Welcome to Caroline Pitcher's web-site.

On World Book Day I went to Brocks Hill School in Leicester again. We created some unusual characters, conjured stories from my box of story charms, read Home Sweet Home and Lord of the Forest, and found out that there wasn't a crocodile inside the fourth egg in The Littlest Owl. You all listened beautifully to Kevin the Blue in Assembly, and I had a veggie wrap and a jam scone for dinner. Thank you for my wonderful morning, and I'm hoping to read some of your stories soon.
Caroline x

Hello to you all at Penny Acres School. I enjoyed my Tuesday so much.
I hope the rest of your Book Week went well.
Penny Acres

Octopus News........

We went to Ithaka (near Kephallonia, Greece) in June and sailed out on a caique with Jamie the marine biologist and his Captain Joe. Click on the cover of my book to see what Jamie found! We watched this magnificent octopus for half an hour in a tank of sea water. When he was put back in the sea he swam home using his jet propulsion - can you see his defiant plume of ink?

Books for Keeps gave it a 5 star review: 'Nico...calls his pet 'the chameleon of the sea'
'The book communicates a strong sense of place - a sunny Mediterranean fishing village where the people live an open air life'


The octopus did remind me why I had written this book:
Nico's Octopus
'An illustrated story of this quality is worthwhile in its own right, but this one also provides a context for a great deal of learning - about a particular sea creature and about a lifestyle.'
  Blackwell's Online  

This year I've been all over the place! Click here to see.

The Littlest Owl is NOW out in paperback.

Gillian (8½) wrote to me to tell me of her own ending.

'One goes to a willow tree in Canada,
Two goes to a willow tree in Ohio,
Three goes to a willow tree in California,
and Four in a tree in Texas!'


What far-flung Owlets!

She says 'I really liked the book, it was awesome.'

Thank you, Gillian.

The Littlest Owl
Blackwell's Online
Here is my newest picture book with charming illustrations by the very talented Tina Macnaughton.
Paperback out in January.

Time for Bed, Little One
These Little Owls do get around

Winter Magic

 

Look out for my story about a dog called WizardWizard which has been published in Winter Magic.

You'll know from The Shaman Boy and Cloud Cat that I love snow leopards. Here they are again, in my story Two Little Snow Leopards 2 Little Snow Leopardspublished by Stripes in Winter Tales.

Winter Tales

I have written 3 stories for Wow! 366 Speedy Stories.
All the authors donated their stories in aid of children's charities.
Blackwell's Online



I was delighted to find this 5 star review on Amazon:

Wow
This book is stunning I have just read it to my four year old .... (the) rythmn timbre and resonance ... makes it magical to read.... the poetry and wordsmithing make it a delight, the illustrations are of very high quality and realism. A gem
There be Dragons here 'My absolute favourite of this year’s picture books is, however, Caroline Pitcher’s The Winter Dragon. Every night a timid boy’s home-made toy dragon comes alive to tell him stories of battles and elf-hoards, and makes him grow brave. The poignant warmth of this book will light up the darkest days.'
(Amanda Craig in The Times)

'Brighten up the darkness with this warm story and its soft cosy pastel illustrations..........A soothing and comforting message, but grown-up enough for a riveting bedtime read.'
(Junior)

Nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal 2004

Blackwell's Online

Helen Davis reviewed my latest novel The Shaman Boy:

Shaman Boy
'Two things immediately stand out: the warmth and originality of the characters, and the richness of the imaginative description. Reading the book is a sensual experience of shape, colour and texture… the startling use of imagery and language point to the fluid and unsettled nature of reality, throwing up questions about how we see the world, about freedom and choice.
Luka, a blind boy, discovers that he has the power to transfer his spirit to move with an animal, allowing him to experience the world from a stunning variety of perspectives, to marvel at the miracle of the universe.
Sharply contrasted against this dizzying world of possibility is the harsh reality of a village suffering the trauma of recent war. The orphan children love to hear Luka’s stories but Florin’s ability to process any story or information is reduced starkly to “bang bang dead.”
Ultimately, The Shaman Boy is a book about power. Luka must move between the powerlessness of fear and the power of imagination, love and infinity. ..'

You can read the whole review at www.writeaway.org.uk
Click on the book cover above to see the characters, hear Luka's tune and read more reviews.
Berlie Doherty describes The Shaman Boy as 'a feast of a book'.
Blackwell's Online
Film News
Spinning Down the Derwent
It was great to see the finished film at The Ritz, Belper and
meeting up again with everyone who worked on it.


Spinning in Derbyshire

Mariana's super new cover This is the beautiful second edition of Mariana and the Merchild.

Blackwell's Online
Yum!!! take a look at the cover for the Italian edition of
11 o'Clock Chocolate Cake:
Ore 11,Torta Al Cioccolato
In The Frame

Blackwell's Online  

My story 'Wakes' appears in In The Frame, an anthology of young adult stories from the 3 counties, published by Five Leaves.


If you liked my novel Mine you'll like Wakes because it has a similar Derbyshire setting.
The cover is by David Wyatt, who also illustrated the stunning covers for Sky Shifter, Cloud Cat and The Shaman Boy.

 

'The Dolphin Bracelet' appears in
Like Mother, Like Daughter? an anthology for mothers and daughters.

'In this delightful collection... Caroline Pitcher strikes a poignant note in the story of a family holiday with a terminally ill mother' (Valerie Coghlan in Books for Keeps)
Like Mother, Like Daughter?

