Maisy's Christmas Blog!

It’s almost time for Christmas! Maisy is busy getting into the spirit of things by decorating her tree and giving presents to all her friends. It’s got the Character team here at Walker HQ thinking about our own special traditions, and the ways which we share the festive season with our loved ones. We’ve written about some of our favourites!

Plus see below for your chance to win a set of Maisy Christmas books and a Maisy plush toy.

Ruby, Assistant Editor

For me, Christmas has always been about spending time with friends and family, and finding ways of showing them how much I love them… but it’s also about eating a lot of food. It’s the one time of year where the level of sugar that I want to eat on a daily basis is socially acceptable. So how to best combine my twin passions of that warm, Christmassy feeling of family and homecoming with my desire to eat my body weight in biscuits?

A gingerbread house!

Every year, my friend and I get together and spend an afternoon baking and going overboard with the sprinkles and edible glitter. It always gets me in a festive mood, and the consequent sugar coma is topped only by the feeling of love and goodwill I get from sharing the house with all the people that make me feel most at home. I’m sure Maisy would approve.

This is likely the exact moment I had my revelation

Mara, Senior Editor

In my family, the Christmas season officially starts once the tree goes up. We would drive to the Christmas tree farm together, and after carefully considering each option (pine or fir? tall or fat – or both?), choose the right one to take home with us.

Once my parents had strung on the fairy lights, it was time to decorate. We had boxes and boxes of ornaments – wooden nutcrackers that my mother had saved from when she was a child… glass-blown ornaments that my scientist father had made in the lab… the clothespin-reindeer and origami snowflakes that my brother and sister and I made at school each year, and so many more!

It wasn’t without a struggle; my siblings and I argued excessively over who got to hang the tiny fur mittens and the shiny green pickle! But when we had finally worked everything out, we were sure that we had the most beautiful, special Christmas tree ever.

 Reading our favourite Christmas books beside the tree.

My tree this year – still covered in ornaments!

Isabelle, Art Director

One of my best Christmas memories is a culinary one! I grew up in the French countryside, and my mum was the most fantastic cook. However, the traditional Christmas chestnut cream log – which my brothers would fight about – was not my favourite thing, and I never thought it was exceptional in any way.

One year, we were all invited to spend the Epiphany with my dad’s friend (who later in life opened his own restaurant), and they served the traditional pudding, "galette des rois”. First, the smell of the almond puff pastry fresh out of the oven was amazing. When I took my first bite, it was the best dessert I ever tasted. It was sweet but not too sweet, melting inside and crunchy outside, warm and simply delicious. And there was also a little charm hidden inside… whoever found it became the king or queen and got to wear the golden crown. How exciting!

Last year – only forty years later – I tried to bake “galette des rois” myself for the first time. I invited my lovely English neighbours, who were polite enough to eat it with us. I don’t think the taste was anywhere near the one I had back then, but it was about sharing traditions, discovering something new and having fun!

This year, I am looking forwards to Christmas, of course… but I can’t wait for January the 6th when we shall have “galette des rois” again.

 Me and my nephew

WIN a Maisy Christmas prize!

We have copies of Maisy's Christmas Tree and Maisy's Christmas Presents plus a Maisy soft plush toy to give away to one lucky winner! For your chance to win just email your name and address to competitions@walker.co.uk with 'Maisy Christmas' in the subject line for your chance to win. 

Competition closes on 21st December 2017. Terms and conditions apply.

A Busy Day for Birds by Lucy Cousins out now in paperback!

Peck, hop, flap and make some noise in A Busy Day for Birds, a story full of colour, rhyme and feathered friends – now in paperback!

Flap your wings, fly up high, open your beak and sing in this fun action rhyme story about fantastical birds by multi-award-winning author Lucy Cousins. 

"Can you imagine ... just for one day ... you're a busy bird? Yes, a bird! Hooray!" Can you stand on one leg like a flamingo or waddle like a penguin? How about say "cock-a-doodle-doo!", "tuwit-tuwoo" and even "tra-la-la"? What a busy day you will have! A bouncy read-aloud book to be enjoyed; beautifully illustrated with bold, bright colours and packed with all sorts of wild and wonderful birds!

We went behind the scenes with author-illustrator Lucy Cousins and found out all about the making of the book in this video…

We're not the only ones who love A Busy Day for Birds!

“A picture book aviary of brilliantly painted plumage ... a riotous, interactive, zingingly colourful book – perfect to share with the very young.” Guardian

“A real joy, popping with colour and energy, an irresistible read-aloud rhyme.” The Bookseller

Pick up a copy of A Busy Day for Birds in your local bookshop.

