On the 9th February 2010, Dorcan Technology College, hosted an event to which an author and an illustrator came to our school to talk to us about their series of books. They are called the Edge Chronicles. Now I know what you’re thinking, well I think I do, that they must have been boring. Probably just sat there reading out a book for you and explaining who is who and what is what. It wasn’t like that you know. They were funny and made a lot of jokes about Paul’s terrible drawing, whilst Chris Riddell was sketching awesome pictures of the monsters on the white board (Chris has given these to the school library now).

First they spoke about how and when they met, which was 18 years ago at their children’s nursery. Paul then decided to draw some of his own pictures but “they looked like potatoes”, I quote. He phoned Chris and convinced him to draw some to go with some “hedgehog and rabbit books”. Chris was getting bored just drawing “cute little rabbits with huge eyes and hedgehogs with little paws” and decided to tell Paul that he thought the books should be darker, so to speak and so the Edge Chronicles were born.

Their relationship grew stronger than most authors and illustrators. So strong in fact that Chris has had quite a lot of impact on these books, not just drawing.

Some of the characters that they told us about were: The Wig Wig – a cute, fluffy little creature that flies around in groups of 20,000 but when they opened their jaws, row and rows of sharp, inch long teeth can be seen.

Banderbear – a huge vicious looking bear, with massive teeth and speaks only one word, Woh, but with a lot of feeling, I must say. They were only two of the amazing characters they have invented.

I, and many other children and adults, were very thrilled to have experience such a performance. Nythe and Liden primary schools came to this event along with 7 other Swindon Secondary schools.

For more information visit: www.weirdnewworlds.com. You will certainly enjoy the books, I know I will.

By Georgie Pitts, Year 7, Dorcan Technology College