Oliver Who Would Not Sleep

Mara Bergman grew up in Wantagh, Long Island, USA, and knew at an early age that she wanted to be a writer. Her poems have been published in many magazines, and she received a Writer's Bursary from South East Arts UK for 1995/6, as well as prizes in several poetry competitions. Mara has always felt a strong link between poetry and picture books, and she began to write for children when her own were young. She now works in London as a children's fiction editor and lives in Tunbridge Wells with her family and their many pets. Nick graduated in English & Drama from London University in 1981. He pursued a career in the theatre - acting and directing in the London fringe and, during this time, devloped an interest in drawing, which soon took over as a full-time career. He was shortlisted for the Mother Goose Award in 1996 (for Welcome Night) and the Children's Book Award in 1998 (for Brave Whale). Parenting Magazine in America gave Big Blue Whale an award. He has a daughter and a son and lives in London.

In Oliver Who Would Not Sleep (Hodder ?10.99), "Oliver Donnington Rimington-Sneep COULDN'T and DIDN'T and WOULD NOT SLEEP!" as a splendidly rhythmic text by Mara Bergman unfolds the story of a boy's imaginative play. He takes a trip to Mars before he settles down. Nick Maland's stylish illustrations add intriguing incident to the tale, using muted colour and lots of pattern. -- Nicolette Jones, Times A celebration of imagination and creativity. -- Julia Eccleshare, The Guardian A celebration of sleeplessness -- My Child A creative tour de force, this book marries Bergman's sparkling rhyming text with Nick Maland's distinctive textured illustrations. -- The Glasgow Herald On their previous book, Snip Snap: *Nick Maland's clever perspectives make the alligator increasingly alarming as he swells to fill more and more of the page in this well-created story of facing down fear.? - The Guardian? 10/04/2005 *Using elements of rhythm and rhyme as well as an enjoyably predicable question-and-answer refrain the text maintains a playful tone beneath the scary details... Expressive line drawings, brightened with watercolour washes, illustrate the story with wit and style... good fun.? - Booklist? *Mara Bergman and Nick Maland tell an amusing and tension-filled tale that turns tail and runs on adrenaline power until the very end. The illustrations add to the appeal of this book.? - The Lady? *To accompany this lively text, Maland creates pictures that not only mirror the writing, but also offer humor and fun on each page... Reading this picture book aloud is great fun for the reader and listener.? - Parents' Choice Foundation 2005 -- Snip Snap ATI With its rhythmic text, this action packed bedtime story is fun to read aloud and well complemented by brightly coloured illustrations. Characters and foregrounds are large and freely drawn with black outlines and ligh shading whereas the backgrounds are incredibly detailed. -- Carousel