Méabh McDonnell - Into the Witchwood - Irish Debuts Series

Méabh tell us about your publication journey 

 I started writing Into the Witchwood in 2020 during one of the lockdowns. It was inspired by my daily walks through Kylebrack woods and being back in my childhood home. I started to stare deeply at the trees that I passed and thought about what if the shapes I was seeing in them were magical creatures hidden inside? I’ve always wanted to write for children, but until I got that flash of inspiration I never felt like I was writing a story that was truly mine. The Witchwood felt like a story that really belonged to me. I spent about a year drafting and redrafting it - in between my work as a children’s bookseller in Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop in Galway and once I felt it was ready to be seen by a publisher I submitted it to The O’Brien Press’ annual Pitch Perfect event as a part of Culture Night. After that event they asked to see a manuscript of my book and, much to my delight, they accepted it for publication after a few months.

 Do you have an agent?

I don’t have an agent, because The O’Brien Press accepts unsolicited manuscripts as do some of the other Irish publishers. I feel really grateful that that’s something that they do here.

 What has surprised you about the publication journey?

I was lucky enough to be fairly familiar with the publishing industry, considering my job as a children’s bookseller, but I was surprised by how many people a manuscript passes through before it reaches a reader. I also have been really pleasantly surprised by the goodwill that so many people in the Irish book community have had towards a debut author. We’re so lucky to have such great people involved in our industry who are extremely welcoming to newcomers and willing to answer all of my naive questions!

 What advice would you give people who would like to write a children’s fantasy novel?

The first piece of advice I’d give to someone who would like to write children’s fantasy novels is they should probably read children’s fantasy novels! Reading is such a key part of writing. Read everything from brilliant new Irish fantasies, like Sinéad O’Hart, Alex Dunne and Catherine Doyle, to older international ones like Madeline L’Engle, and Ursula Le Guin. Familiarise yourself with the conventions of the genre and then when you break all of the rules - you’ll be doing it on purpose!

While fantasy stories are steeped in magic and things that ‘aren’t real’  it’s usually used as an opportunity for the author to explore darker feelings and emotions by giving them a physical representation. For example, the Witchwood in my story is a metaphor for grief and the challenges we face growing up.

This means it is vital that the characters themselves come from a real and grounded place.

Because of that I would say you should write the story that you would most like to read. But I don’t mean write the story that you read when you were a child, I mean write a story that makes you excited. If I’m not interested in the characters I’m writing or the setting I’m trying to create - then the reader won’t be either. So write the story that makes you feel like your fingers are falling over each other trying to get it out.

Méabh McDonnell

 Méabh, tell us about your book and your writing process. How long did it take you to write?

It took me about a year to write the novel, on and off at different times. I tend to write in spurts where I intensely write a draft over about six weeks, then revise and change aspects of the story sporadically in the months after that.

 How many drafts did you do?

 I wrote roughly three drafts. One initial one, then I edited that extensively into a second before submitting it. After that I rewrote it into a new  - shorter - draft when the manuscript was accepted. There were also multiple smaller aspects of the story that were redrafted within those three. The beginning was the part of the story that changed the most, but I made significant changes to the characters' plotlines throughout. Most of the time I was editing things out rather than adding them in. I usually write as much detail as I can think of and then cut back and revise later.

 Are you a planner?

 I am a planner - although I try my hardest not to plan so much that there’s no room for inspiration along the way.

 I am a planner because I am also a procrastinator. If I don’t plan my plots then I will allow myself to write go-nowhere chapters where all the characters do is talk and nothing happens. Dialogue and conversations are my favourite things to write so that happens a lot if I don’t have a chapter plan to follow! Planning also stops me from walking away from the story and not finishing it, which is something I have a tendency to do if I don’t know what’s going to happen next.

 That being said, I think a mixture of planning and what writer Mary Watson calls ‘writing into the mist’ is the best way to create a story, as those little moments of inspiration that are unplanned are often the most magical part of the writing process.

 What is your favourite thing about the writing process?

As I said, my favourite thing about the writing process are the surprises that characters and plots hit you with along the way. Not to spoil Into the Witchwood - but there is a plot twist towards the end of the book. But the thing is, I didn’t know about that twist until the moment that I wrote it. It wasn’t a part of my plan, and I think it might be one of the best bits of the story! It just strolled into my mind as an idea and luckily, I was paying enough attention that I decided to use the idea and add it in.

 And your least favourite thing?

My least favourite thing about the writing process is initially sitting down to write! I find it very difficult to convince myself to open up my word processor or notebook and just start working. Once I do that, I’ll stay working for hours, but it’s that initial starting up that is so difficult to convince myself to do. I try to combat it by setting out times for myself to write in the day, so that it doesn’t feel like I’m neglecting it when I’m doing other things.

 What are you working on now?

I’ve got lots of different ideas that I’m working on right now but I’m trying to narrow my focus to just one. The stories that are most interesting to me are the ones that draw on the magic and mythology of familiar places from my childhood in the same way that Into the Witchwood does with Kylebrack Woods.

Into the Witchwood is available from all good bookshops. Buy it here

The Business of Children's Books - #Properbook Event November 2023

On Thursday 9th November the latest in the #Properbook series of professional development events for children’s writers and illustrators took place. These events are run by Children’s Books Ireland and this one was in association with Dublin Book Festival and dlr Libraries. It took place in the lovely dlr Lexicon in Dún Laoghaire. It was programmed by myself, Sarah Webb.

Here is are some notes from the evening. Thank you to all the speakers for taking part and to the audience who came along on the night.

On the first panel Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick and Mary Murphy spoke about their experiences of sustaining a career as a children’s writer and illustrator.

They shared some figures about children’s authors’ and illustrators’ earnings.

£7k is the average advance payment for a picturebook in the UK at present (this can vary a lot)

The publishing panel talked more about advances, see below. Here are most of Mary’s books - she’s written and/or illustrated a lot of books!

And here are Marie-Louise’s - again there are a lot!

Here are some slides that Mary shared - thank you, Mary!

Next up was the publishing panel, brilliantly chaired by Aoife Murray from Children’s Books Ireland.

The publishers taking part were Ivan O’Brien from The O’Brien Press, Matthew Parkinson-Bennett from Little Island Books and Róisín Adams from Futa Fata.

Here is some of the information shared by this panel in note form. Hope it’s useful!

The O’Brien Press is always looking for new children’s books, inc. from debut writers. Children’s books are around 50% of The O’Brien Press’ list and are very important to the publishing house. In 2023 they published 33 new children’s books (some are new editions). They publish around 10 picturebooks a year and are pretty much full up unti 2025 (but will squeeze in any brilliant books they are offered).

Little Island are looking for ‘the best books that we love the most’. They don’t chase trends they like to change the market rather than follow it. They have been active in seeking out diverse voices.

Futa Fata commission a lot of their books and love working with new writers and illustrators. They are very keen on nurturing new talent in the Irish language world and are esp. looking for short novels for the 5 to 7 age group. They would love to find an Irish language author/illustrator but are open to working with illustrators who do no speak Irish (yet).

You do not need an agent to subit to all three of these publishers. For submission guidelines see here:

O’Brien

Little Island (closed at present but will open again soon)

Futa Fata

Advances and Royalties

Little Island pay an average advance of e1.5k to their author for a book. (It’s an advance against your royalties - so once it’s paid off then you start earning royalties.)

They like to sell foreign language rights where they can.

Futa Fata pay around e1k advance to writers per book (depending on the length of the book). They pay e4k to e7k to illustrators for a picturebook, depending on the amount of illustration work needed and the length of the book.

O’Brien Press - they pay a higher advance for a higher print run

They have sold rights for Fox and Son Tailers by Paddy Donnelly to around 7 or 8 different foreign publishers. They paid out e300,000 in royalties in 2022.

Print Runs

O’Brien - they printed 26k of last year’s World Book Day book. The lowest print run they would do is around 3k copies.

Little Island printed 5k of their new book, Black and Irish. And have just ordered another 3k print run.

Futa Fata print runs are smaller - from 1k to 2k.

All three publishers are devoted to author care and to looking after their authors and illustrators. I’ve published with both O’Brien and Little Island and I can say with confidence that this is 100% the case.

I have published 9 books with O’Brien and I have 2 more coming in 2024. I really enjoy working with them. My latest book, I am the Wind: Irish Poems for Children Everywhere (with Lucinda Jacob and Ashwin Chacko) was published by Little Island and I’ve really enjoyed working with them too.

it was a really interested evening and I learned lots of new information, especially about Irish language publishing. Thank you again to all the speakers and to Children’s Books Ireland, Dublin Book Festival and dlr Libraries.

Good luck with your writing journey!

My latest book - with Lucinda Jacob and Ashwin Chacko

Jenny Ireland on The First Move - Irish Debuts Series

 Over the next few months I’ll be posting interviews with some debut Irish writers or illustrators for children and teens. Here is the second in the series - featuring Jenny Ireland.

If you are a debut Irish children’s writer or illustrator get in touch - I’d love to feature you!

Jenny, tell us about your publication journey

 I started writing in 2014, after the birth of my second child, Rory. I think I went a bit mad from all the sleepless nights and decided that writing children’s stories was a good idea. Then I got completely hooked. I continued to write over the next few years, with no idea of whether or not my writing was any good. When I did the Curtis Brown Writing for Children course in 2017, my tutor, author Catherine Johnson, told me I could write and that gave me the confidence to keep going. From there I entered competitions, submitted my work to agents and attended various writing conferences and workshops. In 2019 I had emergency brain surgery which put the brakes on my writing journey for a while, however in 2020 I entered the Penguin Writenow scheme which pairs writers from underrepresented backgrounds with editors. You only had to enter 1000 words so I fired mine in and was delighted to be chosen. I got a two book deal with Penguin in November 2021.  

 Do you have an agent?

I do! I’m represented by Lauren Gardner at Bell Lomax Moreton. It feels like I have done things a bit backwards. I only got my agent once I was actually working with Penguin on the Writenow scheme.

 What has surprised you about the publication journey?

It surprised me just how many people are involved in the publication of a book. Editors, copy editors, proof readers, a designer for the cover as well as an illustrator and I’m sure a million more people I didn’t even know were involved. It’s a proper team sport. I love that.

 What advice would you give people who would like to write a YA novel?

 I’d say read a lot of YA novels that have come out in the last few years. Join the SCBWI ! I found my critique group through the SCBWI and they’ve been an absolute godsend. The Writing Community on Twitter has also been a huge support, and I’ve even found myself another writing group online, who turned into real life friends.  Sharing work with other people is (IMO) invaluable.

 Jenny, tell us about your book and your writing process. How long did it take you to write? How many drafts? Are you a planner? What is your favourite thing about the writing process? And your least favourite thing?

 My book, The First Move, is a YA romance that follows two protagonists. Juliet and Ronan. Juliet lives with inflammatory arthritis and is ridiculously cynical about love . And Ronan, the new boy at school, who is good-looking, smart and is hiding a huge family secret that he can’t deal with, let alone talk about. Both Juliet and Ronan use Chesslife  ( an online chess app) as a means of escapism. They meet anonymously online, where they form a relationship, which eventually spills over into real life.

I think the first draft took me about six months to write. I can’t actually remember how many drafts came after that but there was definitely a fair amount of back and forth, changing plot lines and building character.

I never plan anything. I wish I did. I have friends who plan, and it looks like a lovely way to write but my brain doesn’t seem to work that way. Apart from the time that I write (5am-7am) it’s all a bit chaotic. I just have a general idea, an idea of the midpoint and a vague idea of the ending before just diving in and seeing where the characters take me.

My favourite thing about the writing process is the first draft, where you can just get it all out and see what it is. I find that part so exciting! My least favourite thing is probably coming up with plot. I love people, with all their various quirks, and could think about characters all day. Plot on the other hand…

 What are you working on now?

At the minute I’m on the second round of edits for my second book, which is another YA romance, this time inspired by my experiences of having an acquired brain injury.

The Best Children's Book Agents 2023 - Recommended by Their Writers and Illustrators

Every year I try to update this post - one of the most popular posts on my blog. I hope it's helpful. If you are a published writer or illustrator and would like to recommend your agent, please contact me. I'd be delighted to add your agent to the list. 

All the agents on this list are recommended by people in the know - their clients, children’s writers and illustrators. Thank you to all the writers and illustrators who have responded to my call out for recommendations over the years. There was a terrific response this year and it is much appreciated.

Irish Publishers (You do not need an agent to submit to Irish publishers)

In Ireland we are lucky to have publishers like The O’Brien Press whose editors are happy to read unsolicited manuscripts. The O’Brien Press are mainly looking for manuscripts from Irish or Irish based writers and illustrators. You can send your book directly to one of their editors. Submission details are on their website and they publish a wide range of picturebooks, fiction and non-fiction for children and young people (and adults in fact), including my books: https://www.obrien.ie/submissions

The team at Little Island are also happy to read unsolicited manuscripts and they publish a wide range of books for children, fiction including verse novels, non fiction and poetry collections (however they do close submissions at certain times of the year so check before sending): https://www.littleisland.ie/pages/getting-published

Gill Books publish some terrific picturebooks, children’s fiction and children’s non-fiction. Venetia Gosling is their new Associate Publisher and she is in charge of the children’s list.:

https://www.gillbooks.ie/write-for-us

HarperCollins Ireland has recently appointed an editor, Catherine Gough who is actively looking for new children’s books. opensubmissions@harpercollins.ie

Website link here

Bonnier Books has also recently appointed an Irish publishing director, Deirdre Nolan

Find out what she’s looking for here

Bonnier website

Deirdre’s Linked in page (in case it’s useful) https://www.linkedin.com/in/deirdre-nolan-a8738257/?originalSubdomain=ie

Mercier and Poolbeg also publish some children’s books and accept unsolicited manuscripts.

Mercier: Submissions can be sent by email to commissioning@mercierpress.ie or by post to Commissioning Editor, Mercier Press, Unit 3B, Oak House, Bessboro Road, Blackrock, Cork, Ireland.

UK Publishers

Most UK publishers do not accept unsolicited manuscripts so you will need to submit your work through an agent.

WHAT DOES AN AGENT DO EXACTLY?

1/ An agent can advise you on your manuscript and on how to make it more attractive to a publisher. Many will act as editors and help improve a manuscript before it is sent out to editors.. They are also excellent at coming up with strong book titles as I’ve discovered.

2/ An agent can find the right editor or publisher for your work – like a book matchmaker. And they can sell your UK, US, digital and foreign rights. They can also look after any film or television rights.

3/ Agents deal with the difficult and technical area of contracts. This is particularly important at the moment as digital rights can be tricky.

4/ Financial back up – they can chase up your royalties and talk to your publishers about outstanding monies owed to you.

These days having potential isn’t enough, your manuscript must be as perfect as you can make it before it goes anywhere near a publisher. A good agent can play a vital role in this process.

WHO REPRESENTS SOME OF THE BEST CHILDREN'S WRITERS?

Remember to check each agent’s website for submission guidelines before you send anything out. Or ring the agency for details – I know it’s daunting but they can advise you on how (or if) to submit. Be warned – you may get the agent herself/himself on the phone. Be prepared.

RECOMMENDED CHILDREN’S AGENTS: IRISH WRITERS

Eoin Colfer is represented by Sophie Hicks. Sophie is a very experienced agent and her writers rate her highly. She also represents Oisín McGann. www.sophiehicksagency.com

Lucy Coats adds ‘Sophie Hicks of SHA is, of course, the best agent in the world! Sympathetic and positive in adversity, great sense of humour and fights her authors’ corner like a tigress on speed. Highly recommended.’

Derek Landy is represented by Michelle Kass, who also represents Patrick Ness. www.michellekass.co.uk

Sarah Webb, Steve McCarthy and Chris Judge are represented by the wonderful Philippa Milnes Smith at The Soho Agency. She is hugely experienced, wise, kind and patient, a joy to work with.

Steve McCarthy says: ‘I'll second that for Philippa! I can attest to her kindness, wise-ness and hilarity.’

