The Big Alfie Out of Doors Storybook, which we will be looking at this week, feels the perfect book to dip into during these long summery (&drizzly) days One afternoon, Mum gave Alfie a long cardboard box to play with. He took it into the bush. It made a good counter for a shop.

I‘ve just ordered a label maker in the hope it enables someone other than me to sort laundry and dress the 1 yo

Inside the tent Alfie could hear Dad breathing. But then Alfie realised that he could hear something else breathing too. And that something was outside the tent! They saw a big pink nose coming through the tent flap. It had very wet nostrils. The Big Alfie Out of Doors Storybook

I have never been an anxious person. But then motherhood arrived and I started wearing dread like a second skin. An uncomfortably honest piece to hopefully provide comfort to someone who needs it.

For the first time I am on a contract that allows me to recruit PhD students and I would love to start speaking to potential students as early as possible! What follows is a thread of topics I welcome proposals on. Friends and colleagues – retweets are much appreciated! 1/5

The best anyone has ever looked at Glastonbury ✨ PJ Harvey, Glastonbury 1995. Photo by Gie Knaeps.

Please share. My beloved cousin Mary is still missing and perhaps a share will be the butterfly wing that helps us find her #MissingPerson #MissingPersonAlert #findMaryMonkman #MaryMonkman bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotla…

Say hello to our new museum, Young V&A 🎉 After three years, we’ll finally open our doors this weekend in Bethnal Green. Free and designed entirely for children, with three new galleries: Play, Imagine and Design 🌟 Follow our thread for a first look inside🧵

Not one, not two, but three vacancies in the Modern British Art team at Tate Britain: Senior Curator (closes 27 June) Assistant Curator pre-1945 Assistant Curator post-1945 (closes 12 July) Working at Tate | Search results workingat.tate.org.uk/pages/Job_Sear…

Lilac, Narcissus, Flax, and Lily from J.J. Grandville's Les Fleurs Animées (1847) 💐

Lilium Auratum by John Frederick Lewis, 1871 is our offering for Art UK's #OnlineArtExchange today. I love the colours of the flowers and costumes.

Are you aged 16-18, attending a non-selective state school and interested in art history? Apply for our FREE Access and Widening Participation summer course at one of the world's top universities (online or in person): shorturl.at/mDR05 🗓️24-28 July, 14:30-16:30

Gazing up at the night sky 🌙 'Place (Village)' by Rachel Whiteread is village of more than 100 dolls’ houses - all in our new museum. Collected by the artist over a period of about twenty years 🏘️ 📸 - © David Parry

🔍 What can schools do to ensure that highly able pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds can fulfil their potential? Our new research makes several recommendations - including early identification, provision of targeted support and family engagement ⤵️ buff.ly/46vzh4M

In 2017 Shirley’s publisher celebrated the 40th anniversary of the first publication of Dogger with a new edition including a letter from Shirley. The story continues to be Shirley’s most popular book. Its universal appeal will see editions soon published in Romanian & Lithuanian

Dame Judi Dench as Sally Bowles in The Original London version of Cabaret 1968

Here’s hoping no beloved friends end up on the table, priced up ready for sale, at any end of year summer fairs this term. These pages are taken from Shirley’s story Dogger.

Margaret Drabble on the conflict between motherhood & writing (a summer holiday mood):

When at last they were safely home again, Minnie laid Rita and Jonadab tenderly in her own bed. ‘Oh Jonadab! How did you get so far from home?’ She whispered ‘Dear Jonadab, dear Rita, how terrible it would have been if I had lost you. ‘ Jonadab and Rita