Join in the fun and download our free A Busy Day for Birds activity sheets.

5 Reasons we LOVE Maisy

Lucy Cousin’s beloved Maisy Mouse has been around for over 25 years now. So why do we love Maisy so much? Well, here are five reasons from the Maisy team at Walker to get started…

1) Maisy is an excellent role model for girls and boys of all ages

Want to drive a train? Fly to the moon? Board a pirate ship and search for buried treasure? Maisy has done it all! From playing football to making lemonade to growing her own garden, Maisy is never afraid to take on a challenge. Little ones and grownups take note; anything is possible for girls, boys or – in Maisy’s case – mice!

2) Maisy is a good friend

Whether it’s taking a scared Charley to the dentist when he has a wobbly tooth, comforting Eddie when he’s having a tough day, or picking out the perfect present for everyone, you can always rely on Maisy to be there for her friends! Maisy always brings wisdom, laughter and fun… not to mention the best snacks!

3) Maisy is creative

Here at Walker, we love a good “crafternoon”… and so does Maisy! From her inspired fancy dress Zebra costume to the colourful works of art hanging all over her house, Maisy books are full of resourceful ideas and creative things to make and do. In fact, when we are working on the Maisy books, it’s usually a good excuse to crack out the glitter glue…

4) Maisy is adventurous

When Maisy heads out on a day trip or to ride the tallest roller coaster at the funfair, it often prompts us to get our own boots on and go out on adventures. As much we all love to curl up with a good book, Maisy’s passion for camping, swimming and the big, beautiful world in general is great for inspiring us to go outdoors.

5) Maisy is just so fun and colourful

Maisy’s creator, Lucy Cousins, has always loved working with bright, bold colours, and Maisy is no exception – her whole world is full of vibrant colours and characters. Every detail, from clothing to the tasty feasts, just pops on the page. It’s a joy to look at and work with, and a big reason why Maisy is still so fun, lively and well-loved after all this time. 

So there you have it! Just five of the many reasons we love Maisy so much. Did we miss anything off the list? Let us know why you love Maisy below! 

Don’t forget to check out Maisy’s latest lift-the-flap adventure Beep, Beep Maisy!... not that she needs to toot her own horn when we’re so happy to do it for her.

Celebrating Independent Bookshop Week with Maisy

It’ll be no surprise to learn that Walker’s Maisy team have always loved bookshops. We asked the Editors to share some of their favourite childhood memories from browsing the shelves for their favourite stories.

Mara – Senior Editor, Character Publishing

Every year, my grandparents would come to look after my brother, my sister and I for a week. One of the first things we always did was drive to our local bookshop – Aunt Louise’s Bookshop – where each of us was allowed to pick out our very own book!

I was very lucky to grow up near a wonderful library, where I spent many afternoons… but still there was something so special about choosing my own book – to keep!
Like Maisy, I would start by wandering down the aisles, perusing the books and reading about hippos and ducklings and caterpillars. I gave all the potential candidates to my grandmother to hold, and then I would plonk myself down on the cosy beanbag chairs while sorting into piles of “yes” and “maybe next time”. When my brother and sister and I had finally chosen that one special book, we would snuggle up and read our new books together over and over again. Just as Maisy and her friends do!

This year for Independent Bookshop Week, I plan to go to my lovely local bookshop The Alligator’s Mouth, where I will be found meandering among the bookcases and up and down the stairs until I find that one special book to take home with me!

Ruby – Assistant Editor, Character Publishing

I have a big, busy and very loud family, so reading books when I was younger was always an opportunity to escape the noise and enter into my own world. Going to bookshops meant getting to choose where to escape to next… A pirate ship! A fairy castle! An alien planet! The choices were endless. Just like Maisy, I spent a lot of time dreaming up new places to explore and things to be with my friends.

I still get the same rush of excitement when I go into a bookshop today: that feeling that anything is possible. There must be some magic spell that all bookshop owners are in on, because I think no matter where you are or where you go, bookshops have this wonderful mix of tweed and fairy dust in the air. You walk in, and you feel immediately like you’ve entered a secret treasure cave, or the hallowed halls of some ancient place of learning. And then you dive in! I could – and have – got lost between the stacks for hours, torn between giant tomes of bizarre historical goings on and beautiful, bright picture books. That’s why I love Independent Bookshop Week so much; it’s the perfect excuse to explore some of the world’s most magical shops, new and old, and find my next favourite story. Just like Maisy does.

Visit the bookshop with Maisy and her friends in Maisy Goes to the Bookshop – out now! And don’t forget to look for Maisy events at your local bookshop for Independent Bookshop Week.