Contact: https://thesohoagency.co.uk/submission

Marita Conlon McKenna is represented by Caroline Sheldon www.carolinesheldon.co.uk

Patricia Forde is represented by Anne Clarke. Trish says ‘She is absolutely wonderful and I recommend her wholeheartedly!’
http://anneclarkliteraryagency.moonfruit.com/home/4574290903

Elizabeth Rose Murray recommends her agent, Sallyanne Sweeney of Mulcahy Associates. She says she’s ‘supportive, thorough, creative, knowledgeable & really champions her authors. And she really loves children’s/YA literature too – always a bonus!’

Mary Murphy says ‘I have an amazing agent, Clare Pearson of Eddison Pearson… personal attention, huge understanding of young books, background of editing in Walker. Completely champions her authors and I know some of my books would not see the light of day without her inspirational responses. She attends to each author herself, and so while she is open to submissions, she can only take on the occasional new client.’

Let's hear from some other Irish writers:

Dave Rudden: 'I'm with Clare Wallace at Darley Anderson - can't recommend her enough!'

Clare also represents Olivia Hope.

Shirley McMillan: 'My agent is Jenny Savill at Andrew Nurnberg Associates. She is wonderful.'

Jenny also represents Nigel Quinlan.

Kelly McCaughrain recommends her agent Kirsty McLachlan at Morgan Green Creatives. She says ‘She's so kind, knowledgeable and dependable and my friends are quite jealous about how quickly she gets back to me about anything!’

Sinéad O'Hart is represented by Polly Nolan. Sinéad says: ‘She's an excellent editorial agent, very supportive, and someone I'm glad to have on my team.’

Celine Kiernan says: 'I changed agencies late 2015. I am with Sallyanne Sweeney now, of Mulcahy Literary Agency. Have worked with her on two books now and find her wonderful.'

Aislinn O’Loughlinn says Amber Caraveo at Skylark Agency is a wonder. She says ‘I’d absolutely recommend her to any querying author, she’s so amazingly warm & supportive, with a brilliant editorial brain as well!’

Alison Weatherby recommends her agent Lucy Irvine at PFD Agents

Marianne Gunn O'Connor represents Shane Hegarty and Triona Campbell. Triona says ‘she is just a #warrior when it comes to making dreams come true’

Sue Divin recommends her agent Laura Williams at Greene and Heaton Agency.

Eilish Fisher recommends Joanna Moult at the Skylark Agency. As does Olivia Wakeford.

RECOMMENDED AGENTS - UK AND INTERNATIONAL WRITERS

Hannah Gold recommends Claire Wilson and Sam Copeland from RCW Agency.

Louie Stowell recommends her agent Molly Ker Hawn. ‘She's a fantastic champion, 10/10 would recommend.’

Jay Joseph recommends Becky Bagnell

Meredith Vigh recommends Christabel McKinley at David Higham

Lucy Farfort recommends Ash Literary

Svani Parekh recommends Lydia Silver at DA Children’s Agency As does Rashmi Sirdeshpande

Lizzie Huxley-Jones recommends Abi Fellows at The Good Lit Agency

Leigh-Ann Hewer recommends Maddy Belton at MM Literary Agency

Natasha Holmes recommends Megan Carroll from Watson, Little, Ltd. She says ‘Wonderful editorial input, inclusive, approachable & v witty contributor to any panel event.’

Jennifer Claessen recommends Jenny Savill from Andrew Nurnberg Associates

Frances Stickley recommends her agent Penny Holroyde. She adds ‘I want to keep her secret like a good Cornish beach. But she’s far from secret, she’s the best.’

Ian Eagleton recommends Spring Literary

MG Leonard recommends Kirsty McLachlan at Morgan Green Creatives. She calls her a ‘battle angel’ which is rather wonderful!

Rachel Hamilton recommends Louise Lamont at LBA Books

Lindsay Galvin recommends Clare Wallace from DA Agency. She says ‘She has overhauled my experience of being an author. She's creative, honest, efficient, insightful. We have a true partnership. I seriously doubt I could have made writing my full time career without her.’

Lucille Abendanon recommends Thérèse Coen from SLA Agency

Kathryn Evans recommends Sophie Hicks

Kaye Umansky recommends Caroline Sheldon

George Griffiths recommends Claire Wallace from DA Agency

Kathryn Foxfield recommends Chloe Seager from Madeleine Milburn Agency, as do Nazima Pathan and Maisie Chan.

Maz Evans recommends Veronique Baxter. She says ‘Professional, ethical, passionate and a dear friend. Very lucky to have her.’

Lesley Parr recommends Amber Caraveo from Skylark Agency ‘The most wonderful wonder of all! Communicative, astute, kind, wise - everything on my agent wish list. And a Buffy fan, so many boxes ticked.’

Ash Bond recommends Jessica Hare at The Agency

Eve Ainsworth:  'I'm with Stephanie Thwaites at Curtis Brown, she's fab.'

Russell Sanderson and Lu Hersey recommend their agent, Ben Illis.

Zana Fraillon recommends her agent, Claire Wilson.

Jo Nadin says: ‘I love Julia Churchill without reservation. She’s quietly kickass, clever, kind, and, best of all, listens.’

Anne-Marie Conway recommends Julia Churchill, as does John Dougherty

Julia Churchill (A M Heath) says 'My speciality is checking if people need to go to loo before meetings.' Nikki Sheehan says Julia 'Would win against 100 horse sized ducks.' 

Mark Burgess: 'I’m represented by excellent & wonderful Nancy Miles of Miles Stott Children's Literary Agency. She also represents Gill Lewis & Frances Hardinge.'

Sarah McIntyre: ‘I'm represented by Jodie Hodges at United Agents, she's brilliant! I couldn't do without her, she keeps my life in order.’

Annaliese Avery recommends her agent Helen Boyle from Pickled Ink. She says ‘Helen is the most supportive champion, her knowledge of the industry is second to none and the esteem that I, her other authors and illustrators, and publishers hold her is is immense!’

Teo Georgie recommends Inkling Illustration

Holly Ryan recommends her agent Lorna Hemingway at BLM Agency.

Catherine MacPhail says: ‘Caroline Sheldon. Always keeps in touch. Great agent.’

Cathy Brett says ‘And Felicity Trew, Caroline's co-agent. A little terrier!’

Mary Hoffman: ‘ It was Pat White and, since her retirement, is now Claire Wilson, both of Rogers, Coleridge and White.’

Also recommend are:

Eve White, Eve White Literary Agency

Catherine Clarke at Felicity Bryan

Robert Kirby at United Agents

Jodie Hodges at United Agents (recommended by William Bee); Catherine Mary Summerhayes, Jo Unwin and Clare Conville at United Agents

Hilary Delamere at The Agency

Lindsey Fraser at Fraser Ross

Gemma Cooper at The Bent Agency

Penny Holroyde at Holroyde Cartey

Elizabeth Roy – www.elizabethroy.co.uk

Laura Cecil – www.lauracecil.co.uk

Sam Copeland and Claire Wilson at Rogers Coleridge and White – www.rcwlitagency.com

Good luck with finding a great agent

Henny is Stuck - Q and A with Debut Picturebook Writer/Illustrator Aileen Crossley - Irish Debuts Series

Aileen Crossley’s debut picturebook, Henny is Stuck has just been published. To celebrate this I asked her some questions about her road to publication and her new book.

Aileen, tell us about your publication journey

It was a hard long road of learning from mistakes and finding out how picturebooks work along the way. I got great encouragement though from very generous folks, especially from Ivan O'Brien. I remember rocking up to his offices in 2014 with a dummy book and he was so very encouraging. 

Setting deadlines for entering competitions helped. I was shortlisted for the Unpublished Picturebook Showcase last year and that was so encouraging. I knew then to keep going. I also won an Agility Award from the Arts council which was so encouraging. That gave me some space to work on Henny and the confidence that indeed she was bookstore worthy,

Do you have an agent?

I don't have an agent. I would love one. Anyone out there?!

I found my publisher Little Door Books by chance at the Scottish stall at Bologna Children’s Book Fair last March. I basically blagged my way (Irish style) into meeting with them due to my having lived and studied in Glasgow.

I also felt it was a little bit of home from home, and just wanted to have the chats with some friendly Scottish folks. Bologna is big and overwhelming at times for illustrators, and all the friendly faces you can find really help keep you going. We clicked straight away and the rest is history. A year later Henny is published. 

What has surprised you about the publication journey?

How long it took and how competitive a space it is.

What advice would you give people who would like to write or illustrate a picturebook?

Get your story right first and play with leaving gaps in writing and image making for children to fill in. They are amazing meaning makers, better than adults, and they don't get enough credit for that. 

I am currently writing and illustrating my second picturebook as part of my final master project for my masters in Illustration at Falmouth. Researching picturebooks, how they work, and how children read and learn is fascinating. I can feel this time I am avoiding all the mistakes I made previously, and due to my masters research and image creation development, it's making for a much richer writing experience.

Aileen, tell us about your book and how you wrote and illustrated it.

The idea of the book was inspired while studying illustration at Glasgow School of Art in 2011. Someone I once knew had a studio out the back of his house called The Blue Egg. I wondered about a character Blue Egg who was stuck in her shell, and slowly started to form a narrative around this character, her problem and how she might overcome it. After many iterations Blue Egg is now Henny is Stuck.

My lithography printmaking practice at The Black Church Print Studio in Temple Bar was key to finding my illustration style. I went to Bologna Childrens Book Fair last March, for the second time with Henny, where I met Little Door Books who offered me a publishing contract. Working with Alan and Susan was fantastic and they really helped craft the final copy and elevate the colours.

It was a long and winding road of a journey and I literally have a sack of dummybook iterations. Henny and I got in the end and the process has taught me everything about picturebook creation, resilience, feeling stuck, and finding yourself, just like Henny. 

About Aileen 

Aileen is an author/illustrator and an award-winning animator. Her illustration style combines her love of printmaking and lithography and retro style illustration. 

She is the Winner of two IDI awards ( Best Short Animated Film and Emerging Designer Award) for her animated short ‘Wishing Well’ for Paul Hourican. 

Her debut picture book, Henny is Stuck is available in all major bookstores from 13th March including Halfway up the Stairs in Greystones.

www.aileencrossley.ie

KPMG Children's Books Ireland Books of the Year 2023

Every year I try to predict the Irish children’s books on the KPMG Children’s Books Ireland Books of the Year shortlist. The 2023 Awards are given to books published in 2022 by Irish writers or illustrators, or those living and working in Ireland.

It was an outstanding year for picturebooks in particular.

Here are my predictions:

1/ Frankie’s World by Aoife Dooley - overall award and Children’s Choice

Well a girl can dream! It would be amazing to see this outstanding graphic novel win the overall award.

2/ Be Wild Little One by Olivia Hope and Daniel Egnéus (Eilis Dillon Award for first book)

3/ The Wilderness by Steve McCarthy - a strong contender for the illustration award

4/ Girls Who Slay Monsters by Ellen Ryan and Shona Shirley Macdonald - another contender for the illustration award

5/ Fox and Sons Tailers by Paddy Donnelly (Wolves in Helicopters is pretty special too!)

6/ Our Dog Hen by David Mackintosh - one of my favourite pictuebook makers

7/ Our Green City by Tanya Lloyd Kyi and Colleen Larmour - one of my favourite picturebooks of the year

8/ The Chestnut Roaster by Eve McDonnell - outstanding historical fantasy

9/ Run for Your Life by Jane Mitchell

10/ Truth be Told by Sue Divin

Other possibles:

Well Done, Mummy Penguin by Chris Haughton (Walker Books)

Chirp! by Mary Murphy

Our Big Day by Bob Johnson and Michael Emberley

Amuigh Faoin Spéir by Sadhbh Devlin and Brian Fitzgerald

Cloud Babies by Eoin Colfer and Chris Judge

Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost, illustrated by PJ Lynch

Spellstoppers by Cat Gray - fantasy adventure at its best!

The Book of Secrets by Alex Dunne

The Lost Girl King by Catherine Doyle

The Shark and the Scar by Sarah Moore Fitzgerald

Twin Crowns by Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber

The Secrets Act by Alison Weatherby

Things I Know by Helena Close

these are the words: Fearless verse to find your voice by Nikita Gill

The Eternal Return of Clara Hart by Louise Finch

Best of luck to all those who published books in 2022!

Top Children’s Books of the Year 2022

Top 50 Children’s Books of the Year 2022

These reviews first appeared in The Irish Independent on Sat 10th December

By giving the gift of a book, you are giving a child the chance to fall into a magical world, a world of bravery and adventure, of fox tailers, heroic penguins, and mythical Irish goddesses. From the hundreds of children’s books I’ve read this year I’ve selected my favourites, with lots of Irish titles included. Happy Reading!

Picturebooks

Picturebook of the Year

Be Wild, Little One by Olivia Hope and Daniel Egnéus (Bloomsbury)

Wake Up Early, don’t be shy,/this bright world can make you fly./Be wild, little one.’ So begins this lyrical ode to being yourself and finding your own personal wild. The text is a joy to read aloud and the illustrations are magical.  Age 2+

Eoinín  agus a Charide by Muireann Ní Chíobháin and Róisín Hahessy (Futa Fata)

Eoinín the little lamb is off to a new school. Will he make new friends? A charming Irish language board book for young children, with friendly, colourful illustrations. Age 2+

Fox and Sons Tailers by Paddy Donnelly (The O’Brien Press)

Young Rory the Tailer’s son longs to make tails that are a bit different. But his traditional father doesn’t see Rory’s talent at first. The story is clever and the illustrations are full of tiny details for young eyes to pour over. Age 3+

Well Done, Mummy Penguin by Chris Haughton (Walker Books)

A brave and clever Mummy Penguin goes off to find food in the Antarctic, overcoming many obstacles and dangers along the way. The chilly landscape is wonderfully captured in shades of blue, with pops of warm reds and purples. Age 2+

 Chirp! by Mary Murphy (Walker Books)

‘Chirp says the Sparrow. Warble goes the Thrush. Tooraloo, whistles the Blackbird from the blackberry bush.’ The birds are getting ready for the dawn chorus, making songs and calls. A lyrically written story that is great fun to read out loud, with strong, vibrant illustrations. Age 3+

 Our Big Day by Bob Johnson and Michael Emberley (O’Brien Press)

When David and Simon decide to get married, David’s niece helps them make their wedding invitations and on the big day she is the ring-bearer. But disaster strikes when the rings go missing!  Emberley’s lively illustrations make the story come alive. Age 4+

Once Upon a Fairytale by Natalie O’Hara and Lauen O’Hara (Macmillan)

Become the hero of your own fairytale in this beautifully illustrated choose-your-own-adventure book. Will you ride on a unicorn or feast with fairies? You decide! Age 4+

Amuigh Faoin Spéir by Sadhbh Devlin and Brian Fitzgerald (Futa Fata)

Rua is encouraged off the sofa to have a nature adventure outside. A charming story illustrated with bright, child-friendly artwork. Age 4+

A Practical Present for Philippa Pheasant by Briony May Smith (Walker Books)

Philippa Pheasant is determined to protect all the animals who cross the Old Oak Road by becoming the first pheasant lollypop lady. This heart-warming story about kindness is illustrated with detail and care. Age 4+

Age 5+

Age 5+ Book of the Year

Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Being Good by Louie Stowell (Walker Books)

Loki, the Norse trickster god has been banished by Odin and as punishment for his terrible behaviour is sent to earth where he must live as an eleven-year-old boy. Clever, original and hilarious, with witty line drawings. A real winner! Age 8+

 The Wilderness by Steve McCarthy (Walker Books)

Oktober Vasylenko is afraid of the wild and the fabled monster called The Wilderness. But he discovers that maybe monsters (and fears) aren’t so scary after all. The autumnal-coloured illustrations are sublime. Age 5+

 Cloud Babies by Eoin Colfer and Chris Judge (Walker Books)

Erin becomes ill and has to spend a lot of time in hospital. Back at school, she feels left behind. Can her two lives – hospital and school – ever come together? The clever cloud illustrations will make any reader smile. Age 5+

Everybody Feels Fear by Ashwin Chacko (DK) 

This book’s message - it’s ok to feel fear as we are built to deal with it - is powerful and the strong illustrations sing with colour. Chacko brings a lot of gentle humour to the topic too. Age 5+

