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| Sunday, 19 January 2003 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Wonderful Bond is here to see children An author who has made a name in the UK and abroad for his action-packed author visits and writers workshops in schools and libraries, will be here tomorrow. Brought here by the British Council (BC), Denis Bond, famed for his children's TV series "Pipkins" and almost 70 books of lively, funny children's picture stories such as "The train who was frightened of the dark", "The Monster who couldn't scare anyone" and "The Granny who wasn't like other Grannies," will afford, by the workshops, an opportunity for the BC's Young Learners Centre Members to improve their reading/writing skills in English. "Denis Bond was wonderful!," comments the British Council, Hong Kong. "The popularity of his storytelling on the Park Lawn far outshone the others and attracted a lot of locals who oohed and aahed as he took them along the emotional roller coaster. He has such natural talent as a teacher, relates to children so well and inspires their creative imagination with such ease..." Bond is expected to visit schools in Colombo, Kandy and Matara to conduct workshops for their students as well as to the Young Learner Members belonging to the age groups 5-7, 8-10, 11-12 and 13-15, until January 26. "I like writing for children because it is much harder than writing for adults," says Bond. "Children are far more critical." Nevertheless, the TV and film rights for his first blockbuster for young adults, "No.1" have already been sold to a major British film company, promising to be a major hit. "Avenue", another novel for 10+, is an enormously successful title about soap operas. His "Point Romance" series is for adults, penned under the name Denis Colby. Bond, whose immensely successful fun picture books are illustrated by Valeria Petrone, has a gem of an advice for those who want to write for children. "Talk with them," he chides. "Not to them, or at them, but with them! I get my writing ideas by constantly talking with children and they tell me what they'd like to read about." Bond was trained for theatre at the Rose Bruford College and has worked in repertory theatre in London's West End, besides TV and Radio. His writings for radio includes Radio 4's "The Listening Corner." A teacher before he gave that profession up when commissioned to write 26 episodes for "Pipkins" which ran five years, Bond has also turned out three equally successful series: "Ranbow", "The Munch Bunch" and "Let's Pretend." Bond, who now splits his time between acting, writing and author-visits to schools, has visited more than 500 schools in the UK and conducted writers' workshops in Australia, Hong Kong, Portugal, Germany and Czech Republic. "I will visit schools in any part of the country or indeed in any part of the world," he assures. "I cover ALL age groups, infants, juniors, the whole primary range, or secondary schools." Bond can be contacted on [email protected]. His web page www.denisbond.co.uk will reveal more details about his school visits. - J.L. |
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