Our new big cat reader is now published. This book explains the importance of The Battle of Britain to primary school children.

Bader's Battle.

The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award Nominations 2013

Mick Manning and Brita Granström have been nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award alongside over 200 other candidates from 67 countries in the world.


From the ALMA website:
' The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award is presented every year. The award total is SEK 5 million, making it the biggest international children's and young adult literature award in the world. The award total indicates that reading by children and young adults is extremely important. The total is also intended to inspire those involved in this field.

The award is presented to authors, illustrators, oral storytellers and those active in reading promotion work. The award may be presented to a single recipient or to several, regardless of language or nationality.

The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award is administered by the Swedish Arts Council.

An award by the Swedish people to the worldChildren’s literature has the ability to boost understanding and exchange between cultures and people. Children’s and young adult's access to literature is a precondition for democracy and openness. The award is designed to strengthen children’s rights at a global level. The attention garnered by the award leads to more translations and to more children having access to high-quality literature.

In the spirit of Astrid Lindgren
Astrid Lindgren argued in favour of peace and democracy and against all forms of violence. She participated in social debate as a creator of public opinion in speeches and in newspaper articles. Her deeply humanist spirit also permeates her books. The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award is presented to people and organisations who work in her tradition and safeguard democratic values.

Children have the right to good, entertaining, innovative, provocative and complex literature. Astrid Lindgren was prominent in the development of children’s literature as an art form. In works such as Mio, My Son and The Brothers Lionheart and of course via the revolutionary Pippi Longstocking, she stretched the limits of children’s literature. The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award rewards artistic activity of the very highest quality.'

Brita's Exhibitions

Some images from Brita's two recent exhibitions: Butcher, Baker, Cockle Sweet-Maker and A Breath of fresh Air
can be seen here...

... and the full exhibition list with thumbnails, dimensions and prices as at June 2012 here

Charles Dickens book artwork Exhibition

The artwork from Charles Dickens – Scenes from an Extraordinary Life will be exhibited in the Print Room at the University Gallery and Baring Wing. Newcastle upon Tyne from 18 May - 27 June 2012. This will be framed original artworks.

This will run with Brita's painting exhibitions: A Breath of Fresh Air and Butcher, Baker, Cockle Sweet-Maker. (image below)

Charles Dickens: Scenes From An Extraordinary Life, reviewed by Simon Callow.

Mick and Brita performing in Dallas, Texas. January 2012.

In “Charles Dickens: Scenes From an Extraordinary Life,” Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom take us through the whole life, and do so very wittily, with a telling use of incidents evidently culled from a wide reading of the biographical literature: all sorts of striking detail, like Dickens leaping up from his writing desk to check the expressions on his own face as he wrote, create a fresh and often funny sense of the man. The major novels are neatly summarized in strip cartoons, the visual style is vivacious, with spoken texts ballooning out of people’s mouths, and there is a strong feeling of a life lived...

... anyone of any age who is interested in Dickens would gain something from this book: its verve and wit are infectious. The darker side of Dickens is not dwelt on nor, for this readership, should it be. The subtitle sums it up very well: a wonderful, enduring introduction for young readers.

Simon Callow writing in the New York Times

Buy the book on Amazon here:

There was also a nice review in the Washington Post on the 7th February:

"... like carrying around comic books illustrating Dickens’s life story and many of his most famous stories. It’s fast and fun and historically accurate."

Brita Granström's London Exhibition 2011

This image by photographer and web designer Tom Bland was taken at Brita Granström's solo exhibition of paintings at Kings Place Gallery June-July 2011. A Breath of Fresh Air' was held at University Gallery Newcastle Upon Tyne: May 18th - June 29th 2012. Catalogue are still available from the University Gallery or via email

Strange Meeting. A short story in the Yorkshire Post

Recently Mick was invited by the Yorkshire Post newspaper to write something in under 300 words on 'what I’d tell myself as a teenager'. This is the full version. An edit appeared in the Yorkshire Post in December 2011.

Strange Meeting

We meet on the platform at Haworth station. It’s 1976. I say “Micky, keep your Hawkwind posters; in 30 years you’ll sell them on something called eBay.” I earn a blank look but it breaks the ice.

In The Fleece we reminisce about ‘our’ dad; how he revealed the past as a fascinating place by telling great stories about his Sheffield childhood and his time in the RAF. When Micky tells me he might write a book one day and call it Tail-End Charlie I give him a conspiratorial grin.

Micky reminds me how dad is always telling him to get his hair cut. I chew that memory; it tastes better now I have four sons of my own.

I thought dad would live forever back then. But one morning in 1977 he went off to work and I never saw him again . . . Of course I don’t tell myself that. What I do suggest is to consider parents as a library; a treasure trove; a word-hoard of memories and experiences. Their stories need to be coaxed, appreciated, respected, remembered and passed on. Because there will come a day . . . and much sooner than you think.

Then the landlady cuts things short “TIME GENTLEMAN PLEASE!” As I board the Worth Valley express to 2011 Micky asks shyly, “What’s the journey going to be like then?”

I reply, “Very fast, but with stunning views . . .”

That should be the end of this strange meeting, but as the train pulls out of the station, I can’t resist leaning out of the window and shouting “HEY MICKY! GET YOUR HAIR CUT!”

Brita Granström: Recent paintings.

The Little Thorn Bush (Holy Island) 100 x 80 cm.

The Water of Life 80 x 120 cm

Cherry Picking 80 x 60 cm

Field of Scotch Thistles 80 x 60 cm

The Red Barn 120 x 90 cm.

Stacia Blake and Friends

Mick and Brita were invited by the artist Stacia Blake last summer to join her exhibition Stacia Blake and 54 friend's at the Dunamaise Arts Centre - Portlaoise, Ireland. All works, on the theme of peace, were donated to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum collection by Stacia Blake after exhibition. Mick and Brita donated 2 artworks each.

Girl Folding Cranes. Brita Granström

Animal Peace Camp 2. Mick Manning

Brita Granström self-portrait purchased by the Borchard Collection

Brita's self-portrait Mother of Four was recently selected for the Borchard Self Portrait Competiton Exhibition alongside works by artists that included Maggie Hambling and Celia Paul . Brita's painting was also purchased by the Borchard Foundation for their permanent collection.

Brita's successful summer exhibition 'Life in Landscape' at the Kings Place Gallery, London is re-opening with many new works at the University Gallery and Baring Wing, Newcastle upon Tyne from 23 March - 11 May 2012 http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/universitygallery/exhibitions2011/britagranstrom/

There is a full colour catalogue available.

A series of short films of Brita at work can now be found on Youtube, start with: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZtssiZDX1o