Bumble and Snug and the Angry Pirates by Mark Bradley (Hachette Children’s Books)

Best friends Bumble and Snug find pirate treasure and get caught up in a strange adventure involving a giant octopus. A vibrantly coloured, exuberant comic book which is great fun but is also richly layered and thoughtful. Age 6+

The Shop of Impossible Ice Creams by Shane Hegarty, illustrated by Jeff Crowther (Hodder Children’s Books)

Limpet’s mother is about to open an ice cream shop. But the evil Mr Fluffy who already runs an ice cream shop in the seaside town has other ideas. Sweet, funny and highly inventive, this book is a real treat. Age 7+

Watercress by Andrea Wang, illustrated by Jason Chin (Neal Porter Books)

Based on the author’s own childhood, this beautifully illustrated picturebook is about a girl who has to help her parents collect watercress from the side of the road. She is embarrassed by this and by her hand me down clothes until her mother shares the story of her own difficult childhood back in China. Age 7+

Age 9+

Age 9+ Book of the Year

Frankie’s World by Aoife Dooley (Scholastic)

Frankie is eleven, the smallest in her class and has always felt different. She’s always wondered who her dad is and decides to try and find him, with her best friend’s help. Inspired by Dooley’s childhood and own autism journey, this graphic novel with striking illustrations is a wonderfully charming, honest and funny look at growing up. Age 9+

Girls Who Slay Monsters by Ellen Ryan, illustrated by Shona Shirley Macdonald (HarperCollins Ireland)

These tales of daring, courage and ingenuity, featuring forgotten goddesses from Ireland’s mythological past are beautifully written but also highly accessible, making them perfect for modern readers. The mesmerising, atmospheric illustrations are outstanding. Age 9+

The Sackville Street Caper by Alan Nolan (The O’Brien Press)

Set in Dublin in 1858, when young Bram Stoker’s notebook is stolen by Molly Malone’s gang of child ‘spooks’ or pickpockets, he stumbles upon the adventure of a lifetime. Brilliant characters, puns and word play galore, plus rotten fish, nappies, ghosts - this cracking book has it all! Age 9+

Unleash Your Creative Monster: A Children’s Guide to Writing by Andy Jones, illustrated by Olaf Falafel (Walker Books)

One of the best creative writing books for children I’ve come across in recent years, full of useful information and written in lively, accessible prose. Each page is brought to life by witty cartoon illustrations. Age 9+

One Time by Sharon Creech (Guppy Publishing)

Gina Filomena is a girl bursting with imagination. Too much imagination if you ask her old teacher. When a new boy moves in next door to her, she wants to know everything about him. The right reader will love this book - a thoughtful, imaginative child who loves writing and art. Age 10+

When the War Came Home by Lesley Parr (Bloomsbury)

Natty has to move to a small village in the Welsh countryside to stay with her cousins Huw and Nerys. Huw joined the army when he was only fourteen, fighting in the First World War and coming home traumatised. A beautifully written, accessible historical novel with strong characters and a compelling story. Age 10+

The Lost Whale by Hannah Gold (HarperCollins)

Rio has been sent to LA to stay with his granny while his mum is in hospital but he’s upset and shuts his granny out.  He meets a kind, calm girl called Miranda whose dad runs a whale watching boat and soon gets caught up in a special whale’s life. A compelling animal, friendship and family tale. Age 9+

While the Storm Rages by Phil Earle (Andersen Press)

When the British government orders everyone to put down their pets to help the war preparations, Noah is devastated. But instead of bringing his dog, Winn to the vets, he runs away with him, along with two friends and as many animals as they can save. A fast-paced historical adventure story which will have readers gripped. Age 9+

My Friend the Octopus by Lindsay Galvin, illustrations by Gordy Wright (Chicken House Books)

Vinnie is sent to Brighton to stay with her aunt. There’s mystery (her mother has disappeared to Paris), new friends, a wonderful giant octopus and adventure galore. Set in 1893, this is historical fiction with oodles of charm. Age 9+

My Aunt the Monster by Reimena Yee (RH Graphic)

Safia thinks that being blind means she won’t have adventures. How wrong can she be? She goes on a remarkable trip with her wonderful Aunty Whimsy who has been cursed to live as a monster. A brilliant romp, this graphic novel is ideal for readers who love travel and thrills. Age 9+

Spellstoppers by Cat Gray

When Max touches anything mechanical or electrical it blows up. He’s packed off to stay with his grandfather, a Spellstopper or person who can drain misbehaving magic. Can he help Max control his powers? Clever, funny and full of original ideas, this is fantasy at its best. Age 9+

The Book of Secrets by Alex Dunne (O’Brien Press)

Cat and Shane band together to save their siblings from the fairies in this thrilling, adventure-packed novel blending modern Ireland with Irish folklore. Age 10+

The Chestnut Roaster by Eve McDonnell (Everything with Words)

Set in Paris in 1888, this novel brings the reader underground to the Paris catacombs, quite the setting! Twelve-year-old Piaf can remember everything and along with her brother, must try to find lost Parisian children. The plot is as clever and twisting as the catacombs themselves. Age 10+

Lily Takes a Chance by Judi Curtin (The O’Brien Press)

Set in 1915, Lily the housemaid at Lissadell is determined to follow her dreams and be a teaching assistant, but can she get the glowing reference she needs to secure the position? An enchanting friendship story written with warmth and humour. Age 9+

The Lost Girl King by Catherine Doyle (Bloosmbury)

After walking through an enchanted waterfall, Amy and Liam find themselves in Tír na nÓg. When Liam is kidnapped by headless horsemen, it’s up to Amy to save him. Beautifully written, this is a terrific myth-inspired fantasy adventure. Age 10+

The Ministry of Unladylike Activity by Robin Stevens (Puffin)

May Wong finds herself in a big country house with fellow young ‘detectives’ Eric and Fionnuala. Can they solve a murder and prove themselves? A gripping murder mystery set in 1940. Age 10+

The Little Match Girl by Emma Carroll, illustrated by Lauren Child (Simon and Schuster)

Bridie works as a match girl on the streets of Victorian London. But some of her matches are magic and she realises she has the power to change things for both herself and the match factory girls. Perfect for Judi Curtin fans. Age 9+

Paradise Sands by Levi Pinfold (Walker Studio)

A stunning, unusual picturebook which reads like a traditional fable. A young girl and her brothers visit a strange hotel and fall under a spell. But only the girl is strong and wise enough to free them from the enchantment. Outstanding illustrations. Age 9+

And Everything Will Be Glad to See You by Ella Risbridger, illustrated by Anna Shepeta (Nosy Crow)

Magical, enchanting, thought-provoking poems, from old favourites by Maya Angelou to new discoveries. The illustrations are magnificent, full of powerful colour and striking details. A joyful book, an important book. Age 9+

Age 11+

Age 11+ Book of the Year

The Light in Everything by Katya Balen (Bloomsbury)

Tom is often afraid. Zoifa was ‘born in a storm’ and is wild and free. When Zofia’s dad and Tom’s mum decide to blend the two families, both young people are horrified. But when tragedy threatens to strike the new family, things begin to change. Balen’s prose is hummingbird-beautiful, every line is so carefully crafted it seems effortless. Unmissable. Age 12+

Tyger by S F Said, illustrated by David McKean (David Fickling Books)

When Adam finds an Immortal Tyger hidden in a rubbish dump, he knows he must help her. Saving her may also save the world. Set in an alternate London where there is slavery and ghettos, this is an amazing book, full of ideas, and it’s a credit to Said’s craft that it manages to be both a page turner and profound. Age 11+

The Truth About Riley by Sinead Moriarty (Gill Books)

When Riley’s dad dies he leaves behind so much debt that they lose the family home. Riley and her mum have to live in their car but Riley is determined to keep this from her classmates. But luckily kindness comes from unexpected places. This is a genuinely moving novel, written with compassion and honesty. Age 11+

You’re Not the Boss of Me! by Catherine Wilkins (Nosy Crow)

Amy loves writing comedy sketches, but a misguided teacher hands over the running of the school comedy show to a boy in Amy’s class. Harry doesn’t believe girls can be funny, especially Amy who couldn’t give a hoot what Harry thinks of her, making her dangerous and a problem to squash. I laughed my way through this clever, thought-provoking book. Age 11+

You Don’t Know What War is by Yeva Skalietska (Bloomsbury)

Yeva is a young Ukrainian girl and this is her diary. It starts on 14th February 2022, her twelfth birthday and chronicles her flight from war, along with her grandmother, ending up in Ireland. It’s written with honestly and heart and gives an important child’s eye view of war. Age 12+

The Shark and the Scar by Sarah Moore Fitzgerald (Orion)

Jay wakes up in hospital. His dad tells Jay he’s been the victim of a terrible shark attack, leaving him scarred and afraid. But what if his dad is lying? An intriguing tale of family, friendship, love and loss. The mystery at the centre of this book will keep the reader gripped. Age 12+

My Heart and Other Breakables by Alex Barclay (HarperCollins)

Ellery Brown has recently lost her mother and is trying to find her long lost father using clues from her mum’s bookshelves and with the help of her kind and supportive best friend, Megan. Written with a lot of humour, this book is a joy to read and genuinely moving. Age 12+

Run for Your Life by Jane Mitchell (Little Island)

Azari flees to Ireland with her mother to find a new life. They are placed in a Direct Provision Centre and must work hard to stay positive and healthy. Azari tries to create a new life for herself and reconnects with her love of running. Mitchell researched this novel meticulously and portrays life in Direct Provision starkly and honestly. Age 12+

YA (Young Adult)

YA Book of the Year

Twin Crowns by Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber (HarperCollins)

Princess Rose Valhart is polite, respectful and trusting. Wren Greenrock is her secret sister, a strong, outspoken young woman who has been raised by witches and is determined to usurp the princess. Wren arranges for Rose to be kidnapped and she takes her place in the castle. But her plan doesn’t exactly run smoothly! There’s so much to enjoy in this book - horse rides across deserts, dashing bodyguards, dialogue that sparkles with wit and intelligence. Great fun! Age 14+

The Secrets Act by Alison Weatherby (Chicken House)

Set in Bletchley Park during World War 2, this novel about a Welsh teen code breaker, Ellen and her English messenger friend, Pearl, is perfect for fans of historical novels that have friendship and romance themes in the mix. Age 13+

Things I Know by Helena Close (Little Island)

When Saoirse's ex-boyfriend dies by suicide everyone blames her, and she blames herself. She gets lost in a spiral of pain and crippling anxiety, and the counsellor who is supposed to be helping her only makes things worse. Can she manage to find herself again? A well-written examination of a teenager on the brink, honest and ultimately hopeful. Age 15+

Truth Be Told by Sue Divin (Macmillan)

Tara and Faith run into each other at a ‘cross-community peace-building residential’. They couldn’t be more different, Tara is a loud, brash Derry girl, Faith is quiet, reserved and from rural Armagh. But as soon as they set eyes on each other, their lives change because they could be twins. A powerful and darkly funny family and friendship novel set in contemporary Northern Ireland. Age 14+

Big Bad Me by Aislinn O’Loughlin (Little Island)

Evie Wilder has just found out she’s a werewolf but that’s only the start of her problems. Her mum is missing and she’s being hunted down by vampires. Written with confidence, panache and oodles of humour, this book is a must for Buffy fans. Age 14+

these are the words: Fearless verse to find your voice (all lower case apart from the word Fearless, Gareth) by Nikita Gill (Macmillan)

This is Gill’s first collection for teens and she writes about being a girl, a sister and a friend with clarity and truth. Her themes range from wild girls and aunties, to body hair, and it would be a great choice for any young person with an interest in poetry or creative writing. Age 14+

Activist by Louisa Reid (Guppy Books)

The boys at Cassie’s outdated secondary school believe they can treat girls any way they like without consequences and Cassie has had enough. She decides to rise up, speaking out and refusing to stop, not matter what the personal repercussions. She is, in a word, magnificent. This searing YA novel in verse celebrates the strength of one lone, brave voice. Age 15+

Gift Books for Christmas

Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost, illustrated by PJ Lynch, (Walker Books)

No one does snow like P J Lynch and his illustrations in this picturebook are stunning. He brings Frost’s classic 1922 poem to enchanting life. Age 6+

The Grumpus and his Dastardly, Dreadful Christmas Plan by Alex Smith  (Macmillan)

Looking for a new ‘Grinch’ to read aloud this Christmas? Look no further, this book is perfect! Funny, charming and heart-warming. Age 4+

Sir Adam the Brave and the Moody Monsters by David King and Rhiannon Archard (Penguin Sandycove)

Adam the Brave must save his village from moody monsters. Luckily his kindness wins out. A charming story with attractive, colourful illustrations. Age 4+

The Faber Book of Bedtime Stories 

Various authors, Illustrated by Sarah McIntyre (Faber Children’s Books)

A handsome hardback collection of short stories for young readers. The high quality of both the writing and the illustrations makes this collection a real winner for reading aloud at bedtime. Age 5+

The Magic of the Ballet by Vivian French, illustrated by Lauren O’Hara (Walker Books)

A retelling of seven famous ballets, with sumptuous illustrations. A must for ballet fans. Age 6+

Glorious Goddesses of Ancient Ireland by Karen Wallace, illustrated by Paula McGloin (Beehive Books)

Colourful illustrations bring Irish goddesses alive for younger readers. Age 6+

Recommended Titles for Spring 2022

These reviews were first published in The Irish Independent

It’s been an amazing spring for children’s books, with some stand out titles from Irish writers, like Jane Mitchell’s powerful teen novel, Run for Your Life, set in a Direct Provision Centre, and Frankie’s World, a terrific graphic novel by Aoife Dooley about her own childhood and growing up different. With the Easter holidays coming up, there’s something special for every child and teen to lose themselves in.

Happy reading!

Picturebooks and Books for Younger Children

Top Choice

Chirp! by Mary Murphy (Walker Books)

‘Chirps says the Sparrow. Warble goes the Thrush. Tooraloo, whistles the Blackbird from the blackberry bush.’ This is a glorious picturebook for younger children from an award-winning Irish author/illustrator. All the birds get ready in their own way for the dawn chorus, making songs and calls. When dawn breaks the air is filled with their sounds, but the little Bluebird has the zippiest song of all.

A lyrically written story that is great fun to read out loud, with strong, vibrant, illustrations that make the heart sing. Age 2+

Where Are You Puffling? by Erika McGann, illustrated by Gerry Daly (O’Brien Press)

The charming, colourfully illustrated tale of Ireland’s favourite little Puffling is now available in board book format, perfect for the youngest of readers. Puffling is lost, where can she be? Her parents go looking for her and with the help of an array of Irish animals, from gannets to seals, they manage to find her. Age 2+

A Good Place by Lucy Cousins (Walker Books)

A bee, dragonfly, beetle and ladybird are looking for a new place to live, but each place they try has problems, from human feet to pollution. But luckily a boy has created the perfect place to live for them all, in his back garden. A simple picturebook for younger children with well designed, colourful illustrations. Age 3+

Dodos are Not Extinct by Paddy Donnelly (Yeehoo Press)

Dodos are not extinct, they are hiding out in plain sight, that’s the premise of this clever, funny picturebook. There are also dinosaur surgeons and taxi drivers in our midst, and woolly mammoths passing themselves off as elephants.

Sadly these and other animals are indeed extinct and Donnelly talks about this in the final spread of the book and about what we can all do to help endangered animals. The illustrations are vibrant and striking, and Donnelly’s dramatic use of the double page spread and the page turn are developing with each new book. Age 4+

My Mum is a Lioness by Swapna Haddow, illustrated by Dapo Adeola (Macmillan)

‘Run! Hide! My mum is a lioness.’ Haddow has created a wonderful ode to strong, sporty, powerful mums in this fun picturebook. A boy talks about all the things his mum does for him, protecting him, teaching him and loving him. The perfect bedtime story for young cubs, with lively, expressive illustrations by Adeola. Age 3+

A Duck Called Brian by Al Murphy (Scholastic)

It’s definitely the season for bird themed picturebooks and this one is that rare thing, a story that both the child and the adult reading it to them will find equally hilarious. Brian the duck is one of a kind. He’s lost his friend, Gregory and is determined to find him. But his search does not go smoothly and he encounters all kinds of shenanigans along the way, including ducks icing a giant cake and ducks testing a crocodile-proof diving suit. Silliness abounds in this witty picturebook with cartoon-style illustrations; children (and grown-ups) who like a good laugh will love it. Age 4+

Age 5+

Top Choice

Watercress by Andrea Wang, illustrated by Jason Chin (Neal Porter Books)

This outstanding title recently won the Caldecott Medal in the US for the best picturebook. Based on the author’s own childhood, it’s about a girl who has to help her parents collect watercress from the side of the road. She is embarrassed by this and by the hand me down clothes she has to wear, and refuses to eat the watercress. But when her mother shares the story of her own impoverished childhood back in China and how her own little brother died of starvation, the girl feels ashamed and together the family make ‘a new memory of watercress’.

