pays very much attention to every word said, then Player 1 asks what a specific word means in the other language. If correct, Player 2 receives 1 point. Player 2 then reads the first page loud in the other language and asks what a specific word means in English to Player 2. If correct, Player 1 receives 1 point. And so on. When the book is finished, the player with the most points become the “Language Game Champion”. In case of a tie, the two players must look at the book cover and ask a word from something on the picture to each other, until one wins. The game can be played with more players if everyone agrees to share the reading at turns.
...
THE MATCHING GAME.
To play the Matching Game, you need a bilingual book whether in print or eBook, and two players. Player 1 chooses one sentence in English and reads it loud. Player 2 must match the sentence with the equivalent sentence in the other language and read it loud. If the match is correct, Player 2 receives 1 point. Player 2 then chooses one sentence in the other language and reads it loud. Player 1 must match the sentence with the equivalent sentence in English and read it loud. If the match is correct, Player 1 receives 1 point. And so on. When the book is finished, the player with the most points become the “Matching Game Champion”. In case of a tie, the two players are declared champions. The game can be played with more players if everyone agrees to share the reading at turns.
...
THE SUPER MATCHING GAME.
To play the Super Matching Game, you need a bilingual book whether in print or eBook, and two players. Player 1 chooses one sentence in English anywhere in the book and reads it loud, without showing the page they are reading from. Player 2 must match the sentence with the equivalent sentence in the other language and read it loud too. If the match is correct, Player 2 receives 1 point. Player 2 then chooses one sentence in the other language from anywhere in the book and reads it loud, without showing the page they are reading from. Player 1 must match the sentence with the equivalent sentence in English and read it loud. If the match is correct, Player 1 receives 1 point. And so on. When all sentences have been read and the book is finished, the player with the most points become the “Super Matching Game Champion”. In case of a tie, the two players are declared champions. Again, the game can be played with more players if everyone agrees to share the reading at turns.
These games can easily be re-used in the classroom as well during language learning classes, in small reading groups and Saturday schools with young language learners.
...
If you too know of some other games that can be played using bilingual books, let us know: facebook.com/messages/JNPAQUET.Books.Ltd
Find plenty of fun and educational bilingual books for your little ones at: www.BilingualBooksFor.Me
theartofmadeline
snowghoul
titsay
izzy806
jacobvanloon
romaincrisis
areudirty
annaxmalina
origamiaround