David Maybury | Blog

Do you like knowing what makes things tick? Or want to find out how to make things explode? Or do you know someone who really just likes to figure things out? Have you had enough questions? How about some answers!

RTÉ are launching a new science show – and they are looking for victims volunteers to compete. They’re looking for teams of three, aged between 10 and 12, who can work together, figure science stuff out, put clues together and can run REALLY fast…

Then this might be for you… Or someone you know. Or someone yiu don’t know… Head over to rte.ie to find out more. (Closing date is 26 February)

Kevin Clash – the man behind the muppet – speaks to TIME.

When you do live events with children and Elmo, do they see you?
Some of the time they do. Most of the time they don’t. But I’m telling you, they just see me holding their friend. They don’t know me from a hole in the wall and they don’t care to.

You’re that guy hanging out with Elmo.
I’m the guy holding their friend. Ever since I’ve been doing Sesame Street that’s been the case. They don’t care about us.

And if that doesn’t give you enough of a Sesame Street fix – have a look at what happened when Elmo met Ricky Gervais.

It’s Easter weekend (translate ‘Easter’ as CHOC-O-LATE!!) And with all that chocolate comes TV – alongside the regular showing of blockbusters, action flicks and some animated specials there are some really great movies.

Starting with tonight… On BBC 1 at 8.30pm there is another chance to see Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death. It went out over Christmas but is one definitely worth a second watch – I’m really starting to believe that Gromit should be working for MI6.

Later tonight – on TV3 is Roddy Doyle’s The Snapper. If you’re older than 25 then this movie should need no introduction. And if you don’t know it… well get watching!

And one more – already picked up by Achoka and the VHC – is the adaptation of David Almond’s Skellig on Sunday at 7pm on Sky 1. Skellig was one of my favourite books growing up and I’ve stayed a huge Almond fan ever since. So there is no bias in recommending that you stay in this Sunday, curl up with a chocolate egg or three and enjoy the show!

Oliver Jeffer’s brilliant Lost and Found has been adapted as a 30 minute short for television by Studio aka. So set your vision-boxes to Channel Four at half two this afternoon (or half twelve on Stephens’ Day) and enjoy the eye-candy.

More over on the studio aka site.

The final installment of the BBC Four series on children’s literature – Now We Are Growing Up – airs tonight at 9pm. The show features interviews with Philip Pullman, Jacqueline Wilson, Eoin Colfer, David Almond, Ralph Steadman and Dave McKean.

More on the series here and here.

The second part of BBC Four’s series exploring childhood reading – Now We are Six – is on tonight at 9. Looking at classic books, from Alice in Wonderland to The Wind in the Willows, Winnie the Pooh, the works of Roald Dahl, Raymond Briggs and Voices in the Park by Anthony Browne. Philip Pullman, Jacqueline Wilson, Anthony Horowitz and Quentin Blake all make appearances too.

Those who got to see last weeks episode tell me it was interesting, useful and was preceded by a great documentary about the life and times of Kenneth Grahame. Tonight’s preceding writer is E Nesbit, the lady behind The Railway Children.

If anyone needs me, I’ll be peaking in through the window next door. They have digital… More about the three part series here.

The journo’s have started up the smoke machines, donned their best towels (on their heads, don’t be rude) and polished up their crystal balls to have a look at what is coming up over the next few months in television and books.

TV this Autumn is covered on the times.co.uk – one of my highlights has to be Merlin on BBC One:

No Robin Hood this autumn (that’s back in the new year); Saturday teatimes will instead get a magical, Arthurian makeover. Colin Morgan will star as the fledgling wizard, opposite Richard Wilson, Anthony Head, Michelle Ryan and a dragon sounding suspiciously like John Hurt.

And in books Suzi Feay over in the Indepenent UK has a look at what will be the next big thing -

And the next big children’s book is… about a bunch of kids in a boarding school! Andy Mulligan’s Ribblestrop (Simon & Schuster, April 2009) is a hilarious and morally questionable tale about a disastrous school whose pupils can be counted on the fingers of one hand. The building was falling down even before a disaffected pupil set fire to it. Health and safety is non-existent, rebuilding and DIY forms a major part of the curriculum, and a donkey sanctuary occupies the playing fields. The book’s hapless hero, Sam, is concussed, scalded and stripped of most of his clothes in the very first chapter. Ribblestrop has the “crazy school” appeal of Hogwarts and the grim humour of Lemony Snicket, and looks like a winner.

It’ll be interesting to see how the predictions fair once the smoke clears… In the mean time I’m off to find a beginners guide to tarot cards.

A few quick clippings from the papers over the last few days:

> Deirdre Falvey has a look at children’s festivals throughout October – no mention of the Book Festival though which is really odd… (irishtimes.com)
> Frank Cotrell Boyce looks at Terry Pratchett’s new book – Nation (guardian.co.uk)
> Adele Geras enjoys Eva Ibbotson’s The Dragonfly Pool (guardian.co.uk)
> UK children’s minister, Ed Balls, is against age-branding on books (guardian.co.uk)
> Amanda Craig looks at three books featuring well-known heroes as children (times.co.uk)
> I’m sure I linked to this already but: Philip Pullman’s Essential Reading List (times.co.uk)
> Stephanie Meyer’s new book has been put on indefinite hold after a draft was leaked online (times.co.uk)
> Star of MTV’s reality show The Hills Lauren Conrad is working on a young adult fiction series (rte.ie)
> UTV’s new sitcom, No Heroics, following the everyday lives of British superheroes kicks off next Thursday (Guardian.co.uk)

Right, back to nursing a hangover. Ugh.

If you’re near a TV today at about 4pm switch over to the Den on RTÉ 2. Patrick Ness, the man behind The Knife of Never Letting Go, is on The Buzz with Sonagh and Declan.

>> Go watch the clip on RTÉ.ie