Something to get the festive juices flowing!

I bumped into PJ Lynch outside Hodges Figgis bookshop in Dublin, looking a little nervous… He’ll be painting inside the shops main display window next week.
Definitely worth checking out!

Last Saturday, deep in the bowels of Dublin’s Mansion House, the great, the good and the misbehaved, of the internet gathered round to celebrate the best of the Irish websites.

And it was no mean feat that Liam and Craig of The Comic Cast fame nabbed the gong for Best Independent Podcaster. Our very own scamps are now, officially, Ireland’s best podcast!

Congratulations lads!! Hugely deserved and fantastic recognition for all of the hard work.

Have you heard the latest and greatest show to hit the airwaves? Check out Gráinne Clear’s show, Little Pages on RTEjr – tackling all things books from way back when to the the hottest thing next week.

You can catch the first show here.

BBC Radio 4 talks to legendary illustrators and authors Tomi Ungerer and Judith Kerr about their work and growing up during World War II.

Laureate na nÓg Siobhán Parkinson, Children’s Books Ireland and the Austrian Embassy are launching an exhibition of illustrations by children’s illustrators from Ireland and Austria – Images Beyond Borders.

The exhibition will be launched with a discussion on children’s book illustration by Niamh Sharkey and Valerie Coghlan (7pm on Friday 7 October, at the No Grants Gallery/ The Culture Box)

Click for more details.

Those clever folks at The Ark have a great line up coming up – including a SPOOOOOOKY season in October with illustrators Bruce Ingman and Chris Judge.

But wait. There’s something else. Something BIG.

They have Cliff Wright. You know Cliff Wright the guy from Sussex… draws pictures, paints a little, sculpts, teaches. No? Oh, you mean you’ve never seen the cover of a Harry Potter book?? Yup – that’s him!

Not to be missed!

New York Times talks to Maurice Sendak on his return to writing in his new book Bumble-Ardy.

What inspired your return to writing?

There hasn’t been a stopping point. It just takes me longer because I’m older. The book that’s coming out in September has been two or three years in the making. I’m working on another book right now.

Great chance to catch Declan Shalvey signing in Dublin.

Simone Lia has a great tutorial on the art of drawing bunnies over at the guardian.