The writing is exceptional, there’s not a word out of place, and the stunning watercolour illustrations, created with both Chinese and western brushes, are full of exquisite detail. A book full of heart. Age 7+

Ella in the Garden of Giverny: A Picture Book about Claude Monet by Daniel Fehr, illustrated by Monika Vaicenaviciene (Prestel)

Ella has just moved from America to France with her family. She loves drawing people, ‘the stranger the better’, and one day sneaks into Monet’s garden at Giverny to draw him. He takes a liking to her and tells her all about his childhood and how he became an artist. Told through Ella’s eyes and via her dialogue with Monet, this is a lively, fun book with striking and clever illustrations by an award-winning Lithuania illustrator. There are information pages about the artist at the back of the book. Perfect for young art or history lovers and their grown-ups. Age 7+

Michael Collins: The People’s Peacemaker by John and Fatti Burke (Gill Books)

The Little Library series by John and Fatti Burke features well known people from Irish history, such as Mary Robinson, Tom Crean and Granuaile. Michael Collins is the latest title in the series and his life and achievements are outlined in suitable language for younger children. Fatti’s bold, bright illustrations largely show a cheery, smiling Collins and due to the age of the intended audience the violence of the time is not lingered over (although there are images showing guns and burning buildings). John Burke is a former primary school teacher who knows his audience well and these books give a good introduction to Irish history for younger readers. Age 7+

Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Being Good by Louie Stowell (Walker Books)

Loki, the Norse trickster god has been banished by Odin and as punishment for his terrible behaviour has been sent to earth where he must live as an eleven-year-old boy. He’s joined by Thor and two other gods who are all pretending to be his family. Loki is supposed to be redeeming himself but instead he’s causing mayhem on earth. How much trouble can one boy make? The answer is a lot!

Clever, original and very, very funny, this is the perfect book for Wimpy Kid fans. With exuberant line drawings on every page, it hums with action, humour, heart and a lot of fart jokes. Good news – there is another Loki book coming in the autumn. Age 8+

Top Choice Age 9+

Top Choice

The Secret of Splint Hall by Katie Cotton (Andersen Press)

It’s England in post-war 1945. Flora and Isobel’s house was destroyed by a bomb, so they have to move to the country to live with their aunt and her horrible husband to Splint Hall, the Big House where their mother and aunt grew up.

But what are the strange blue sparks coming from the ground and what lies behind the secret door in their mother’s childhood bedroom? This book is full of delicious secrets for the girls and the reader to uncover. Cotton writes with a freshness and urgency that gives this historical novel real oomph. There’s also a wonderful fantasy twist which young readers will love. I read the last third of the adventure in one heady gulp – think Famous Five meets Indiana Jones. A terrific book by an accomplished storyteller. I loved it. Age 10+

When the War Came Home by Lesley Parr (Bloomsbury)

When her mum loses her job in the local factory, Natty has to move to a small village in the Welsh countryside. Here she meets her cousins Nerys and Huw. Huw isn’t doing so well. He lied about his age and joined the army when he was only fourteen, fighting in the First World War and coming home traumatised.

There are other young, injured soldiers in the local hospital, still battling the after effects of the war. Natty becomes friendly with one of them and gradually learns his secret.

A beautifully written, accessible historical novel with strong characters and a compelling story. Parr’s previous book, The Valley of Lost Secrets won many awards and his one looks all set to do the same. Age 10+

The Lost Whale by Hannah Gold (HarperCollins)

Gold’s last book, The Last Bear was one of my favourite books of 2021 and her new novel doesn’t disappoint. Eleven-year-old Rio Turner has been sent to LA to stay with his granny while his musician mum is in hospital. His mum’s mental health has been even more fragile than usual and recently Rio has had to be her carer and confident which has taken its toll, leaving him tired and worried.

He shuts his granny out and spends time on the beach. Here he meets a kind, calm girl called Miranda whose dad runs a whale watching boat. When Rio finds old drawings by his mum of one special whale called White Beak his is determined to find the whale. But White Beak has his own problems.

Gold’s writing is clear and precise and woven through with stirring descriptions and telling images, and she doesn’t shy away from difficult topics. A winning book from a master storyteller. Age 9+

The Hunt for the Nightingale by Sarah Ann Juckes (Simon and Schuster)

Ten-year-old Jasper is looking for two things, the nightingale that comes to sing in his garden every year, and his beloved big sister, Rosie. Neither are anywhere to be seen so he goes off in search of them both, across fields, parks and rivers, meeting some extraordinary children, adults and animals along the way. The truth about his sister is lying just below the surface and the reader must go on the journey with Jasper to find out what has really happened to her.

This novel about grief, birds and the power of love is beautifully written and would suit a thoughtful reader who loves nature. Age 9+

Grandpa Frank’s Great Big Bucket List by Jenny Pearson (Usborne)

When young Frank Davenport is left half a million pounds by the grandmother he’s never met, he also inherits something or someone else, his grandpa, also Frank. Her will states he must look after his grandpa and he will receive another reward, so he sets out to give his grandpa the time of his life – creating a bucket list of crazy things to do – from hot air ballooning to monster truck driving, with hilarious consequences.

An action-packed and funny adventure story, written with lots of heart. Perfect for fans of David O’Doherty’s The Summer I Robbed a Bank. Age 9+

Escape Room by Christopher Edge (Nosy Crow)

When Ami arrives at The Escape, an escape room with challenges and puzzles, she’s all ready to play whatever games are thrown at her. There’s an abandoned shopping mall full of prehistoric creatures, a creepy old library and a strange chess game. In each setting Ami and her new friends have to find the answer to a puzzle or quest which allows them to move to the next one. But there’s something strange going on and as the contestants are knocked out one by one, will Ami be the last one standing?

This is an intense, rollercoaster of a read, with an almighty twist towards the end which caught me completely off guard. Perfect for readers who like fast-paced, spine-tingling reads. Age 9+

Dread Wood by Jennifer Killick (Farshore)

If you’re looking for something even spookier, this is the book for you. Killick is one of the best middle grade (age 9 to 12) horror writers around. Dread Wood is set in a school where a group of teenagers have gathered to do a Saturday morning detention. But when their teacher is pulled down what looks like a sink hole by something giant and hairy, they realise something is very, very wrong. It’s scary enough to thrill children but the horror is very much tailored towards younger readers, think Goosebumps rather than Stephen King! Age 10+

Teens and YA

Top Choice

The Light in Everything by Katya Balen (Bloomsbury)

I only discovered Katya Balen last year, thanks to a writer friend who pressed October, October into my hands and urged me to try it. It’s one of the most extraordinary, immersive children’s books I’ve ever read. The Light in Everything is all set to be another lifelong favourite. It’s the story of Tom who lives with his mum and, after witnessing his father’s violence, is often afraid. His father is now far away from them, but Tom still lives with fear.

Zoifa couldn’t be more different. She was ‘born in a storm’ and feels feral, like a wild animal. When Zofia’s dad and Tom’s mum decide to live together, in Zofia’s cottage beside the sea, both young people are horrified. After all, they hate, hate, hate each other! And when they find out there’s a new baby on the way, things get even more twisted and complicated. Both wish the stupid baby would just go away. But when tragedy threatens to strike, things begin to change between them.

Balen’s prose is hummingbird-beautiful, every line is so carefully crafted it seems effortless, yet every paragraph has a depth and a heft to it; her writing makes a home in your heart. Her characters are so well drawn you don’t read their story, you live it. From the opening lines to the final sentences, this book is a joy to read. I’d highly recommend this book (and all Balen’s books) to adults as well as older children, it’s outstanding. Age 11+

Run for Your Life by Jane Mitchell (Little Island)

Azari travels to Ireland with her mother on a container ship to find a new life, away from her father’s cruelty, away from the patriarchal society that forces teenage girls like her sister to marry old men against their will.

They are placed in a Direct Provision Centre and must work hard to stay positive and healthy in difficult circumstances. Azari has to be strong, her mother may be in Ireland but her heart and soul are still in her warm, sunny village and Azari takes on the role of parent and caretaker in their relationship.

A dedicated runner as a girl, Azari starts to run again and meets an Irish teenager who also loves running. This new friendship adds a lighter, more hopeful element to this multi-layered book. Azari and the other Direct Provision teenagers in the school are not always well treated by their peers, and the overt and sly, underhand bullying and racism she encounters are eye-opening.

Mitchell researched this novel meticulously and portrays life in Direct Provision starkly and honestly. She and her publisher, Little Island wanted to create a book to advocate for those in Direct Provision who might not yet have a voice of their own. Around two thousand children are currently living in Direct Provision Centres around Ireland. Mitchell says ‘they deserve so much more’ and she has tried to give them a voice in this fine book. Age 13+

Truth Be Told by Sue Divin (Macmillan)

Tara and Faith run into each other at a ‘cross-community peace-building residential’. They couldn’t be more different, Tara is a loud, brash Derry girl, Faith is quiet, reserved and from rural Armagh. But as soon as they set eyes on each other, their lives changed because with their dark wavy hair, cheek bones and green eyes, they could be twins. Both teenagers are determined to find out what’s going on, or more accurately what went on in their parents’ past and start digging around, unearthing more than they bargained for.

A powerful, gripping and darkly funny family and friendship novel set in contemporary Northern Ireland. Tara and Faith are beautifully drawn characters and their journey from confusion about their shared past to understanding and acceptance is gripping. Age 14+

You’re Not the Boss of Me! by Catherine Wilkins (Nosy Crow)

Amy loves writing comedy sketches. She doesn’t care what other people say, she knows they are funny. But when the misguided teacher, Mrs Hague hands over the running of the school comedy show to a boy in Amy’s class, Harry things start to get complicated. Harry doesn’t believe girls can be funny, especially a certain girl called Amy (who he sees as a threat). Amy couldn’t give a hoot what Harry or anyone else thinks of her, she’s determined to be herself no matter what. In the world of school, with its endless power struggles and peer dynamics, Amy is seen by boys like Harry as dangerous and as a problem to squash. But he hasn’t reckoned on Amy’s tenacity. She is determined to get her comedy sketches judged fairly so she comes up with a plan.

I laughed my way through this clever, thought-provoking book. Amy is a wonderfully unique character and I cheered her on all the way. Perfect for fans of Rosie Jones, David O’Doherty and any young reader who likes a funny book with a lot of heart. Age 11+

The Secrets Act by Alison Weatherby (Chicken House)

Set in Bletchley Park during World War 2, this novel about a Welsh teen code breaker, Ellen and her English messenger friend, Pearl, is perfect for fans of historical novels that have friendship and romance themes in the mix.

Weatherby is American, living in Dublin and researched the period carefully, capturing the atmosphere of 1941 well. The research is worn lightly and the intriguing mystery at the heart of the book – who is the spy in their midst - keeps readers guessing until the final page. An ode to clever, brave, loyal girls, this is a great novel for teen fans of Anna Carey. Age 13+

All That’s Left in the World by Erik J Brown (Hachette Children’s Books)

Andrew has managed to survive a deadly pathogen that has killed off most of the world’s population. He’s injured, starving and running out of hope when he finds a house to shelter in. Here he meets Jamie, a teenage boy with a secret and the pair start to open up to each other, and decide to go on a journey together to find somewhere safe, somewhere to survive. Described by the publishers as a ‘postapocalyptic queer adventure romance’, it’s hard to believe that this is Brown’s first novel. The writing is fresh and vividly descriptive, and the dual narration is beautifully handled. Perfect for fans of Adam Silvera. Age 15+

Fun Books to Keep Young Readers Busy Over the Holidays

Comic books or graphic novels are a brilliant way to keep children and teens reading over the Easter holidays. There are lots of great titles available for all ages, along with some great activity books and sports books.

Comic Books

Bumble and Snug and the Angry Pirates by Mark Bradley (Hachette Children’s Books)

Bumble and Snug live in Bugbopolis, a colourful city full of monsters called Bugbops. Bumble is loud and enthusiastic and loves change, Snug is quieter and loves learning new skills. He can get scared and anxious sometimes. But despite their differences they are great friends.

During a picnic they find pirate treasure they get caught up in a strange adventure involving a giant octopus who needs help and they use their emotional intelligence to save the day. A vibrantly coloured, exuberant comic book which is great fun but is also richly layered and thoughtful. Age 7+

Bunny Vs Monkey and the Supersonic Aye-Aye by Jamie Smart (David Fickling Books)

The latest comic book in this bestselling series sees more adventures and drama in the forest. In one of the chapters Bunny is trying to sleep but everyone keeps waking him up, so he decides to get his own back. But it doesn’t go quite as planned. Highly entertaining and perfect for Dog Man fans. Age 8+

Frankie’s World by Aoife Dooley (Scholastic)

It’s impossible not to fall in love with Frankie. She’s eleven, the smallest in her class and has always felt different to other children. She’s always wondered who her dad is and decides to try and find him, with her best friend’s help.

Inspired by Dooley’s childhood, this graphic novel is a wonderfully charming, honest and funny look at growing up. There are some pages about autism at the back of the book, along with information about being a good friend. The illustrations, in shades of blue and orange are a joy. Already one of my favourite books of the year. Age 9+

Activity Books

The Looking Book by Lucia Vinti (Pavilion)

A wonderfully interactive art book that teaches you about artists and also encourages you to create your own art on the book’s pages. It talks about Frida Kahlo and her self-portraits and then encourages you to draw your own self-portrait, to bring the book outside and draw what you see there, and to visit an art gallery and use the book to explore the works of art there. Beautifully designed and laid out, this is the perfect book for young artists. Age 8+

Unleash Your Creative Monster: A Children’s Guide to Writing by Andy Jones, illustrated by Olaf Falafel (Walker Books)

One of the best creative writing books for children I’ve come across in recent years, full of useful information and written in lively, accessible prose. Each page is brought to life by witty, cartoon illustrations. If you have a young writer in your household do get them this book. Age 9+

Sports Books

Ayeisha McFerran by David Coren (O’Brien Press) in the Great Irish Sports Stars series is the inspiring story of one of the world’s greatest hockey goalkeepers. It chronicles Ayeisha’s journey from young girl to winner of the Hockey World Cup Goalkeeper of the Tournament and explains how she got there. Written in accessible, easy to read prose, it’s ideal for young sports fans. Age 9+

Twin Power, Throw In! by Emma Larkin (O’Brien Press) is a novel about two young Gaelic football players. When they play together they are so fast and skilful everyone calls them ‘Twin Power’. A lively, fun story for younger readers. Age 8+

KPMG CHILDREN'S BOOKS IRELAND BOOK AWARDS 2022

KPMG Children’s Books Ireland Awards 2022 (books published in 2021)

 2021 was a whopper of a year for Irish books, with over 140 titles published, a record high. Here are my (rather hasty as I’ve just realised the shortlist is announced tomorrow 9th March) predictions for this year’s shortlist.

 Picturebooks:

Maybe by Chris Haughton

Weirdo by Zadie Smith and Nick Laird, Illustrated by Magenta Fox

There’s a Ghost in This House by Oliver Jeffers

Frindleswyle by Natalia O’Hara and Lauren O’Hara

 Younger Readers (A really strong age group this year!)

Rabbit and Bear: A Bad King is a Sad Thing by Julian Gough, illustrated by Jim Field (One of the best books I’ve ever read for this younger age group – this age group often gets overlooked for awards – esp if books are in a series – I think it deserves to win the overall prize.)

