Blog

Our recent stories

This Mother’s Day, how about bonding over books?

It’s Mother’s Day this Sunday, March 10, the day when traditionally mums get breakfast in bed (if they’re very lucky) and a day off from the usual chores. How about this Mother’s Day spending some of that free time reading with your children? Even if your youngsters are a little older, reading aloud to, or alongside, them is a great way to bond in a calming, quiet atmosphere.

Sharing a love of reading and books through World Book Day

There are many significant dates in the month of March. We have the first day of spring – in fact, there are two ‘first days’ as March 1 is the vernal equinox and March 20th is the spring equinox – March 8th is International Women’s Day, and the clocks go forward on March 31st. But, here at The Elephant’s Trunk HQ, the one that we love to celebrate is World Book Day, which this year takes place on March 7th.

Why illustrations are essential for children’s books

Can you imagine children’s books – at least those for the younger readers – with no illustrations in them? Just words, words and more words, for youngsters who are probably not old enough to read and who are relying on an adult to read stories to them. How very dull they would look. No wonderful Quentin Blake drawings alongside Roald Dahl’s words; no images of Alfie or Annie Rose alongside the books of author/illustrator Shirley Hughes.

Why diversity is vital in children’s literature

The world would be a very bland place if everyone looked, felt, behaved and spoke in the same way. Variety, as the saying goes, is the spice of life; it’s the rich diversity we have – culturally, ethnically and in terms of ability – that makes the world such an exciting place. But sadly, all too often, our differences aren’t appreciated by others nor are they reflected in what we read, watch or listen to.

Why do children’s books make great films?

Almost since film was invented, moviemakers have been searching for engaging stories to adapt, and they invariably need to look no further than children’s books. Among the first ever films to be made were adaptations of the fairytale Cinderella, a version of which was written by the Grimm Brothers in the early 1800s, although the story itself goes back much further. Since then, countless children’s books have made the silver screen, and at The Elephant’s Trunk, we’ve been taking a look at some of those adaptations to see if we can spot any common themes.

Writing a children’s book? Here are seven key ingredients

Have you got a book in you? Are you yearning to write a story for children? Do you have tales of your own that you think would translate to literature for a younger audience? At The Elephant’s Trunk, we write and publish wonderful books for children of all backgrounds and abilities, and we also love to encourage others to write. We were born out of a passion for writing and literature, that was innate in our co-founder and author Teresa Bellamy. She’s following her dream, and we want to encourage others to do the same.

Eight tips for making reading part of your daily routine

"Books and doors are the same thing. You open them, and you go through into another world,” so said the acclaimed author, Jeanette Winterson. Can you imagine a life without books and reading? Sadly, this is the case for many people around the world, either because they don’t have access to books, or they’ve not yet been inspired by them.

Doing our bit for charity, through the sale of children’s books

When largescale disaster strikes – whether that’s a natural disaster, like the earthquake in Syria and Turkey, or manmade, like Putin’s invasion of Ukraine – it will often bring out the best in people. While the effects of these terrible events unfold, goodness comes about and people across the world will donate money, time, clothing, food… anything that can assist.