Margaret Meek Spencer was the catalyst for my project that started in the European Union, but later went global. I wanted to find some way in which children throughout Europe could learn more about their European neighbours through reading the visual narratives of well selected literature. When we had our first meeting in Douai, north-east France, in 1996, colleagues from the then 12 EU countries brought and discussed a selection of picturebooks representing the language, literature and culture of their own countries.
She encouraged us to select the most suitable for a European picturebook collection with activities for teachers to use in primary schools. Since its completion in 2004, others have followed all over the world. Margaret’s foresight and knowledge were key to the whole venture.