Cluasa Capaill Ar An Rí by Bridget Breathnach, illustrated by Shirely MacDonald

Wild Child by Dara McAnulty, illustrated by Barry Falls

Rescuing Titanic by Flora Delargy (My prediction for Eilis Dillon Award for First Book – amazing book!)

Tree Dogs, Banshee Fingers by Manchán Magan, illustrated by Steve Doogan (the illustrations are outstanding – I’d love to see this on the shortlist)

Leaflings by Niamh Sharkey and Owen Churcher

 Age 9+

The Summer I Robbed a Bank by David O’Doherty, illustrated by Chris Judge (I would love this to feature – brilliant book)

Wolfstongue by Sam Thompson

 YA

Hani and Ishu’s Gide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdar

Guard Your Heart by Sue Divin

 The shortlist may also feature:

Picturebooks

Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement C Moore, Illustrated by PJ Lynch

One of the many Paddy Donnelly titles (Here Be Dragons is my favourite)

Big Dance by Aoife Greeham

Younger Readers

Bad Panda by Swapna Haddow, Illustrated by Sheena Dempsey

Age 9+

Tabitha Plimtock and the Edge of the World by Erika McCann, illustrated by Philip Cullen

The Kidds of Summerhill by Ann Murtagh

Mr Spicebag by Freddie Alexander, illustrated by Helen O’Higgins

Teens

All the Money in the World by Sarah Moore Fitzgerald

YA

All Our Hidden Gifts by Caroline O’Donoghue

The Best Children’s Book Agents 2022 as Recommended by their Writers and Illustrators + Irish Publisher Submission Details

Getting Published

Every year I try to update this post - one of the most popular posts on my blog. I hope it's helpful. If you are a published writer or illustrator and would like to recommend your agent, please contact me. I'd be delighted to add your agent to the list. 

All the agents on this list are recommended by people in the know - their writers and illustrators. Thank you to all the writers and illustrators who have responded to my call out for recommendations over the years. 

YOU CAN SEND YOUR BOOK DIRECTLY TO MOST IRISH PUBLISHERS (WITHOUT AN AGENT)

In Ireland we are lucky to have The O’Brien Press whose editors are happy to read unsolicited manuscripts. You can send your book directly to one of their editors. Submission details are on their website and they publish a wide range of fiction and non-fiction for children and young people, including my books: https://www.obrien.ie/submissions

The team at Little Island are also happy to read unsolicited manuscripts (however they do close submissions at certain times of the year): https://littleisland.ie/submissions/

Gill Books publish some terrific picturebooks, children’s novels and children’s non-fiction. Venetia Gosling is their new Associate Publisher and she is in charge of the children’s list.:

https://www.gillbooks.ie/write-for-us

HarperCollins Ireland has recently appointed an editor, Catherine Gough who is actively looking for new children’s books. opensubmissions@harpercollins.ie

Website link here

Bonnier Books has also recently appointed an Irish publishing director, Deirdre Nolan

Find out what she’s looking for here

Bonnier website

I will post her contact details when they are available.

Mercier and Poolbeg also publish some children’s books and accept unsolicited manuscripts.

Poolbeg submission details here

Mercier: Submissions can be sent by email to commissioning@mercierpress.ie or by post to Commissioning Editor, Mercier Press, Unit 3B, Oak House, Bessboro Road, Blackrock, Cork, Ireland.

UK PUBLISHERS

Most UK publishers do not accept unsolicited manuscripts so you will need to submit your work through an agent.

WHAT DOES AN AGENT DO EXACTLY?

1/ An agent can advise you on your manuscript and on how to make it more attractive to a publisher. Many will act as editors and help improve a manuscript before it is sent out to editors.. They are also excellent at coming up with zippy book titles as I’ve discovered.

2/ An agent can find the right editor or publisher for your work – like a book matchmaker. And they can sell your UK, US, digital and foreign rights. They can also look after any film or television rights.

3/ Agents deal with the difficult and technical area of contracts. This is particularly important at the moment as digital rights can be tricky.

4/ Financial back up – they can chase up your royalties and talk to your publishers about outstanding monies owed to you.

These days having potential isn’t enough, your manuscript must be as perfect as you can make it before it goes anywhere near a publisher. A good agent can play a vital role in this process.

WHO REPRESENTS SOME OF THE BEST CHILDREN'S WRITERS?

Remember to check each agent’s website for submission guidelines before you send anything out. Or ring the agency for details – I know it’s daunting but they are always happy to advise you on how (or if) to submit. Be warned – you may get the agent herself/himself on the phone. Be prepared.

RECOMMENDED CHILDREN’S AGENTS: IRISH WRITERS

Eoin Colfer is represented by Sophie Hicks. Sophie is a very experienced agent and her writers rate her highly. She also represents Oisín McGann. www.sophiehicksagency.com

Lucy Coats adds ‘Sophie Hicks of SHA is, of course, the best agent in the world! Sympathetic and positive in adversity, great sense of humour and fights her authors’ corner like a tigress on speed. Highly recommended.’

Derek Landy is represented by Michelle Kass, who also represents Patrick Ness. www.michellekass.co.uk

Darren Shan is represented by Christopher Little   For general enquiries email: www.christopherlittle.net

Sarah Webb and Chris Judge are represented by the wonderful Philippa Milnes Smith at The Soho Agency

Steve McCarthy says: ‘I'll second that for Philippa! I can attest to her kindness, wise-ness and hilarity.’

Contact: https://thesohoagency.co.uk/submission

Marita Conlon McKenna is represented by Caroline Sheldon www.carolinesheldon.co.uk

Patricia Forde is represented by Anne Clarke. Trish says ‘She is absolutely wonderful and I recommend her wholeheartedly!’
http://anneclarkliteraryagency.moonfruit.com/home/4574290903

Elizabeth Rose Murray recommends her agent, Sallyanne Sweeney of Mulcahy Associates (London). She says she’s ‘supportive, thorough, creative, knowledgeable & really champions her authors. And she really loves children’s/YA literature too – always a bonus!’

Let's hear from some other Irish writers:

Dave Rudden: 'I'm with Clare Wallace at Darley Anderson - can't recommend her enough!'

Clare also represents Olivia Hope.

Shirley McMillan: 'My agent is Jenny Savill at Andrew Nurnberg Associates. She is wonderful.'

Jenny also represents Nigel Quinlan.

Sinéad O'Hart is represented by Polly Nolan who is also recommended by Louis Stowell.

Celine Kiernan says: 'I changed agencies late 2015. I am with Sallyanne Sweeney now, of Mulcahy Literary Agency. Have worked with her on two books now and find her wonderful.'

Sheena Wilkinson: ‘Faith O'Grady. Not a children's specialist -- handy as I am writing adult now, but very supportive and approachable. Based in Dublin.’

Sheena Dempsey says:  ‘Felicity Trew is absolutely brilliant, a determined bulldog but with a lovely manner and thorough to the last where contracts are concerned. Incredibly supportive where editorial and art direction are concerned. Always pushes for better terms. Top marks.’

Marianne Gunn O'Connor represents Shane Hegarty and Cecelia Ahern. 

OTHER RECOMMENDED AGENTS - UK AND INTERNATIONAL WRITERS

Cathy Cassidy is represented by Darley Anderson and highly recommends him.

Eve Ainsworth:  'I'm with Stephanie Thwaites at Curtis Brown, she's fab.'

Russell Sanderson and Lu Hersey recommend their agent, Ben Illis.

Zana Fraillon recommends her agent, Claire Wilson.

Julia Churchill at A M Heath who says 'my speciality is checking if people need to go to loo before meetings.' I have met Julia several times and she is a funny and smart woman who knows her onions. Well worth sending your manuscript to. Nikki Sheehan says Julia 'would win against 100 horse sized ducks.' 

Jo Nadin says: ‘I love Julia Churchill without reservation. She’s quietly kickass, clever, kind, and, best of all, listens.’

Mark Burgess: 'I’m represented by excellent & wonderful Nancy Miles of Miles Stott Children's Literary Agency. She also represents Gill Lewis & Frances Hardinge.'

Sarah McIntyre: ‘I'm represented by Jodie Hodges at United Agents, she's brilliant! I couldn't do without her, she keeps my life in order.’

Catherine MacPhail says: ‘Caroline Sheldon. Always keeps in touch. Great agent.’

Cathy Brett says ‘And Felicity Trew, Caroline's co-agent. A little terrier!’

Mary Hoffman: ‘ It was Pat White and, since her retirement, is now Claire Wilson, both of Rogers, Coleridge and White.’

Also recommend are:

Eve White, Eve White Literary Agency

Catherine Clarke at Felicity Bryan

Robert Kirby at United Agents

Jodie Hodges at United Agents (recommended by William Bee); Catherine Mary Summerhayes, Jo Unwin and Clare Conville at United Agents

Hilary Delamere at The Agency

Lindsey Fraser at Fraser Ross

Gemma Cooper at The Bent Agency

Penny Holroyde at Holroyde Cartey

Elizabeth Roy – www.elizabethroy.co.uk

Laura Cecil – www.lauracecil.co.uk

Madeleine Milburn – www.madeleinemilburn.co.uk

Sam Copeland and Claire Wilson at Rogers Coleridge and White – www.rcwlitagency.com

Good luck with finding a great agent!

Messages for 6th Class

Oh, the Places You’ll Go

This piece originally appeared in The Irish Independent on Sat 23rd May

Introduction by Sarah Webb

‘I’m really sad, Sarah. Just really, really sad.’ Those were the words that set me off.

I run writing clubs for children, including many 6th classers. For the last few weeks I’ve noticed them become more and more despondent about the end of their primary school days. I decided I’d try to do everything in my power to mark and celebrate their graduation.

So I invited some of the children’s heroes to make short video messages for them, themed around Dr Seuss’ iconic book, Oh, the Places You’ll Go. Over thirty people answered the call and some of the messages are shared with you here.

There are more than 3,500 primary schools in Ireland – that’s a lot of 6th classes. I hope they all get a chance to listen to the Messages for 6th Class. Watch the video below.

To the heroic 6th Class of 2020 – we salute you!

Sinéad Burke

Hi, my name is Sinéad Burke. I am a teacher, a writer and an advocate for disabled people. But this isn’t about me, it’s about you.

Congratulations, you have done it! I will never forget seeing the relief on my students’ faces when they finished 6th class and a little bit of nervousness too as they were leaving all of the environments and the friends they were familiar with, about to go into a whole new space. It can be a little bit scary but don’t worry, you’ve got this.

I’m so honoured to be speaking to you. Because who knows who’s watching? Maybe it’s the next President of Ireland. Maybe it’s the first female Taoiseach. Maybe you might go to the moon or maybe you might go to the Burren and explore and discover a whole new set of fauna.

Maybe you’re going to be a musician who will tour the world, entertain millions of people in enormous stadiums. Maybe you’ll be a teacher like me and inspire the next generation of children to think about education as something that will always be a part of them. Maybe you’ll be an artist and your work will be displayed in galleries at home and abroad.

Maybe you’ll be a scientist and come up with a cure for something we desperately need, who knows?

And the best part is – anything is possible. Because maybe your dream job or the part you play in society might not even exist yet. Maybe you’ll be the first.

Congratulations. I am so thrilled for you. You have worked so hard to get to this moment, and not just you, your family and your friends too. Maybe your parents or somebody at home sat with you every Thursday before a spelling test, or maybe they helped you with your homework or if something wasn’t going so great at school they gave you the pep talk and the words you just needed to hear.

Congratulations to all of you, enjoy this moment, revel in it. Secondary school is up next. Best of luck!

Joanne O'Riordan

Hi to all the 6th class students, I’m Joanne O’Riordan, disability rights activist, Irish Times sports columnist and podcast host for Cork’s Red FM. When I was in 6th class in 2007 the first place I wanted to go when I graduated was across the road to Centra to get a hot chocolate and a hot chicken fillet roll. The graduation ceremony was super long so I was absolutely starving by the end of it.

I was super excited to get out into the world, go to Secondary School and experience a whole new atmosphere and a whole new climate. I super excited to see if I could travel the world. I had been to Lourdes in France about six times by that stage and I wanted to see where else the world would take me.

Little did I know when I was in 6th class that I would go over to the United Nations at the age of sixteen and talk about how technology can help people with disabilities. I would graduate and go to college and study criminology in UCC. And more importantly I would take an Erasmus programme and go for a year abroad to study at the University of York, which was a huge success. I stayed for nine months without my parents, living with seven complete and utter strangers who became my best friends for life.

In sixth class I was writing little columns after games in the hope that they would be published in the future. I didn’t realise back then that in twelve years time I’d be writing full time for the Irish Times and going to so many games across the country and across the world. From the champions league semi final where Liverpool took on Barcelona, all the way to Ireland versus Denmark and all the GAA matches in between.

So whatever your hopes, dreams and expectations are make sure they are not limited and make sure you think the best and biggest dreams out there and most importantly I hope you work hard to achieve everything you want in your life.

I so wish you all the best. 6th class going into secondary school it is a nervy time for some but I have no doubt you will make a great job of it. Best of luck with everything. I hope you get on well and have some fun.

Dave Rudden

Hi, I’m Dave Rudden, author of Knights of the Borrowed Dark and beard aficionado and I am recording this to say congratulations on finishing primary school.

School is different for everybody, but I’m sure there have been good days, and bad days, and weird days, and days where you thought this would never end, and you’d be stuck in school forever, living under a chair, having to eat glantoirs (Editor’s note – blackboard cleaners). It’s a big day.

And it’s a big thing to be feeling right now. It’s okay not to know how to feel about it. Maybe you’re sad to be leaving, maybe you’re excited for the next great adventure – pro-tip, it will involve more glantoirs, but remember - this isn’t really the end of anything, unless you want it to be.

You can hang onto friends, you can hang onto lessons learned, you can keep photos or keepsakes, nothing’s ever truly gone. Or maybe there are things you want to leave behind. Maybe you’re excited for a new start. A fresh chapter. For me, leaving school was a chance to meet new people, to step into a wider world.

 The great thing about starting somewhere new is you get to look around and find your tribe. Find the people who make you happy, who are into the same things that you are, and stick with them. Remember that what make you different, what makes you unlike anyone else is what makes you special. Guard those things. You are never wrong to like the things you like, even if other people don’t like them.

For example, am I weird because I like seeing how many pens I can fit in my beard? No. Is that why I’m banned from most newsagents? Maybe – but I’m still going to do it.

Whether you’re looking forward to the next step, or you’re a little nervous, or you’re just sleepy, this is a day to take a moment, put your feet up, chew on a glantoir, and be proud of yourself for graduating. Congratulations.

Robin Stevens

I’m Robin Stevens, the author of the Murder Most Unladylike mysteries, and this is my message for sixth class.

There are so many things I’d like to say to you right now. I’d like to tell you that I know how this ends, or that I know it’ll all be all right. I wish I could say that this is a just a story, and you’ll wake up tomorrow with only a dim memory of it. I wish, in short, that I was the author of the real world – which is something that writers feel often. I spend my time making up stories that feel entirely real to me, and so it’s sometimes a shock to come face to face with a narrative I can’t edit or fix.

But there is something I can say. I can tell you that although I don’t know what you’ll do next, and where you’ll go in your lives, I do know that it will always be the most incredible adventure. I can tell you that you’re marvellous, and full of potential, and important. I can tell you that you are the hero of your particular story, and you have the ability to shape your corner of the universe in a hundred tiny ways into something you’re truly proud of. I can tell you that you deserve the whole world, and I hope you get it.

You’ve already achieved so much, and I can’t wait to find out where you’ll go in the next chapter of you story. Good luck.

Deirdre Sullivan

Hi, I’m Deirdre Sullivan, I’m a writer and this is my message for sixth class. New beginnings are exciting, but also a little bit scary. And you’re going to need a friend to get you through this. So my message to you is be your own friend. I didn’t always like who I was when I was a teenager, and I wasn’t always on my own side.

