Here is another wonderful wall display of 'You Can't Eat A Princess!'  This one is from Queenswood School, Leeds.

You can see how hard the children and staff have worked on this. I think children like drawing aliens because they can paint them however they like. They don't have to worry about giving them the 'correct' number of arms, eyes etc.

If you have any photos you'd like to share of aliens, princessess or spaceships, do get in touch.

During my recent visits to schools I have been asked some interesting questions by the children :

Do you like chocolate?

Of course. Who doesn't?

Do you like spaghetti?

Not much, it's too messy to eat in front of other people.

Why did you call your princess 'Princess Spaghetti'?

When I pictured her in my mind I saw a princess who looked like she had had a bowlful of spaghetti tipped over her head.

Why did you use aliens in your story?

Going into outer space seems like a great adventure and meeting aliens would be fun - unless they tried to eat you!

Where do you get your ideas from?

From reading a lot of books. It fills your imagination up with new worlds.

Will Princess Spaghetti go on more adventures?

She's going on a new adventure soon and she meets pirates!

Do you like Rhianna? She's a singer.

Yes.

Last week I was visited Marlborough Day Nursery and Ashby Castle Day Nursery, both in Leicestershire. I had been contacted by Gemma at Marlborough Nursery a few months before to say that the children were huge Princess Spaghetti fans and they loved the book, 'You Can't Eat A Princess!'

When I walked into the nursery one of the little girls gasped, "It's Princess Spaghetti!" The children and staff were wonderful, they made me feel so welcome. When I read my story to them, I asked, "What do you think happens next?" (as I usually do) the children knew exactly what was going to happen and who was going to say what! This is a wonderful experience for an author when children know your books so well.

The children had created a wall display, after a brainstorming session. They had made some cupcakes and gave first choice to me - it didn't last and it was so delicious that I nearly fainted with joy.

Even though the children are 3 and 4 they had written the most amazing Princess Spaghetti story :

One day, Princess Spaghetti decided to go swimming with her Grandma and Granddad Cupcake. She got her princess swimming costume, her pink towel and her yellow goggles and she was ready to go.

They got into the Royal Rocket and pressed all the buttons. The rocket moved to the right and then the left and then zoomed off to the swimming pool.

Princess Spaghetti had a great time in the swimming pool and she thought it was too funny when she splashed Grandma and Granddad Cupcake.

After swimming, Princess Spaghetti dried herself off but she was really hungry and she wanted chocolate cake and ice cream. So on the way home she went to see her friends, the aliens who lived on the blue and yellow planet. The aliens had got lots of chocolate now that they weren't eating people anymore, so Princess Spaghetti and Grandma and Granddad Cupcake had a big slice of chocolate cake with pickles on it.

It was getting very late now and King Cupcake would be wondering where they were. So Princess Spaghetti went to say bye to her friends but Grandma and Granddad Cupcake had forgotten about her and had taken the Royal Rocket. There was only one way for Princess Spaghetti to get home and that was on ... the magical speedboat with wings. She pressed the button and pulled the choke and flew up, up and away into space. On her way she sang a song about flying through space. Princess Spaghetti soon got home safe and was ready for her next adventure.

A big thank you to the staff and children. I had a fantastic time.

Here are some photos from the day :

This is the lovely wall display and evidence of the 'brainstorming' exercise. Below is Clare Cockburn holding Bob, the newest member of the nursery (handmade by me and Sarah Mcintyre) and the plate of cupcakes - I wonder where the missing one went?

It's World Book Day this week and there are a lot of events going on. I've got school visits planned which are always lovely because I get to meet lots of children who seem to be in awe of me! At least for the first few minutes. It's funny to see them so quiet to begin with but as I talk to them and ask questions they soon come out of their shells and compete with each other to see who can talk the loudest.

If you have time, why don't you visit the World Book Day website. It has loads of stuff to download such as puzzles, colouring pages, bookmarks etc. Go to http://worldbookday.com/

I'm preparing myself for a nursery visit tomorrow. The teacher has told me that the children are HUGE fans of Princess Spaghetti. I will be taking my doll and aliens to show them. I also have a few gifts for the children which I hope they'll like.

Have a great World Book Day.