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reactions to the idea
- from authors and illustrators
“Stories are the lifeblood of the imaginative world. Without
stories, the powers of our imagination would wither. Why didn’t
the Story Museum come into being earlier? Well, we had our resources,
but none so fine and so creative as this promises to be. It is
the most exciting story-telling phenomenon for many a long year
past. In twenty years’ time, we are all going to wonder
how we ever managed to do without it.”
Richard Adams, Author of Watership Down
“The Story Museum looks like being as magical as Alice’s
rabbit hole and the wardrobe that leads into Narnia.”
The late Humphrey Carpenter, Children’s author, biographer
and broadcaster
“What a wonderful resource this will be
not only for Oxford but, more importantly, for generations of children.”
Roderick Hunt, Author of the Oxford Reading
Tree Books
“I can think of no other small city in Britain that has
made such an enormous contribution to children’s literature
and then kept its candle so well hidden. It’s got to be around
here somewhere. Maybe just behind this locked door… It’s
the most exciting thing to happen to Oxford since electrification.”
Ted Dewan, Children’s author and illustrator
“A recent Arts Council consultation document on children’s
books was called ‘From Looking-glass to Spyglass’.
Just think – those great milestones bracketing over a century
of children’s reading were both written in Oxford. There
must be something in the waters of the Isis that gets into the
system of Oxford residents, magically causing them to think of
and bring to life unforgettable characters and plots.
As Oxford continues to produce great children’s writers
and illustrators, it seems completely appropriate that their achievements
should be celebrated in the many inventive ways and places that
are being developed for the Story Museum”.
Mary Hoffman, Children’s author
from educators
"The Story Museum is a great idea: what
better way to capture children's imagination and encourage them
to be life-long readers – with all the joy and understanding
that this can bring."
Julia Strong, Director, National Reading
Campaign
“Stories are vital for children if they
are to stretch their imaginations and explore whole new landscapes
of feeling and experience. The delight of losing oneself in a book,
of delicious conspiratorial contact with an author you enjoy, is
something that should be available to all children. Hence the importance
of literacy and of making books available even to the less able
readers. A museum that celebrates the story? How wonderful! Stories
are there not to be dissected and analysed but to be enjoyed.”
Patience Thomson, Dyslexia specialist and founder
of Barrington Stoke, books for ‘reluctant readers’
“Excellence and enjoyment go
together in education, as recent reports have stated. What better
way to combine the two for our children, their families and school
communities than the Story Museum which will provide both in abundance?
Young children learn best when they have opportunities to play
and create. In the Story Museum they will become authors and characters,
they will be able to dive into literature and become part of it.
It will feed their imaginations, furnish them with new ideas and
surround them with the joy of story.”
Sue Matthew, Former primary head teacher and
Member of Oxfordshire County Council’s Learning and Culture Scrutiny Committee
from the City and County Councils
“Oxford is a city of stories and has always
been an exciting place both to live in and to visit. The Story
Museum will encourage children and adults to explore these stories
and perhaps to invent new ones. We are already the home of many
distinguished writers and this museum could develop many more.”
Councillor Maureen Christian, Oxford City
councillor
“I am delighted to hear of the development of the Story
Museum. With such wonderful literary links Oxford is the ideal
location. The Story Museum will enhance the city’s existing
visitor offer and fits perfectly with our aim of providing attractions
for all the family.”
Suzanne Lockhart, Tourism officer, Oxford City
Council
“The Story Museum is a wonderful opportunity
for Oxfordshire to share the imaginative worlds of historic and
contemporary writers with school children, communities and visitors
alike. An initiative like this celebrates the cultural wealth of
the area and encourages future generations to be creators of literature
and storytelling for the future.”
Abigail Brown, Arts development officer, Vale
of White Horse District Council
from other museums
“We have supported the development of the
Story Museum since its inception. We are delighted that the plans
are moving forward successfully and we look forward to working
with you.”
Elizabeth Hammill, Artistic Director, and Mary
Briggs, Chief Executive, Seven Stories, Newcastle
from the Universities and University Press
“The Story Museum is a strong and excellent
concept which will have a great appeal to a very wide range of
people.”
Sir Neil Chalmers, Warden of Wadham College,
Oxford and former director, Natural History Museum, London
“When the history of children’s literature
is re-examined in centuries to come I am sure that the creation
of The Story Museum will stand as an important milestone. Oxford
is absolutely the right place for it to be. The city has a rich
and powerful tradition of children’s literature in
which OUP is pleased to play a part.”
Henry Reece, Secretary to the delegates and
Chief executive of Oxford University Press
“Oxford has been home to so many of England’s
best-loved writers for children; this new museum will forge and
celebrate their links to new generations of child readers.”
Dr Diane Purkiss, Author and Fellow of Keble
College, Oxford
“I’m very excited about the idea of a museum of children’s
literature in Oxford. It will give our students valuable opportunities
for placements and internships and could also support exciting
research work in many areas of study at Oxford Brookes including
publishing, literature, arts administration and psychology.”
Dr Claire Squires, Senior lecturer in Publishing,
Oxford Brookes University
from arts and media
“I think the idea of the Story Museum is
really exciting. We have a great wealth of both classic and new
writing for children in this country. The Story Museum and its
exhibitions and activities will bring this writing alive for many
more children than has been possible in the past.”
Anna Home, Chief executive, Children’s Film and Television
Foundation
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