And that’s not to say that you need to be your only friend, other people are wonderful. We need each other. But if you find that you are harder on yourself than you are on your friends, remember that you are just as deserving of kindness and compassion as other people are. You can push yourself, and strive to do exciting, adventurous and wonderful things, but if there comes a time when you wish you were someone else, that you had a different sort of heart, or brain, or shape, I really want you to remember that you deserve kindness. You matter. And you don’t have to ‘be’ anything special or marvellous or fantastic to deserve kindness. You deserve it anyway.

You are a person, and you have value. And I hope that you can carry that with you on your journey. Because it makes the road a lot easier. And I wish you so well as you start secondary school, and on every journey life takes you on, during your time there and afterwards.

John Boyne

Hi, this is John Boyne.  I’m the author of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, My Brother’s Name is Jessica and lots of other books that you may have read.

I guess you’re all finishing up 6th class now and probably thinking why can’t I be there with my friends celebrating the end of eight years?

But the same thing happened to me when I was about twelve years old. I was finishing my junior school, my 6th class when my appendix broke and I was rushed into hospital. I missed the last couple of weeks of school and I missed my friends and I missed the going away parties. I was quite upset about it at the time. I always remember that.

But one thing that happened to me while I was in hospital and in the aftermath was my mother brought me in the seven Narnia books by C. S. Lewis. I got completely into them. I fell for this wonderful world through the wardrobe. It was the start of me trying to write stories myself. Once I got home I started taking characters from those books and writing new stories about them (which is basically plagiarism but don’t tell anybody).  All through my teens I kept writing.

After that all I wanted to do was write and that’s what I’ve done with my life. In terms of the places you’ll go, writing has taken me all over the world. It’s taken me to all five continents and there are still a lot of places to go.

I’ve met readers and other writers (all over the world) and it’s been a wonderful experience and a wonderful life so far, with lots more to come.

Hopefully you’ve found something to do during this lockdown and you won’t miss the end of school too much. In September you’ll be back to school and in the meantime have a great summer.

Judi Curtin

Hi there. I’m Judi Curtin and this is my message for sixth class of 2020.

When I was your age I was very sweet and innocent, and the most trouble I was ever in was when I was caught reading a book under my desk when I was supposed to be practising my sewing. So a real rebel!

When I was 12 I had no idea where life was going to take me. I knew I wanted to be a writer but for a long time I wasn’t confident enough to try that, so it’s fair to say I took a scenic route. I had lots of jobs in my life including working in a gherkin factory and working as a teacher. I was a tour guide, I worked in a Chinese restaurant and once I made silk dolls and tried to sell them. This last was a complete disaster showing that I should have paid more attention in sewing class!

I’m so sorry for you all, missing so much of sixth class. You didn’t spend enough time with your friends, you didn’t do all the fun things you had hoped, and you missed out on the last few months of being the oldest and boldest in your school – a special privilege we all deserve.

I’m sure some of you are raring to go, and dying to get on to secondary school, and maybe some of you are a little nervous, and wish you could stay in 6th class forever – and that’s OK. This is a time of big change, and change is exciting, but it can be scary too. Remember though, it’s always interesting

I hope you all go on to do wonderful things – and don’t forget – of all the sixth classes ever, you’ll have the best stories to tell your grandchildren. Good luck xxx

Zainab Boladale

I’m Zainab Boladale, a Presenter and Reporter with RTÉ, you may remember me from the show I previously worked on, news2day. Here’s my message for 6th class students around Ireland. 

I have a brother who’s also in 6th class, so, like him, I know many of you are feeling a lot right now. You’ve been home since March and you’re probably missing your school, teachers and friends. You’re also probably thinking about the future and have a lot of thoughts, questions and maybe even worries about starting secondary school in a few months.

It’s a big jump but there’s so much to look forward to, think about it, you’re at the beginning of your teenage years! I remember being 13 and feeling so cool that I was officially a teenager. 

In your new schools, you’ll make many new friends, many of which you’ll keep for years after. You’ll find out what subject you like and what you dislike. For some of you this may help you realise what you want to study or work as in the future. That’s very exciting! 

Now is the time to have fun, be creative, express yourself, be kind to yourself and those around you.

I know there’s a lot of uncertainties out there right now with the country yet to go to back normal. One thing I’m certain of though is that the world around you will be yours to grow and flourish in. Take care of yourself this summer.

Marita Conlon-McKenna

Hi, it’s Marita Conlon-McKenna here with a special message for everybody in sixth class, to wish you all the best and wonderful times ahead of you when you start your new school. I know how sad and strange it is for you not to be in school at the moment, especially not to have time to enjoy that rite of passage from sixth class to secondary. I know you’ve had a wonderful time in your lovely schools. You’ve loved your teachers and all the years you’ve had with your friends. Now that time is coming to an end and you’re not even with your friends and teachers. All the wonderful things you’ve planned like your graduation, they’ve all gone out the window, and everything is up in the air at the moment. My own granddaughter Holly is in sixth class and she was looking forward to so many things – confirmation, the graduation party, playing a match against her teachers, signing t-shirts and sweat-shirts, getting photos with all her friends and putting on a class play. All those wonderful things are gone now, but even though you’re not together, you’ve still got your friends. All the friends you made the first day you went into primary school until leaving your school now, they’ll always be your friends, and you’ll never not have them around. I’m very lucky some of the friends I started school with are still my friends.

It’s only a while ago that you were little junior infants nervously starting school, and now look at you, a big grown up sixth class, all ready to go into secondary, almost teenagers.

I remember when I started school, the first day I went in as happy as Larry, but the second day when my mum brought me I said I didn’t want to go. I said I had to go to the toilet, and they brought me to the junior infant toilets, and I locked myself in and wouldn’t come out. My mum was sent home and I still would not come out. After a while I heard the children playing and singing and having games and I opened the lock and went out again. The next day when I went back to school I said I wanted to go to the toilet again, but when my mum and the nun brought me, the locks were gone. The nun had got clever and taken the locks off every toilet door so that trick wouldn’t work anymore.

It was a tricky start, but I loved my school and my friends and my teachers and I was sad to leave, the way you are.  I still have my friends though, and we learned so much in our school. That’s where you learn to read and draw and think and that learning will go with you. Though you’re going to say goodbye to your yard and the corridors and the classrooms, and the tree you used to climb when you were a little girl or boy, everything you learned in that school, you’re going to bring with you into your next school.

Best of luck in your new school. There will be lots of opportunities. Our brains are small, but they will get bigger and bigger, and you’re going to learn more and more as you go on to your new school. You’re going to make new friends, and there will be new classrooms and new corridors. There will be new teachers, new sports you want to try out and new subjects too, so it’s very exciting.

I wish you all the best in the times ahead, and who knows? Some day you might say, there’s Marita Conlon McKenna coming to visit us in our new school, and I’ll be happy to see you all there.

Take care, and keep reading, writing, drawing and cartooning. Keep all that creativity you’ve brought up to sixth class, and bring it with you into your new school.

Don Conroy

Hello everybody, Don Conroy here to wish you all the very best for the future. I know we’re living in very strange and scary times. It’s ok to be afraid, but never let fear rule your life.

It’s as if you’re now involved in a great book – which you’re helping to write. You’ve finished one chapter, and now you’re heading off to a very exciting chapter two – and may there be many chapters. For people who have eyes to see, the world is an unfolding miracle, and we are part of it. That is life.

Some people can be a bit cynical and disillusioned about things, but don’t fall into those traps – there’s so much to see and discover. I was very lucky. From the age of four I started on the creative journey. I didn’t realize what exactly that was, but I started drawing and because of that I was looking at things in a creative way, so my eyes were wide awake to the wonders of life. We all have that creative imagination, and it’s so important.

It’s good to develop life skills, and have a go at things you’ve never tried before. The great thing is when you’re in class and you become friends with people, you’re all in the same boat, and you should look out for each other and care for each other. By doing that, you’ll go through life, as Shakespeare said, with a band of brothers (or sisters). The world needs a lot of people with great integrity, and because of this coronavirus crisis, there’s a lot of people showing how marvellous the human being is. The human spirit will always triumph, so it’s very important to be positive and have a good outlook.

The world is your oyster. You can write, you can sing, learn the guitar – whatever you want to do, so open up to life in a very positive way. I say this because when I was younger there were a few amazing people who gave me good advice – and even if they didn’t, because they had integrity and a love of life they were like signposts. We need those people, and then you can become signposts, you become very important to your little sister or brother or whoever looks up to you.

You’re heading out to another lovely chapter in your life, and I really wish you all the best.  Stay strong, stay safe and stay creative.

Rob Kearney

Hi guys, just a short message to say a huge congratulations on finishing 6th class. I remember my own journey back then and how excited I was to finally start in secondary school. I hope you are all as excited as I was and you’re looking forward to the big journey ahead of you.

Amy Huberman

Hi 6th Class students. It’s Amy Huberman here. I just wanted to wish you all the very best in your graduation from junior school. Such a big moment. I know it’s very disappointing at present with everything going on that you won’t be able to have  the big send off that you should, but I’m sure all your teachers and  friends and parents are planning a great party when  all this is over and that’s something to really look forward to.

It feels like only yesterday since I was finishing primary school, even though it’s a long time ago, and I remember so clearly that first day of starting secondary school and all the excitement and the nerves. I was really scared of leaving some my friends behind because not many of them were going to the same secondary school as I was. My best mate was going to a different secondary school and I was so sad and so nervous about that.

I remember all the new smells and the noise and the change of uniform. But that’s only for a few days and then it’s the new normal. I missed my best mate, I really did, but we kept in touch. She now lives in a different country but I often think of it as my proper relationship outside my family – she felt like a sister to me.

You have all that to look forward to in secondary school, all those exciting new experiences, all those adventures with new friends.

It’s always good to feel a little bit nervous as it means you care. So well done on finishing school number one, that’s amazing. All the hard work you’ve done, all the teachers you’ve had, all the friends you’ve made, everything you’ve learned along the way, everything you have to learn. It’s the next phase in your adventure.

Lots and lots of love, Amy X

Eoin Colfer

Hello 6th class, this is Eoin Colfer here. I am an author, I wrote the Artemis Fowl books for young people which will shortly be on Disney+ as a movie.

I know this is a very strange time for you. You have come to the end of 6th class and you’re thinking fantastic, we’re going to have a big graduation, a big celebration and all my friends will get together… I feel your pain. It’s not happening, we’re all stuck in lockdown. I’m trying to connect with the memory of what it was like to be twelve.

There are lots of things I don’t understand about being 11,12,13 right now. I don’t understand why you have to shout at the television all the time while wearing headphones. I don’t understand a lot of the hand gestures you make when you’re out and about. I don’t understand video games. I don’t understand most of the modern music. I don’t understand tick tock – at all!

But what I do understand and what I do remember is the feeling of expectation that you had when you were just coming to the end of primary school and you were thinking of all the places you would go and the people you would meet when you went into secondary school and how exciting that was.

I think there’s something very exciting and special about that crossover. Finally you’re being drawn to your own people. You can choose some of the classes you want to go to, you will meet people with the same interests as you, you’ll do experiments, you’ll have a lot more equipment in your laboratories. It’s a very exciting time to be young and to be taking that big step

This summer would have been a very exciting summer – saying goodbye to some friends and hello to new ones – and that now is not going to happen. There’s going to be a very different kind of summer for all of us. We have to stick to the rules because we want to take care of our parents and grandparents and anyone else who might be vulnerable in our families.

So I just wanted you to know as one of the many writers in the Irish family, that we haven’t forgotten about you, that we are trying to remember you in our work. We’ll be there for you, there are always books and when you want to go places for now it will have to be in your head and we will be here to help you get to those places. So if you want to go to a fairy world you can read one of my books and that will help you get deeper into your imagination.

So keep your chin up, stay strong, keep the dream alive and pretty soon you’re going to be back with all your friends and hopefully a lot more new ones. So this is Eoin Colfer in isolation in Dublin wishing you good luck!

Paul Howard

Hi, I’m Paul Howard and I’m the co-author of Gordon’s Game with Gordon D’Arcy and I just wanted to say congratulations. You did it! You got through primary school. It’s absolutely fantastic and I’m delighted for you.

You’re facing into a long and hopefully enjoyable summer holiday now and at the end of it you’re going to be starting a new school. There are going to be lots of new adventures and new friends.

The most exciting thing I found about starting a new school was that I got to take all those things that really, really annoyed my teachers about me in primary school and inflict them on a whole new range of teachers in secondary school.

Some of you will be saying goodbye to old friends and making new friends but I hope you will hang on to some of your old friends. It’s a really good idea, I can give you that advice. My best friend in the world is a friend I met in primary school and we’re still best friends to this day. We’ve known each other since we were ten. Either I couldn’t get rid of him or he couldn’t get rid of me, it’s one or the other.

Congratulations! I know finishing school this way isn’t ideal, that you’d like to see each other and say goodbye in person, but when things return to normal – which they will – your parents and your teachers will throw a huge party for you. Enjoy it when it happens.

Creative Bursts #7 - Hidden Stories Extra - Design a Tree House

Where do you like to hide?

Is there a special place where you like to get away from it all?

Do you bring a book, or a notebook and pen?

When I was a girl we had a wooden climbing frame in our back garden – it had a special platform – like a tree house – and I loved dragging cushions and rugs up there and making my own hidey hole. I’d bring a book and stay there all afternoon in the summer.

I wrote a tree house poem inspired by this:

Tree House by Sarah Webb

High up in a leafy tree

Shaded from all company,

Is the place I love to be,

Hiding in my tree house.

Happy is sky

And happy is free,

Happy is reading

High up in my tree.

Now design your own special tree house and write a poem or a story about it. You can draw it too!

Creative Bursts #6 What a World! - Extra Word Games and Story Prompts

To get lost in a Creative Burst all you need is a pencil or pen and a notebook or piece of paper. 

The writing games and prompts are aimed at around age 8/9+ but could be done with younger children if you give them a bit of help. I’ve also included some more challenging story prompts for older or more experienced writers of around 11+ (every young writer is different). 

Remember grown-ups – please join in too! It’s great for children to see you being creative, making mistakes and having fun on the page!

Warm Up

To get started let’s warm up those writing muscles.

You could start by writing this quote into your writing notebook, copybook or sheet of paper. You could give it a fancy frame or border if you like!

“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.” Roald Dahl

If you’ve already got that one in your notebook, how about one of these:

"In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they're still beautiful." Alice Walker

Alice Walker is a famous American writer who wrote The Colour Purple.

“If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.” Laura Ingalls Wilder

Laura Ingalls Wilder was born in 1867 and wrote the Little House on the Prairie books.

Story Prompt 1

So here’s your first prompt: Write a story or draw a picture inspired by this photograph:

Now imagine you are one of those ladybirds and write a poem about flying - what do you see? What does it feel like to be a ladybird?

Story Prompt 2

I love walking with my dog, Lucky on Dún Laoghaire pier. We love being by the water and are often joined by sea birds. Sometimes a seal pops up to say hello.

I’m fascinated by jellyfish. Did you know the Irish for jellyfish is smugairle róin or seal snot? Strange but true!

We also love walking in the forest. He loves sniffing out all kinds of smells in the damp leaves and tree stumps.

Our next story prompt is inspired by walking in the forest with Lucky.

You are out walking in the forest with your dog when you spot a large opening in a tree trunk

You go closer – there’s something moving in there.

You look inside and see…

(If you’re with your dog she/he probably smells or hears it first – they have very sensitive noses and ears!)

It can be a real creature, something imaginary like a unicorn or a dragon – or the hole can be a portal to another world – you decide!

Now write the story from your DOG’S point of view!

Get writing!

Look out for the video tomorrow - Wed - with more games and story prompts!

Sarah's Favourite 50 Books of the Season

This piece first ran in The Irish Independent on Saturday 7th December.

 It’s been another cracker of a year for children’s books. From a brand new book by Eoin Colfer set in the world of Artemis Fowl, to Norah Patten’s award-winning true story of her journey to become Ireland’s first astronaut, Shooting for the Stars there really is something for everyone this Christmas.

From all the books for children and teenagers I’ve read this season I’ve selected my fifty favourites, titles I think young readers will fall in love with. Happy Reading!