Blackwell's Online  
Who is Lord of the Forest?

The beautiful

Lord of the Forest

is out in paperback.

 
Blackwell's Online

'For something genuinely awe-inspiring, try Lord of the Forest.......this unforgettable story about a tiger could stop even the stroppiest of infants in their tracks.'
(Nicholas Tucker in The Independent)
'I defy anybody's head not to turn at this magnificent picture book.'
(Emma Shaw in the Derby Evening Telegraph)
'Caroline Pitcher's language is as measured as a tiger's footfall......repetition, alliteration, and rhyme hidden in the prose all contribute to the "tigerliness" when reading aloud......Jackie Morris's drawing is skilful and accurate'
(INIS - Children's Books Ireland)
'The best animal picture book of the season is Lord of the Forest...... Ms Morris's illustrations are lavish and painterly, and the story—who exactly is the king of the jungle?—holds the reader in suspense until the very last page.'
(The Economist)

'beautiful watercolours distinguish this quiet story about grace, humility and identity'
(Kirkus Review)

One of the best things I've ever done is to write
Tam The Eldest
for
Lines in the Sand
Help the children of Iraq
Published by Frances Lincoln for £4.99.

This anthology of writings on war and peace raises money for UNICEF's emergency appeal for the children of Iraq.

PLEASE BUY IT NOW.

Blackwell's Online

If you like a giggle, try my novel
11 o'Clock Chocolate Cake
Things always seem better with chocolate
it's the story of the summer just gone.


It was published by Egmont - complete with recipes for Late Night Noodles, Skanky Skons and Great Huge Cookies!
'What a joy to read! A great book for teenage girls, that had me constantly laughing aloud..... Sadness, tears, joy, depression and anger all take turns to feature. The layout is rather unusual....... the nicknames are very funny...... I loved this book, and read it in three days....... It's like an older version of a Jacqueline Wilson story, but with a few added twists, that keep you guessing until the end.'  (a young reviewer in Education Otherwise)

 

'...a delicious slice of teenage life. Readers will be engaged at once..... Great stuff.' (Adčle Geras in Times Educational Supplement) 'This is a real giggle about the most important things in life - friendship and food!'  (Mizz)

Click here to read more rave reviews


Silkscreen and Mine
Silkscreen - click for info

Mine
Silkscreen has won an Arts Council Writer's Award,
and was nominated for the Carnegie Medal.

'This is a powerful, moving and suspenseful story about loss and despair; but also about how good wins through eventually and how hope can triumph. The writing is excellent - the pitch,the pace and the juxtaposition of modern life against a Victorian background are absorbing and adept. A gripping read.'
(Sheila Wood in The Bookseller)



The Times said Mine was 'an unusually moving story of a girl unwillingly tuned into lamenting voices from the past....remarkable'

It was selected as one of The Times Top Three Teen books of 1997 and chosen by the wonderful Berlie Doherty for `I wish I'd written'.

`Poetic prose and precise figurative language evoke a powerful sense of time and place'  (Books for Keeps)

`an enjoyable story written with great sensitivity'  
(School Librarian)


'I really enjoyed the book and I would definitely read more books by Caroline Pitcher. I would also recommend it to anyone. Mine is very expressive with vivid descriptions that I could picture in my head immediately. Mine is beautifully written. It was really gripping and I couldn’t put it down. The plot is quite complex even though the book is a quick read. I would give Mine 9 out of 10. A must read.'
(Nicola Ho (12) in Writing in Education)
 

Click on the pictures below to see:
some more of my picture books or my early work
Click here to see some more of my picture books Diamond and other earlier work

You can order Caroline Pitcher's books in shops and online bookstores

Click on the picture below to visit Scarthin Books:
Scarthin books seen from the other side of the mill pond at Cromford
or better still visit in person.
You will find every wall covered in books, new and second hand, and friendly staff who live and breathe books. If it all becomes too much you could stop off in their cafe for some delicious home cooked food and proper coffee.

Why not visit the Scattered Authors' website

or an exiting new site launched on World Book Day www.authorhotline.com

or of a wonderful writer and wonderful friend Berlie Doherty


or of a fantastic writer and fantastic friend Patricia Elliott

or of an excellent writer Elizabeth Kay

See the publications of a small Nottingham press Five Leaves

Bridget Mackeith has illustrated lots more books www.bridgetmackeith.co.uk

I was involved in Megaread for www.thelauracentre.org.uk

You can e-mail Caroline at lineyATcarolinepitcher.co.uk (replace 'AT' with '@')

There is a wealth of information about writers and writing at www.ukchildrensbooks.co.uk

You can read Nikki Gamble's interview with me and other writers at www.writeaway.org.uk

If you want to learn how I became a writer you may find this interview interesting www.whystudyenglish.ac.uk

Luka's tune from The Shaman Boy was written and played by Max who has been inspired to a life of Jazz by the marvellous East Midlands Youth Jazz Orchestra now metamorphosed into The Music Hothouse.

You can hear him play or contact him here http://www.myspace.com/maxjohnson2.


Blackwell's Online

NB The publishers listed are those publishing the books in the UK - often different publishers are used in other countries.

This site is a member of WebRing.
To browse visit Here.

 


Click here to return to the top

All texts on this site are the copyright © of Caroline Pitcher unless otherwise attributed.
All illustrations remain the copyright © of the artists acknowledged herein, or their publishers.



Tina Macnaughton