Charles Dickens Scenes from an Extraordinary Life

by Granstrom, Brita; Manning, Mick

• ISBN13: 9781847801876
• ISBN10: 1847801870
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-11-01
• Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books

Summary

The extraordinary life and genius of Charles Dickens is brought alive for primary-age children by the author-illustrator team behind the bestselling What Mr Darwin Saw. Published to celebrate the bi-centenary of Dickens' birth, this beautifully and entertainingly illustrated 48 page picture book vividly dramatises his life, beginning with his birth in Portsmouth and early childhood near the docks in Chatham, and follows the young Charles through the hardship of working in a blacking factory at the age of 10 to his years at school and his early career as a reporter. Key incidents that inspired the later novels are described, and his marriage, family life, dramatic readings and tours of the USA are included. What emerges is touching portrait of a writer with amazing observational skills, a social conscience and a strong sense of drama. Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom specialise in fun, lively non-fiction picture books. They share the illustrations between them and mix up words and pictures in inventive and delightful ways. They have won many awards, including the Smarties Silver Award and the English Association Award. As well ast What Mr Darwin Saw, their recent successes include Tail-End Charlie and Taff in the WAAF.

Author Biography

Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom have won many awards for their picture information books, including the Smarties Silver Award and the English Association Award. Their books for Frances Lincoln include The Beatles, Charles Dickens: Scenes from an Extraordinary Life, What Mr Darwin Saw, Tail-End Charlie, Taff in the WAAF, The Secrets of Stonehenge, Dino-Dinners, Woolly Mammoth, the Fly on the Wall series: Roman Fort, Viking Longship, Pharaoh's Egypt and Greek Hero, and Nature Adventures. They have four sons, and divide their time between the North of England and Brita's homeland of Sweden. Find out more about their books at www.mickandbrita.com.

MICK MANNINGÿandÿBRITA GRANSTRÖMÿhave developed a unique approach to picture information books over the last 21 years. Sharingÿthe illustration between them and mixing words and pictures in inventive ways, they have won many awards, including the Smarties SilverÿAward, and are five-times winners of the English Association Award. Mick fell in love with wildlife on primary school nature walks many yearsÿago, and has an MA in Natural History Illustration from the Royal College of Art. Brita grew up on a farm, and has an MFA from Konstfack inÿStockholm. They spend a lot of their time having both Swedish and British Wild Adventures with their four children. Their other books for Frances Lincoln include:ÿThe Beatles;ÿCharles Dickens,ÿScenes from an Extraordinary Life;ÿWhatÿMr Darwin Saw;ÿTail-End Charlie;ÿTaff in the WAAF;ÿThe Secrets of Stonehenge;ÿWoolly Mammoth;ÿandÿtheÿFly on the Wallÿseries:ÿRomanÿFort, Viking Longship;ÿPharoah's Egypt;ÿGreek Hero.

Excerpts

1824 - I Must WorkIn which 12-year-old Charles is forced by his parents to get a job!"The blacking warehouse was a crazy, tumbledown house, on the river and overrun with old, grey rats. My work was to cover the pots of paste-blacking and to tie them round with a string... No words can express the secret agony of my soul! My whole nature was so penetrated with the grief and humiliation."