Quentin Blake

Whilst waiting for the Children to enter Raheny Library for my recent reading there (See here) I spied on the Shelf, ‘Quentin Blake’s book of Nonsense Verse’ and decided to pick it up and have a flick through… Two of my favourite things in one book, Nonsense Verse and Quentin Blake’s Illustrations.

My first memories of Quentin Blake, were not the Roald Dahl books. In fact when Quentin Blake started illustrating Roald Dahl Stories and Rhymes, I was a teenager and supposedly to old for Roald Dahl (Though you are never to old for Roald Dahl.)

I remember a collection of books about a detective called, Agaton Sax. Now the fact that he was a detective is all I can remember about the stories except, the wonderfully quirky illustrations which were added by Mr Quentin Blake. The drawings seemed so different and more fun than the other books and I’ve been a fan of his ever since. I was overjoyed when he became Children’s Laureate. I would love for him to illustrate one of my poems.

A friend of mine when seeing my book told me that my illustrations reminded him of the Roald Dahl illustrations, and I took it as a massive compliment, (Although Mr Blake may be insulted.)

I’ve toyed with the idea of sending Mr Blake my collection of verse, but I’m not sure of my intentions of doing so. Would I like to be included if a new or updated collection of ‘Quentin Blake’s book of Nonsense Verse’ becomes available? Well of course I would but I’m not sure how likely that is. Maybe I just want to inform him how much he influenced someone who didn’t want to be an illustrator and became one simply to add pictures to his own work… Who knows the reasons I have, I’ve not yet sent a copy to him and he probably receives so many books mine won’t make a difference…

I’ll just stick to enjoying the Illustrations already available.