Today saw the beginning of creating the art work, which will lead us all in our imagination and creativity. As you can see Old Hall Drive had started already with a display in their Hall.

I named the day after one of the mottos of the Guild of Fairy Tale Hunters (I hope you have heard of us before? If not you’ll find us hidden in the web-page, on twitter or if you get to own one of our badges by doing some homework). Today was called Age of Innocence and I visited three classes in the school (meeting nearly one hundred children!). I had a wonderful day and told them about my visit to Hylton Red House and how they were going to share their ideas with them.

During the day we completed an amazing amount of art work drawing The Thing, wondering what was Here and what we could hear here. What we could see by the sea and how to draw smells from a thousand years ago. I’ve left all the plans for all of the three art days in the teacher’s cupboard on the website if you’d like to look at them later.

I am pleased to say that the parcels of materials were delivered safely even though no-one knew what was inside them. I guess we will all find out next week. I took lots of pictures and I’ve put them on the website in the Kid’s Cave for safe keeping. That’s one of the places you’ll find pictures of what we have been doing. I hope there is going to be enough room in the Cave as we will be making a lot of stuff over the next three weeks. I must remember to leave the door open for the teachers to put stuff in there.

You’ll find lots of places in the website where I have left clues and stories for you to find. Try the book shelves or the maps, as I receive my missions of discovery from the students and Fairy-tale hunter apprentices.

I discovered today that thinking about what it might be far away in other countries helped everyone to start writing. We wondered about scary things in Fairy-tales and what they can teach us in our lives. The day ended as one of the teavhers told us a story in the light of a pumpkin as it was Halloween.

Some of the children had lots to say and here are just a few quotes:

“Why are you hunting Fairy Tale…and…What is a Fairy tale”

I was asked if I knew where a black hole is in space. I was surprised when one student said “Why do you need tools, when all you need is your hands?” and I laughed when another apprentice asked if she could make her own fairy Tale? Of course I said YES! And that I was looking forward to seeing their book on the book shelf of the website. My eyes opened very wide indeed when someone asked “is what you do interesting?” Goodness me I thought, it would be very strange to do something I didn’t find interesting.

Back at the secret base I looked over the photos and was interested how the students had drawn noises and smells. I’m sure that they will enjoy the next few weeks as we prepare for the adventure taking me to the roof of the world. I was pleased that the parcel of books had arrived from Seven Stories in Newcastle. Seven Stories is a amazing place of discovery for everyone and especially children and you’ll find them now if you follow their Link in the link section of the website, which is not too far from the video screen.

On a day were there were dancing skeletons and apple bobbing parties it was good to get home safely.

This exciting journey truly began today, as I was welcomed to Sunderland in the North of England, by the teachers and ten members of the student council.

I was spoilt rotten, being given a guided tour and tasty lunch, but what was best was meeting the apprentice Fairy-tale Hunters.

The student council had a fun time grilling me about where I had been on previous hunts, what kinds of art I had made in the past and why I was coming to their school. I told them about journeys into Ukraine, over the Arctic Circle and across Russia to China. Perhaps you can find pictures of me in the website from these journeys? The council surprised me with their wonderful imaginative ideas of how they would like to take part in this hunt. They thought of which were their Favourite Fairy Tales, about how to collect Family Tales and to have a “Fairy Tale lucky dip box” in their class rooms. They also thought about inventing new imaginary characters.

To make sure that we would remember everything we all drew funny pictures of our thoughts and the apprentice fairy-tale hunters elect said that they would tell all their friends about what to do before I returned. I’ve included some of our pictures here.

 On returning to my special base behind “The Shop” I was visited by some friends who were born near Sunderland years ago. They told me about the “Lampton Worm” (I have yet to confirm this story and I must ask the students when I go back up North).

I also must remember to deliver my parcels of art materials and special Fairy-tale Hunter badges. They have only just arrived back from the far West, as those who are following me on twitter will know already. I think I might just try to land on the roof, but I’ll have to check if the carpet is up for the journey, next week.

Also it would be fun to leave a few clues and surprises for all the children to discover. Mmmmmmm? I wonder if I still have some of those magic beans or maybe my underground miner friends can spare some fairy dust. I must remember to leave a few clues on twitter too.

I hope you can join us all as I travel across the world and as I am guided by the apprentices. I wonder what they will ask me to do and where they will lead me? I will start by travelling to Kolkata in India. This an amazing place to start as it is totally stuffed full of wonder and magic. I think I will jump aboard a big metal bird as it is thousands of miles away from England.

As I sit here I remember what a friendly place Sunderland is that I saw giant bridges everywhere and new sport stadiums built on top of old mines. I must remember that I might be in need of a translator for India and Nepal.