It is a very great challenge for writers to communicate environmental imperatives to young people (and their teachers and carers) without sounding gloomy, preachy or mawkish. It can be a similarly hazardous undertaking for illustrators who must navigate the narrow channel between empathetic and objective representation of serious issues. Catherine Barr who has written the…

It is relatively rare for ebook publishers and creators to produce something that fully explores everything that a digital reading experience can offer. Much of that could be put down to cost, but I suspect that even among the bigger players, there is also an underlying lack of ambition. Tapocketa Studios, on the other hand,…

Anyone who grew up with Smash Hits will know that the first question that music writers are compelled to ask their interviewees is, “How did your band get their name?” I, on the other hand, thought I’d save jazz pianist Paul Harrison the embarrassment by googling the definition of ‘sugarwork’ beforehand. The very first hit…

The printed form of the communication device we know as the book is without doubt one of the most potent forces in the history of humanity. The other of course is the gun, but that is another essay for another time and another place. What I want to discuss here is a more recent means…