TALES ON MOON LANE

An otherwise small and underfed week was embiggened by a grand old visit to Tales on Moon Lane bookshop in Herne Hill, Londontown, for their snappily, gloriously titled festival, The Sun Comes Out on Moon Lane. How many author, illustrators, kids and growed-ups can you cram into a relatively compact bookshop? Loads, as it turns out, especially if you stretch the festival over a whole week. I poked my nose into the shop on Wednesday along with authors John Boyne and Phil Earle, festivising guru and occasional irishman David Maybury, and the hirsute hunk of he-manitude that is Philip Ardagh. Here are some pictures, 'cause a picture paints a thousand words. Even if all the words are 'picture'.

Standing in line for the No.46 bus with Philip Ardagh and David Maybury.

David's Velcro cardigan is exactly as much fun as it looks.

"The shrinking experiment is a success! MWAHAHAA!" Getting a bit nervous in the presence of Professor Ruby's mad genius.

Picking on a child makes us feel like big men. Or in Philip's case, even bigger men.

David's Velcro hair is exactly as much fun as it looks.

Tom Troung and Jane Harris from Stripes Publishing laugh at my jokes. That's how I remember it anyway.

Alex Milway of Mythical 9th Division Fame turns up for the free booze, Phil Earle (Being Billy and Saving Daisy) talks about his previous as Chief Claw Trimmer for the cast of the musical Cats, and Philip Ardagh finally works out how he's going to blow up the whole stinkin' world.

Congratulations to everyone at Tales on Moon Lane bookshop for a fantastic festival. You all smell lovely.