Age 0 to 5

Top Choice

1/ What I Like Most by Mary Murphy, Illustrated by Zhu Cheng-Liang (Walker Books)

Why do I love this book so much? Is it the simple yet lyrical text by Irish writer, Mary Murphy? Is it the exquisite watercolour illustrations by Chinese artist, Zhu Cheng-Liang, at once both delicate and strong? Or is it the seamless blend of both, leaving space for the reader to bring their own interpretation to the story? A young girl talks about her favourite things – looking out the window, apricot jam – things that  keep changing. But her mother is always constant, the girl’s most favourite thing of all. A gentle, profound book about love, don’t miss it! Age 3+.

2/ Tiny and Teeny by Chris Judge (Walker Books)

Tiny and Teeny (her dog) live in an apple on the edge of town where she helps people every day – babysitting, gardening, reading aloud. When her house is squashed by a meteor, everyone works together to make her a new home. The vibrant illustrations are full of tiny details that children will love. In a word, enchanting! Age 2+.

3/ Wild in the Snow by Matthew Cordell (Andersen Press)

When a little girl gets lost in a blizzard on her way home from school she stumbles upon a wolf pup who is also lost. But together, they are no longer alone. This almost-wordless picture book with lively illustrations is a clever tale of trust and friendship and a joy to share. Watch out for the brilliant ending! Age 3+.

4/ The Child of Dreams by Irena Brignull, Illustrated by Richard Jones (Walker Studio)

A beautifully written, fable-like tale about a young girl who is trying to discover where she comes from. She sets out on a journey to find out the answer and is help by the forest animals. The illustrations glow with unusual colours like teal and amber, making the pages a joy to pour over. Age 4+.

5/ Small in the City by Sydney Smith (Walker Books)

‘I know what it’s like to be small in the city,’ a boy tells his lost cat and he sets out to find him in the snow. Smith’s illustrations are full of unusual shapes, patterns and perspectives and have incredible vitality and power. Looking for something a little different, for an imaginative child who likes art, look no further! Age 4+.

6/ The President’s Surprise by Peter Donnelly (Gill Books)

The President is back and this time it’s his birthday. Everyone is getting ready for the party but when he disappears they start getting anxious. But they are in for a big surprise! Donnelly’s illustrations are even brighter and bolder in this third President tale, full of a wonderful confidence and swagger. Great fun! Age 2+.

7/ The Crayons’ Christmas by Drew Daywalt, Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers (Harpercollins)

The crayons are back and this time they are getting ready for Christmas: playing in the snow, getting out the decorations, carol singing and wrapping presents. Crammed full with pop-ups, letters and maps, each carefully designed by the creative powerhouse that is Oliver Jeffers, this is one of the best interactive Christmas books since The Jolly Christmas Postman. Age 4+.

8/ The Tide by Clare Helen Welsh, Illustrated by Ashling Lindsay (Little Tiger Press)

It’s not often that a picture book makes me tear up, but this one certainly did. It’s the story of a girl with a Grandad who forgets things, but the girl loves him anyway. Using the tide analogy, Welsh explains memory loss in a sensitive, gentle way for children and Lindsay’s coloured pencil and gouache illustrations are outstanding. Age 4+.

9/ Don’t Worry, Little Crab by Chris Haughton (Walker Books)

Little Crab and Very Big Crab live in a tiny rock pool and one day they set off to explore the sea bed. At first Little Crab is afraid but gradually, with Very Big Crab’s encouragement, he builds up courage and takes the plunge. A charming tale for young children about being brave, with gloriously bright and bold illustrations. Age 2+.

10/Molly and the Whale by Malachy Doyle, Illustrated by Andrew Whitson (Graffeg)

I’m a sucker for a good whale tale and this picture book by Malachy Doyle who lives on a small island off the coast of Donegal doesn’t disappoint. When Molly finds a whale washed up on the beach she, her family and the village help save the magnificent animal. Whitson’s coloured-pencil illustrations are full of wit and verve. Age 3+.

Age 5 to 8

Top Choice

1/ Where Will Santa Find Us? by Shane O’Brien and Stephen Rogers, Illustrated by Lauren O’Neill, Steve Simpson, Steve McCarthy, Peter Donnelly, Tara O’Brien, Fatti Burke, Kevin Waldron, Yasmeen Ismail and Alan Dunne (Good Cop Good Cop)

When one Irish family become homeless just before Christmas, the young boy in the story asks ‘How will Santa find us?’ but the clever lad has a plan, hiding letters for Santa in every new place they stay. Meanwhile his parents find ways to make their situation seem like an adventure – creating games for him and his sister to play, like going on safari (sleeping in the car). The illustrations by some of Ireland’s top talent are outstanding and the unified colour palate makes the book knit together seamlessly. Best of all, the proceeds support the work of Focus Ireland. Age 5+.

2/ Rabbit and Bear: A Bite in the Night by Julian Gough, Illustrated by Jim Field (Hodder Children’s Books)

Something is happening to the trees in the forest and Rabbit thinks they are flying south for the winter. ‘But trees can’t fly,’ Bear tells him and they set off to investigate. With the wisdom and gentle humour of the Winnie the Pooh books, this is a brilliant and sweet animal story with stand-out illustrations by Jim Field. Age 5+.

3/ The Fate of Fausto: A Painted Fable by Oliver Jeffers (Harpercollins)

A wise, timeless fable about an arrogant man called Fausto who believes he owns everything and sets out to survey it all – a flower, sheep, lake, mountain and even the sea. But as he discovers nature has a way of owning itself! Jeffers’ illustrations, lithographic prints created in Paris, are strong and majestic. One for art lovers of all ages. Age 6+.

4/ Koshka’s Tales: Stories from Russia by James Mayhew  (Graffeg)

A beautifully written retelling of five interlinked Russian folktales, as relayed by Koshka, the storytelling cat. From the gentle Snowmaiden, to the mysterious Firebird and the terrifying Baba-Yaga, it’s the perfect book to read aloud to imaginative children and is full of glorious, jewel-coloured illustrations by the author. If they like fairy tales, they will love this! Age 6+.

5/ Take Five by Niall Breslin, Illustrated by Sheena Dempsey (Gill Books)

Freddie is jealous of his friend, Ben’s birthday presents, making his mood slump. But after the party his Nana teaches him how to ‘Take Five’ or count his blessings, making him feel better. The warm, colourful illustrations by Dempsey bring the story to life and lift this book to another level. A genuinely useful book for anxious children. Age 4+.

6/ The Night-Time Cat and the Plump Grey Mouse by Erika McGann, Illustrated by Lauren O’Neill (The O’Brien Press)

When Pangur Bán sneaks out of the Book of Kells to chase a mouse he asks a succession of Trinity College and Dublin linked ghosts for help, from Swift and Wilde, to the women of the Dublin University Elizabethan Society. A fun romp of a tale which is greatly enhanced by O’Neill’s spirited and witty illustrations. Age 5+.

7/ Boot: Small Robot, Big Adventure by Shane Hegarty, Illustrated by Ben Mantle (Hodder Children’s Books)

A little robot called Boot wakes up in a wrecking yard, memories of a little girl wearing a butterfly necklace flickering through his system. From the fast paced start to the final pages, Hegarty fills this story with humour and heart and the reader grows to love Boot just as much as he clearly does. Age 7+.

8/ Jasper and Scruff by Nicola Colton (Stripes)

Irish writer/ illustrator, Colton has produced a wonderfully warm and funny book about two unlikely friends – a cat called Jasper and a stray dog called Scruff. Jasper’s dream is to join the ‘Sophisticats’, a group of highly refined cats but when she invites them over for dinner nothing seems to please them. Luckily Scruff is by his side! Age 7+

9/ A Sea of Stories by Sylvia Bishop, Illustrated by Paddy Donnelly (Stripes)

When Roo visits her grandpa they love exploring the cove together. But this trip he can’t get down the path, so he tells her stories instead. Roo quickly realises how special the cove is to him and how she can help him get there again. A charming tale about kindness and friendship, with lively, colourful illustrations. Age 6+.

10/ She Can: The Colouring Book for Tomorrow’s Irish Sports Stars by The 42, Illustrated by Chris Judge (The 42)

My daughter is sporty and I love watching women’s sport myself so this clever and timely book immediately caught my eye. It’s a colouring and fact book combined and features top Irish sports people, from Katie Taylor, to footballer Sarah Rowe, and track athlete Gina Akpe-Moses with smashing illustrations by Judge. One for any young sports fan. Age 5+.

Age 9 to 12

Top Choice

1/ I, Cosmo by Carlie Sorosiak (Nosy Crow)

Cosmo is a loyal and smart Golden Retriever, narrator of this charming and unusual tale. Cosmo is devoted to his owner, a boy called Max, and when Max is upset, Cosmo always tries to look after him. Unfortunately Max’s parents are arguing a lot so Cosmo has his work cut out. But Cosmo has a plan – entering the dog and human dance competition, winning, stiff hips and all, and making Max’s parents see how much they all need to stay together. An adorable story about love and loyalty and how they can sustain us during tough times, written with real heart. Age 10+.

2/ The Deepest Breath by Meg Grehan (Little Island Books)

Stevie is eleven and has ‘fizzy feelings’ for Chloe, a girl in her class. She lives with her mum and sometimes late at night she hears her mum crying. Gradually Stevie finds the courage she needs to talk to her mum about this and about her own feelings for Chloe.  An original, beautifully written moving novel in verse. Age 11+.

3/ Guts by Raina Telgemeier (Scholastic)

Based on Telgemeier’s own childhood, this is a thoughtful and funny true story of one girl’s experiences with anxiety, in the form of horrible stomach pains. During the course of this sensitive and honest graphic novel Raina learns how to deal with her worries and face her fears. Telgemeier’s previous graphic novels, Smile and Sisters are also highly recommended. Age 10+.

4/ Fowl Twins by Eoin Colfer (Harpercollins)

If there’s a better series about fairies, science and magic than Artemis Fowl I’m yet to read it. To say I’m a huge fan of Colfer’s writing is an understatement. And he’s back with yet more magic and mischief in this laugh-out-loud funny new book about Myles and Beckett Fowl. Full of action and adventure, it’s a cracker! Age 9+.

5/ The Lost Tide Warriors by Catherine Doyle  (Bloomsbury)

Fionn Boyle has only been ‘Storm Keeper’ of the island for six months and already the island is under threat – this time from thousands of terrifying zombie-like Soulstalkers. He must find and raise sea creatures called merrows and save the island and its people. Gripping fantasy adventure which cleverly reignites Irish mythology for modern readers. Age 9+.

6/ Malamander by Thomas Taylor (Walker Books)

Herbie Lemon is the Lost-and-Founder at the Great Nautilus Hotel, looking after people’s lost items. When a girl called Violet appears and asks him to hide her from a violent man with a hook for a hand, how can he refuse? Clever writing, swirling with atmosphere, stand-out characters and a cracking story combine to make this something special. Age 9+.

7/ Pog by Pádraig Kenny (Chicken House)

Pog Limpkin is a friendly creature who lives in the attic of an old house in the middle of a wood. When young Penny and David move to the house after their mother’s death, their lives are in grave danger from evil forces. But brave little Pog is on their side. Beautifully written, with exceptional humanity and warmth. Age 9+

8/ Lily at Lissadell by Judi Curtin (The O’Brien Press)

Set in 1913, this new historic novel is a departure for Curtin, best known for her ‘Alice and Megan’ contemporary friendship stories. Written with a light touch and shot through with fascinating details about the period, from the treatment of girls, to the food served at Lissadell, this warm, touching book about friendship across the class divide truly shines. Age 9+.

9/ Can You See Me? by Libby Scott and Rebecca Westcott (Scholastic)

Scott is an autistic eleven-year-old with a gift for writing who has teamed up with experienced novelist, Westcott to produce this book. The main character, Tally is autistic but is trying to live as ‘normal’ a life as possible, difficult when you’re starting a new year at school and trying desperately to fit in. An eye-opening and moving book. Age 10+.

10/ The House on Hawthorn Road by Megan Wynne (The O’Brien Press)

Children love a good time-travel yarn and this fast-paced, fun debut novel from Dublin writer, Wynne fits the bill nicely. Beth has moved from London to a new house in Dublin and a crack in time allows her life to intertwine with Robbie’s. He’s from the 1950s and he’s full of mischief. Can they learn from each other? Age 10+. 

Teen and Young Adult

Top Choice

1/ Perfectly Preventable Deaths by Deirdre Sullivan (Hot Key Books)

This remarkable book still haunts me, long after reading it.  It’s narrated by Maddy, a fifteen-year-old who has just moved with her twin, Catlin and her mum to live in a creepy castle in Ballyfrann, a strange, isolated Irish village where many teenage girls have gone missing over the years. When Catlin falls in love with an older local boy, Maddy grows increasingly worried about her sister. Throw in dark humour, a modern day wise woman cum witch, Mamo and some sinuous, intoxicating writing and you have something brave, exciting and highly original. Age 16+. 

2/ Toffee by Sarah Crossan (Bloomsbury)

Allison is a teenager on the run from an abusive home situation. She decides to take shelter in the house of an elderly woman called Marla who suffers from dementia and the two become unlikely friends. This verse novel is written from the heart and every word rings true. Currently Ireland’s Laureate na nÓg, Crossan deserves a wide readership. Age 14+. 

3/ The Cantankerous Molly Darling by Alvy Carragheer  (Chicken House)

Molly lives on a farm in rural Ireland. Her father walked out on Molly and her family a year ago, leaving a PowerPoint presentation behind to explain his decision. Molly is still devastated by his absence but is determined to make the most of things. A warm hug of a book that crackles with humour and is genuinely moving. Age 13+.  

4/ Other Words for Smoke by Sarah Maria Griffin (Titan Books)

Teenage twins Mae and Rossa are staying with their Great Aunt Rita for the summer. But Rita is a witch and so is her ward, Bevan who has been calling a strange owl called Sweet James from the walls of the house. But he wants more and the twins’ lives are in danger. Creepy and thrilling. Age 15+.

5/ The M Word by Brian Conaghan (Bloomsbury)

Conaghan is an extraordinary storyteller and as we travel with Maggie on her journey through rage, grief and finally, acceptance after the death of her best friend Moya, we live every difficult experience with her, from starting art college, dealing with her unemployed mum, to self-harm and depression. Shot through with humour and ultimately hope, it’s a rewarding read. Age 15+.

6/ Free Lunch by Rex Ogle (Norton Young Readers)

A memoir of Ogle’s own childhood, this is a searing look at the lived experience of poverty in America, written with grace, humour and honesty. In 6th grade, Rex’s mum signs him up for the free meal programme, much to his embarrassment. But his intelligence and love of learning help him survive his chaotic home life. Highly recommended. Age 13+.

7/ In the Key of Code by Aimee Lucido (Walker Books)

Emmy is twelve and just starting a new school in San Francisco. But making new friends is never easy and things at home aren’t exactly perfect either. Luckily there is one place where she does feel confident and at home – computer science club, led by her favourite teacher, Ms Delaney. An involving and beautifully written novel in verse.  Age 12+.

8/ Mother Tongue by Patricia Forde (Little Island)

Letta is a Wordsmith, a person who must keep words alive in a dystopian world where speech is almost forbidden. Determined to keep her beloved language alive, she teaches children words in a ‘Hedge School’ in the woods. But when the children’s lives are threatened it’s up to Letta to help save them. Strong writing and great world-building. Age 14+.

9/ The Black Flamingo by  Dean Atta, Illustrated by Anshika Khullar (Hodder Children’s Books)

Michael is mixed-race and has always felt different, like the black flamingos he loves. When he starts college and finds the drag community, he finally learns how to embrace his difference and ultimately to fly. Written in verse, with lots of letters, notes and lists added, this is a moving coming of age story, written with heart and panache. Age 15+.

10/ A Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson (Electric Monkey)

Recommended to me by teenage members of my writing club, this is a whip-smart, multi-layered thriller. Everyone knows that Sal Singh killed Andie Bell but Pippa Fitzgerald isn’t so sure and she’s determined to use her final-year school project to prove it. If your teen likes gritty murder mysteries, this should be right up their street. Age 14+.

