September saw the launch of a great new book aimed at the pre-school to seven years age group – Maya and Marley and the Great Big Tidy Up.
The launch party itself was as child-centred and vibrant as the book itself, being held in the very playground that inspired the story – the Hornimans Adventure Playground, Ladbroke Grove, in West London.
From the children’s steel pan band, made up of pupils from St Thomas CE Primary School – Laura’s old school, to the playground goats and the way-too-tempting selection of party food, this was a great party and one of the most energetic book launches I’ve attended in a long time. And, Councillor Will Lane, Mayor of Kensington and Chelsea, who was also attending the event, looked to be having a great time too.
Author Laura, is already well-known as creator of the JoJo and Gran Gran characters, developed into the popular CBeebies series for which Laura is also the show’s associate producer.
During the launch, Laura presented a powerful speech, talking not just about her book, but also focusing on her concerns for the lack of spaces available for adventure play and playgrounds like this – the exact playground she spent her childhood in. This is where together with her siblings, Laura has fond memories of building bonfires and construction play with hammer and nails – with no fears for any safety concerns!
These community spaces, Laura pointed out, hold benefits that reach far beyond their initial purpose, such as acting as community meeting places. For example, this playground, that has been here for over 60 years, is used every Tuesday as the sight for the local foodbank.
This community spirit runs through Laura’s book, with Maya and Marley living in their very own playground with Mum, Dad and pet goats Lou and Chou, and they love it.
But, when the playground becomes overrun with litter, it's up to Maya and Marley to plan a tidy up, together with lots of help from friends, family and a community keen to help. The book focuses not just on the importance of looking after the planet, but also highlights the fact that caring for the world around you can be fun – especially if everybody chips in!
Laura, who is a mother of two older boys, has a solid grounding in early years education, having formerly worked in many early education roles, including nursery manager, Ofsted inspector, and vice-president of The British Association for Early Childhood – to name but a few.
During the event, Laura made an impassioned plea for the ring-fencing of adventure play budgets, stating the importance the playground had on her own life. Arriving in the area from Maida Vale to live in social housing after her dad stopped paying the mortgage, Laura has no regrets, as this meant she had the opportunity to grow up in the park, playing with friends until home time. She has great memories of playtimes fueled by imagination, exploration and freedom, feelings which Laura has managed to capture in her story. Laura’s love for the park shines through.
Maya and Marley and the Great Big Tidy Up is illustrated by Yabaewah (Ya-bay-wah) Scott’s vibrant and distinctive artwork, and there’s something in these illustrations that’s a bit reminiscent of children’s books of years gone by – they remind me of the original Topsy and Tim books – and they really do bring Laura’s story to life, with loads of child appeal. Each page is packed with little details such as stickers on bike helmets and the different hairstyles children wear, bringing individuality to each character, details which Laura collaborated on, wanting to get these just right.
Early years settings and parents will get a lot of milage from this book, with many ways to have fun with your children, for example, by talking about people who help us, looking after our planet, and friendships – just spotting all the little details will be a great activity in its own right, and Laura has also added some advice of her own at the end of the book.
Laura herself should really have the last word here, saying, ‘Horniman Adventure Playground is in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea – the wealthiest borough in London, but all the wealth is concentrated in other areas, leaving the Golborne ward which covers Ladbroke Grove, as one of the poorest. I hope that local children reading the book will take pride from seeing the place they live in being portrayed in a positive light and will confidently say, “I’m from Ladbroke Grove, where Maya and Marley come from!” ‘
Laura Henry-Allain will be speaking at Nursery World's Sustainability Conference on 12 November
