Handa's Noisy Night

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Gender and race must be intrinsically reflected in all children's media. If it isn't, childrengrow up seeing inequality as normal. So yes, diversity in picture books is very important. Writer-illustrator Eileen Browne talks about the enduring appeal of Handa's Surprise, and all about her new Handa adventure: Handa's Noisy Night. As they carried on playing more noises occurred and Akeyo had an answer for each one. Her mum playing the shaker, her grandad wheeling his bike. Eventually after a noisy night the girls fell asleep. Eileen Brown wrote and Handa's Surprise, and she created the beautiful illustrations for it too - what a talent!

All the Handa books needed extensive research. For Handa's Surprise, the well-knownanimals were mostly found in library books, zoos and safari parks. I love drawing from lifeand until I looked at a real giraffe, hadn't realised what long tongues, whiskers andeyelashes they have. Finding nocturnal south-west Kenyan creatures for Handa's NoisyNight was more difficult. Zoos and wildlife parks had a few, but in daytime they were usuallyasleep. In London Zoo's "Twilight Zone", bush babies and bats tore around so fast in thesemi-dark, that I couldn't draw them. Eileen Browne’s brilliantly simple story showcases an incredible range of peculiar animals. Children will have great fun trying to mimic the noises and it is lots of fun to have the inside knowledge as readers, while Handa and Akeyo try to work out who is outside. Browne’s beautiful illustrations are vibrant and full of colour and any little readers with an interest in unusual animals will be delighted by these detailed paintings. I'm thrilled that Handa's Surprise is still going strong and have been asked what I think is itsenduring appeal. It's probably a combination of several different elements. The key to thebook is the "Look behind you!" joke running through the pictures, where the text pays noheed to the visual story of animals stealing fruit from Handa's basket. Young children delightin being in on the joke and probably want to warn her. Discovering Kenyan culture Eileen Browne's hotly anticipated sequel to Handa's Surprise is a warm, funny story about night time fears with a cast of nocturnal animals

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The story is quite beautiful and it is wonderful to see a young children’s picture book set in Africa and featuring diverse characters. Handa’s Noisy Night is the third picture book in a series featuring a young girl called Handa who lives in Africa and is part of the Luo tribe in south-west Kenya. The writing is kept to a minimum and the font is large which will help new readers or those learning.

First, they hear a snorting sound. Akeyo says it must be her dad, who snorts when he laughs. Then they hear chattering, like grown-ups talking. There is rattling, and squeaking, and all sorts of noises that go on through the night. She was born in Birmingham in the United Kingdom and has been publishing amazing picture books since the 1980s. Today she's well known as the author of Handa's Surprise, as well as other children's stories which empathise different cultures and experiences from around the world. The location of the story is unknown to most readers and this opens up lots of discussionbetween children and adults: 'Where is it set?' (Kenya, in Africa), 'What's different to whereyou are?, 'Any zebras around?', 'Why is Handa carrying a basket on her head?' and 'Whydon't you carry things this way?' One of the most enjoyable elements for me has been discovering some of Kenya's animalsand fruits and this enthusiasm seems to have passed on to children and teachers. It'shumbling to visit schools and witness the wonderful work produced around this story –thedramas, fruit tastings and fabulous wall displays. So the book probably endures with thecombination of humour, the discovery of a different location and its capacity to inspireextended learning, including the tasting of delicious fruits.The latest installment in Eileen’s Browne’s acclaimed Handa series is a warm, funny story about night-time fears with a cast of nocturnal animals and a Kenyan setting. This is a lovely addition to the classic Handa stories ( Handa’s Surprise and Handa’s Hen), which are beloved by so many

They took some sweetcorn and toys into the hut. Handa was very excited. As the girls started to play they heard a noise from outside that sounded like snorting. Akeyo stated it was just her father laughing. They include lovely illustrations of Handa and the exotic animals she encounters on her adventure. You might even be able to spot the crafty ostrich and zebra as they sneakily take pieces of fruit from out of her basket! When they saw Akeyo’s parents they complained about all the noises they had been making but they were confused as they had been quiet as mice. If it wasn’t them who or what could it have been? This year I'm celebrating the 25th anniversary edition of Handa's Surprise and thepublication of Handa's Noisy Night. Handa was off for a sleepover at her friend Akeyo’s house, who lived in the neighbouring village. Akeyo’s parents told the girls they could sleep outside in the hut.

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The book features animals you don’t often see in stories such as a Pangolin or a Bush-Baby, this could be the first time that young children have come across these animals. The illustrations perfectly capture the scenes and the animals making them easy to make out. I love visual jokes, and tried to incorporate one into the second Handa story, Handa's Hen. Ididn't manage to do this, but have been able to in Handa's Noisy Night. Handa's having asleepover at her friend Akeyo's house. She hears strange noises and can't see what's makingthem–but the reader can! Once I'd worked out the story, illustrating it was a mammothtask. I spent a lot of time looking at the sky's changing colours as day turned into night – andeven longer illustrating it! Drawing giraffes and bush babies

It's also available to print in an ink-saving, eco-friendly format, making it easy for you to make the most of your printer toner while cutting down on your class's carbon footprint. Who wrote Handa's Surprise?