Poems and Songs
I come from a musical background - my father played the cello and my mother loved to sing. My sister and I were in the Children’s Opera Group which regularly put on musicals and operettas, and from an early age I wrote musical plays for friends and family to perform.
As a student I went busking in Paris to eke out a living, and that led to more writing and performing of songs for adults and children. When I sent a tape of songs to the BBC they started to use them on children’s television programmes. It was only when the words of one of my songs, “A Squash and a Squeeze” were made into a book in 1993 that I turned my hand to book-writing. Since then the television songwriting seems to have fizzled out, though I would love to do more of it.
Probably because of my song-writing background, many of my picture books are in rhyme, and I have also written two collections of verses.
I have now written songs to accompany some of my picture books, and these are included in the audio and Big Book versions of the picture books. ( See Audio and Big Books.) You can see Malcolm and me singing some of these songs on the Gruffalo website including a special 10th birthday song for the Gruffalo!
I have also written two family musicals for adults to perform and one for children to act. (See Musicals.)
In addition, I have recorded two CDs of my songs for grown-ups. These are First Fourteen and Second Fourteen.
The Gruffalo Song and Other Songs
illustrated by Axel Scheffler
Macmillan,
isbn 1-405-02234-5
I have always written songs, including over 80 for children’s television programmes. When I perform these in schools, teachers have often asked me if they can buy a tape or c.d. Well, now they can! This book and c.d. contains nine songs – some of the television ones alongside some newer ones based on my picture books. I sing them myself, with a great live band, and there is also an instrumental version, which provides an accompaniment for schools or families without an instrument-player. The book contains the words, guitar chords and the music arranged for piano.
Click the play button for the Funny Face chorus
Room an the Broom and Other Songs
illustrated by Axel Scheffler
Macmillan,
isbn 1405053666
A second collection of songs, some of them based on my picture books, others with actions for children to join in at home or school. The book is accompanied by a CD in which my husband Malcolm and I sing the songs accompanied by some brilliant musicians. The book contains the words, guitar chords and music arranged for piano, and is wittily illustrated by Axel Scheffler.
Click here to see Julia and Malcolm singing one of the songs from the book
Crazy Mayonnaisy Mum
illustrated by Nick Sharratt
Macmillan,
58 poems suitable for 5-7-year-olds – story poems, reflective rhymes, scenes from everyday life, a whole mixture.
I have always loved writing in verse since I was a small child. (This collection also contains a few which don’t rhyme) I was thrilled to have this opportunity to gather together poems I had already written and to add some new ones.
Wriggle and Roar
– Rhymes to Join in with
illustrated
by Nick Sharratt
Macmillan,
isbn 1405021667
“Whenever I’m tired of being me
I swing around like a chimpanzee.”
Seventeen brightly illustrated rhymes which children can join in, either with noises or actions.
shortlisted for the Early Years book award.
"This book will animate, engage and stimulate babies and have nursery classes jumping about with noisy enthusiasm." The Sunday Times (Book of the Week)
"the perfect way to tire out lively toddlers…" It’s timeless, irresistible and will encourage our youngest readers to be book-lovers for ever." The Bookseller
There is also a book and CD version with Justin Fletcher listed on the audio page
The Sharing a Shell Song
illustrated
by Lydia Monks
Macmillan,
isbn 978 0 2300 1495 4
This is a small book, originally produced for World Book Day 2007, which has the words, melody line and chord symbols for the song based on my picture book Sharing a Shell.
Click to see Julia and Malcolm sing the Sharing a Shell song
The Gruffalo Song
illustrated by Axel Scheffler
Macmillan,
isbn 0333962222
This is a small book, originally produced for World Book Day 2001, which has the words, melody line and chord symbols for the song based on my picture book The Gruffalo.
The Room on the Broom Song
illustrated by Axel Scheffler
Macmillan,
isbn 0333992849
This is a small book, originally produced for World Book Day 2002, which has the words, melody line and chord symbols for the song based on my picture book Room on the Broom
The Tyrannosaurus Drip Song
illustrated by Axel Scheffler
Macmillan,
isbn 9780230736108
This is a small book, produced for World Book Day 2009, which has the words, melody line and chord symbols for the song based on my picture book Tyrannosaurus Drip
Click here to see Julia and Malcolm singing the Tyrannosaurus Drip song
The following books (described fully in the Picture Books and the Educational Books sections) all have rhyming texts:
Chocolate Mousse for Greedy Goose
In addition, the following titles from my phonic rhyming scheme Songbirds are in rhyme:
Singing Dad, Moan, Moan, Moan!, Sue Kangaroo, Paula the Vet, Clare and the Fair, My Cat, Tim’s Bad Mood.