Zooming with Bob by Nicky Wilkinson

I was inspired by the recent ACW online writer’s day on children's books, with author Bob Hartman. Amongst my Works In Progress is a children’s board book the writing of which has ground to a halt: grand-parenting both inspires and disrupts its development!  

Bob Hartman bounced onto our screens with infectious enthusiasm punctuated by giggles. I was captivated as he drew us in by rhyme and rhythm, keeping us engaged as we learned a story and began to journey into a child’s world. Skilled word couplets delight adult readers. The sing-song beat of rhythm makes it easy for children to follow and retain. He illustrated this by reciting from short, poignant and colourful books which tumbled out of his repertoire and into our aspirations. 

He counselled us to rediscover our inner child. I wondered where mine was. Through the years had she been chased away by school and society, straightening out the curls of her imagination and spontaneity? My grandsons are now busy re-awakening her with their curiosity. One simply held his tiny hand under the red light of the running dishwasher, turning it slowly and examining the effect. Kids come to wonder easily; adults need to be reminded. 

Bob challenged us to re-imagine the gospel for a new generation. There are kids (and adults) who don’t know who Jesus is, let alone what he said and did. At a school assembly Bob asked what they knew about Jesus. Some referenced healing and teaching, but one little boy said Jesus died when a rock fell on him. Bob, ever eager to encourage, but as he pointed out — that’s not quite the story is it?! —gently explained Jesus died on a cross and was buried. The rock was rolled away, it didn’t kill him.  ‘Wow!’ said the little boy, with widened eyes, “So he came back to life?”.

He also gave some advice about handling your illustrator. Mine is my mum. She is superb at watercolour painting and through the years has captured excellent images of our pets. I had tried micromanaging what I wanted. Bob advised just trust the illustrator. Let them carry the weight of the story in the pictures. Then you can keep your text short, preferably 250 to 400 words for younger children. 

I asked which of his books was his favourite. After some thought he mentioned ‘Lily the Lemur and the Lamb King’ https://amzn.eu/d/dwGn0vx. He spoke of his books like you might of children; each had a different journey to print; some found a second chance to shine while others did not find an audience; others were an outright success. 

I thought back to my grandson’s fascination with the dishwasher and began to wonder what my tumble dryer and washing machine might get up to whilst I am asleep. My grandsons have an idea. Can I capture their wonder to respond to Bob’s challenge to re-imagine the gospel? 

Nicky Wilkinson enjoys writing blogs, book reviews and opinion pieces. She is a grannie of six, and loves to run, play her sax and guitar and paint oil on big canvases. She has lived back in the UK for the past six years after the fun of teaching History in Zimbabwe and raising her kids there and in Prague, Czech Republic.