Information and Gift Books

Top Choice

1/ The Great Irish Science Book by Professor Luke O’Neill, Illustrated by Linda Fahrlin (Gill Books)

If you know a child who loves interesting facts, this is the perfect present. It’s full of information about all aspects of science, from biology, to geology and the solar system and the text is perfectly pitched for young readers. O’Neill is a gifted communicator and his deep love of science bounces off every page. The illustrations are lively and colourful, with lots of humour and I loved Fahrlin’s cameos of Irish scientists from the past, such as botanist Ellen Hutchins. I’ve shared this book with adults and children and the most common response is ‘Wow!’ A real winner. Age 7+.

2/ 123 Ireland! by Aoife Dooley (Little Island Books)

‘Zero snakes, one harp, two hurleys, three dancers, four swans...’ This sturdy baby-proof board book with rounded edges is full of distinctively Irish illustrations, from currachs to shamrocks, fiddles to sheep (including one black one). Dooley’s artwork is bright and bold, and parents and carers will love sharing this book with babies and toddlers. Age 3 months+.

3/ My First Book of Irish Vehicles by The O’Brien Press (The O’Brien Press)

This jaunty board book is packed full of Irish vehicles, from a green An Post van to a shiny silver LUAS. Each page is carefully designed with a photograph of the vehicle in question and its description in large lettering. There’s even an Aer Lingus plane and an Irish Ferries ship. Perfect for babies and toddlers home or abroad. Age 3 months+.

4/ Shooting for the Stars by Norah Patten, Illustrated by Jennifer Farley (The O’Brien Press)

Part memoir, part non-fiction, this book tells the story of one dedicated woman’s journey towards being the first Irish astronaut. Packed with interesting facts, including what food Patten would bring to space with her (cheese, tomatoes and tiramisu!), it’s the ideal gift for any space-loving child. The attractive, child-friendly illustrations by Farley add to the book’s appeal. Age 7+.

5/ Epic Tales of Triumph and Adventure by Simon Cheshire, illustrated by Fatti Burke (Bloomsbury)

Packed with the true stories of over sixty different people who explored the world, from journalist Nellie Bly who set off around the world to prove she could do it in eighty days, to Yuri Gagarin, the first person in space, and Chinese pirate, Ching Shih, this is a fascinating and accessible history book with fun, colourful illustrations. Age 8+.

6/ GIY’s Know-It-Allmanac: The Ultimate Family Guide to Growing and Cooking Food Through the Year by Michael Kelly and Muireann Ní Chíobháin, Illustrated by Fatti Burke (GIY)

This large format hardback is a month-by-month guide to growing, cooking and eating your own food. The illustrations are outstanding, each page dances with colour and interesting details, from tiny talking peas, to myths and legends about different vegetables, like the truth about why beetroot turns your wee pink. Really informative and great fun! Age 9+ and the whole family.

7/ Earth Heroes by Lily Dyu, Illustrated by Jackie Lay (Nosy Crow)

Twenty stories about inspirational role models in climate change, ecology and nature preservation, from well-known names such as Sir David Attenborough and Greta Thunberg, to ethical fashion designer, Stella McCartney and American wolf expert, Doug Smith. Written in an accessible, easy to read style, it’s perfect for any child who cares about protecting our planet. Age 9+.

8/ Atlas of Amazing Birds by Matt Sewell (Pavilion)

An outstanding book for any budding ornithologist or nature lover. Sewell has selected his favourite birds and painted them in glowing watercolour. From penguins, to eagles, birds-of-paradise to owls, his lively, striking illustrations are full of character and make each animal fly off the page, and the witty, well-informed text is a joy to read. Age 8+.

9/ Wild Lives: 50 Extraordinary Animals That Made History by Ben Lerwill, Illustrated by Sarah Walsh (Nosy Crow) I’m fascinated by animals and this book brings together brave, loyal and clever animals from all over the world. Some are well-known (to adults at least) like Elsa the lion and Dolly the cloned sheep. Others are less so, like Ozy the octopus who proved how smart the sea creatures are. Full of illustrations and photos, I loved this book! Age 8+.

10/ Poems from a Green and Blue Planet edited by Aabrina Mahfouz, illustrated by Aaron Cushley (Hodder Children’s Books)

The handsome hardback is perfect for any young poetry fan to dip into and would also make a great read aloud choice. Packed with over four hundred pages of verse, from well-loved classics by William Blake and Emily Dickinson, to original poems by Dean Atta and Kate Tempest, it also includes voices from many different cultures. Highly recommended. Age 9+. 

Books for the Christmas Stocking

You can’t beat a good Santa story at Christmas and Reindeer Down: An Irish Christmas Tale by Natasha Mac a’Bháird, illustrated by  Audrey Dowling (O’Brien Press) is charming. When one of Santa’s reindeers is injured he finds a worthy replacement in Phoenix Park. If they’d like to find out more about Santa’s reindeers, Dasher by Matt Tavares (Walker Books) is full of atmospheric illustrations. Both age 4+.

Meercat Christmas by Emily Gravett (Two Hoots) has terrific artwork and lots of interactive letters (age 4+); and the colourful, fun Maisy’s Christmas Letters by Lucy Cousins (Walker Books) also has sturdy letters for little ones to pull out and read (age 3+).

Young sports fans of 8+ will lap up Gordon’s Game by Gordon D’Arcy and Paul Howard, illustrated by Alan Nolan (Penguin Ireland), a fast-paced and genuinely moving tale.  Nicely played, gentlemen! GAA fans of 8+ will love Cora Staunton by Eimear Ryan in the Great Irish Sports Stars series (O’Brien Press) and sports journalist, Ger  Siggins has both rugby and soccer covered in his fun Sports Academy titles, Rugby Redzone and Football Fiesta (age 8+).

Robin Stevens has made Ireland’s young readers murder mystery mad and her new title, Top Marks for Murder (Puffin) is another cracking read for age 10+. And if they have read all Stevens’ books, try  Agatha Oddly: The Silver Serpent by Lena Jones (Harpercollins); or Murder Most Fowl by Jed Lynch (Little Island) which is perfect for the festival season as it features a detective who is a turkey!

Happy Christmas to all!

Why Meeting a Real Live Children's Writer Matters

 The first time I met a ‘real live’ children’s writer was in my early twenties when I was a part-time bookseller in Hodges Figgis bookshop on Dawson Street, Dublin. A bestselling American author called Paula Danziger was visiting and I was drafted in from the academic floor to help manage the signing queue.

She spoke at length to each child, answering their questions and listening carefully to their answers. She signed their books, often mirror writing her signature much to their delight.  She was bubbly and funny and made even the shyest child open up and smile back.

After the signing she thanked all the staff warmly and shook each person’s hand. ‘Thank you so much for all your help, Sarah,’ she said. ‘I didn’t do much,’ I answered. ‘What are you talking about?’ she said.  ‘You chatted to each child in the queue and made them feel welcome.’ I left work that day walking on air, delighted to feel noticed and appreciated.

And that is at the heart of meeting any writer – what makes the experience so important and in some cases transformative – it’s not what they say but how they make you feel.

Paula Danziger and all her enthusiasm and kindness made me want to work in the children’s department. I’m still working in the children’s book world over twenty years later, now as a writer and programmer of children’s and family book festivals like Dubray StoryFest (Saturday 28th September in Airfield).

Nowadays many Irish girls and boys meet a children’s writer in school but this is a fairly recent development. In the 1970s and 80s it certainly didn’t happen in the schools I attended.

I asked the question on social media – when did you first meet a children’s writer – and people responded with glowing memories of meeting Roald Dahl in Kenny’s bookshop, Galway in 1987. Others remembered Don Conroy, Marita Conlon McKenna or Tom McCaughrean coming to their school or local library and the excitement of the visit.

Primary school teacher, Derek Carney said ‘I was in a very small rural primary school and it was such a big deal that they had a few schools come together to draw with Don (Conroy). It was magical and topped off when kids from my own school got to see him a few years ago. Full circle!’

 The Writers in Schools scheme has been running in Ireland since 1977, administrated by Poetry Ireland and funded by the Arts Council. Writers have spoken to over 500,000 children to date and I’m proud to be one of the writers involved.

Anna Boner, Development Officer for Writers in Schools says ‘The experience (of having a writer in the classroom)… can have a profound effect on children in terms of esteem and sense of achievement.  Teachers can find themselves surprised by who responds to the experience of a writer visit most, like a child who rarely speaks in class who then volunteers to read aloud a poem or story they have created. Often the most heartening feedback we receive comes directly from the children.’

One child said: I didn’t think I could write stories but I love my Titanic story and now it is my favourite thing.

Another noted: It made me feel happy and it made me believe in myself.

Elaina Ryan, Director of Children’s Books Ireland says ‘Meeting a writer or illustrator does so many things for a child: it demystifies the process behind a book, which is a powerful thing for children who are not readers and may not come from a culture of reading or being read to.’

There are statistics to back up the importance of school visits from the National Literacy Trust in the UK. They found that pupils who had an author visit were twice as likely to read above the expected level for their age (31% vs 17%) and were more likely to enjoy reading (68% vs 47%) and writing (44% vs 32%).

Outside the classroom there are now arts and literature festivals all over Ireland which bring children and children’s writers together. As the Programme Director of Dubray StoryFest I invite the very best writers and illustrators to our festival, along with scientists, astronauts and storytellers. Joining us this year are Alex T Smith of the Claude books and tv show fame, Shane Hegarty, Judi Curtin and Sarah McIntyre.

Children are naturally creative beings. Seeing illustrators like Peter Donnelly, Niamh Sharkey and Chris Judge create amazing pictures right in front of their eyes at the festival will be hugely inspiring.

Listening to writers like Marita Conlon McKenna and Philip Reeve talk about their process and how writing isn’t always easy will be a real eye-opener for children. It will make them realise that trying again after failure is important for everyone, even multi award-winners!

 And you’d have to have a heart of stone not to be cheered by the very sight of national treasure, Don Conroy drawing his beloved owls and seals and talking about Irish wildlife with such passion. It will be one of the highlights of Dubray StoryFest for both children and parents!

By hosting events for children and teenagers, festivals are showing their commitment to the creative and cultural lives of our young citizens. At Dubray StoryFest we have a whole area dedicated to babies and toddlers where they will stick, collage and crayon with award-winning artists Tarsila Kruse and Niamh Sharkey, plus the new Dlr Writer in Residence, Sadhbh Devlin.

Writers and illustrators also benefit from events. Elaina Ryan explains: ‘The incomes of children’s writers tend to rely heavily on live literature events or teaching in some form. With the festival scene thriving, there are more local and national festivals programming events for children, young people and their families. Here, Children’s Books Ireland’s role is to advocate for artists to be paid appropriately and to lead by doing so ourselves.’

Anna Boner says school visits (and events) can be ‘a lively break from the solitary experience of writing. They can also be hugely rewarding for the writer when they see directly the joy their work can bring to children and the impact their books can have. Finally, the children tend to be honest in their feedback so they can be very useful sounding boards for new ideas!’ So everyone wins!

For more details of Dubray StoryFest see: https://www.dubraybooks.ie/storyfest

This piece first appeared on The Irish Times online edition.

Characters from Head to Toe by Natasha Mac a’Bháird

Natasha Mac a’Bháird is a freelance writer and editor. Her latest novel, Laura’s Spooky Show, the third book in the Star Club series, is out in September 2019.

Characters – From Head to Page

When I signed off on my first novel, Missing Ellen, the sense of achievement at finally finishing it was tinged with sadness that I would no longer have those characters living inside my head. After all the time spent daydreaming, writing, rewriting and editing, they were so real to me I found it hard to let them go.

With my first Star Club book, Hannah in the Spotlight, came a whole new cast of characters, and the best thing about writing a series is not having to leave those characters behind. I get the chance to really develop them over time, seeing how they react to new situations and how the relationships between them change. I’ve chosen to write each book in the series from the point of view of a different member of Star Club, and that’s been an interesting challenge as well – making sure each voice is unique, and looking at a character from the inside out in one book and then as others see her in the next.

Laura is, in many ways, the character I identify with most. She’s a bookworm who spends as much time living in imaginary worlds – her own and other people’s – as she does in the real one. She is seized with ideas for stories and has days where she can hardly write fast enough to keep up with her thoughts – and days when they remain stubbornly elusive, completely refusing to be put down on paper.  So far, we have quite a lot in common. But Laura is a lot tougher than me. She knows her own mind, is grimly determined in the pursuit of what she wants, and is totally unconcerned about what people think of her. Maybe when I grow up, I can be a bit more like her.

And isn’t that the best thing about writing – the chance to live many lives instead of one? To be in someone else’s head, thinking about how they would feel, how they would react – and, sometimes, to do things you wish you were brave enough to do yourself.

What I love about writing too is when characters start to take on a life of their own. When I thought up the character of Ruby, I was mainly thinking of her as someone who was obsessed with ballet, fully focused on her training and supremely confident about making her dreams come true. But other aspects of her character took me by surprise. She became the anxious one of the group, the one who worries about getting into trouble, who panics at being expected to take on too much. I love that I never planned that side of her, she just evolved that way as the story went on.

Having come through some stressful situations in the first two books, the girls’ friendship remained firmly intact – but that all comes under threat in book three. I must admit I felt terribly cruel at some of the situations I was inflicting on them, especially Laura, who begins to feel that the whole world is against her.

Laura’s Spooky Show is my tenth book. Getting that first copy into my hands is every bit as exciting as the first one – and letting it go on its way out into the world is every bit as terrifying. I hope readers will identify with these characters and enjoy their adventures, but it’s out of my hands now. It’s time to pick up my pen again and see what happens next.

WRITING FOR CHILDREN WEEKEND WITH GRAINNE CLEAR and SARAH WEBB - 31ST AUG/1ST SEPT

I’ll be running a weekend course for anyone interested in writing for children very soon with Grainne Clear, who is a Senior Editor at Walker Books, London.

There are only 15 places so if you are interested email or text me quick!

Grainne Clear and Sarah Webb (with Lucky)

Writing for Children Weekend with Grainne Clear (Editor) and Sarah Webb (Writer)

Focus on Fiction

Sat 31st August and Sun 1st September 

 Everything you need to know about writing for children and getting published!

 Grainne Clear is a Senior Editor with Walker Books and Sarah Webb is an award-winning children's writer

 (look out for our picturebook day in early 2020)

During the weekend they will cover:

Age groups and genres

Creating compelling characters

Plotting and the story arc

Creating authentic dialogue

Rewriting and editing 

The world of agents, editors and children's publishing 

and much more! 

 The weekend will also feature a guest author of MG or YA fiction to speak about the day-to-day of being an Irish writer and share their writing tips

 Before the course begins, Grainne or Sarah will critique your work (or book idea if you are just starting out) so you can concentrate on the areas that need attention over the two days

Max 15 people to guarantee plenty of individual attention 

 Cost - including 1 page manuscript critique and notes, lunch on Saturday and coffee/tea both days: e250 

 Venue: Royal St George Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire (e5 parking per day to the right of the club on the pier, e6 per day in dlr Lexicon Library car park), 2 mins walk from 46A bus stop and Dun Laoghaire DART station 

Times: Sat 10am to 5pm (coffee/tea and light lunch provided)

Sun 11am to 4pm (coffee/tea provided) 

Booking - sarahsamwebb@gmail.com or text 0866086110

Bologna Children's Book Fair 2019 - Notes for Children's Writers and Illustrators

I had the great fortune to spend three days at this year’s Bologna Children’s Book Fair. The last time I visited was many years ago and a lot has changed since then – it’s bigger and far glitzier, with some stunning stands full of outstanding children’s books from around the world.

This year there was a huge emphasis on two areas of children’s books – MG (middle grade – age 8/9+) fiction and creative nonfiction. Many publishers had their own range of history books focusing on remarkable women from their country – that was really interesting to see and my latest book, Blazing a Trail: Irish Women who Changed the World definitely fits this mold. I was thrilled to see O’Brien Press displaying Blazing and also A Sailor Went to Sea, Sea, Sea on their stand.

There were also a lot of natural history books on display – all lushly illustrated. The MG fiction ranged from our own Catherine Doyle’s The Stormkeeper’s Island (most notably on the Italian stand, to mystery books and fantasy adventures.

The Bookseller said in their fair magazine: ‘Middle Grade titles have been the hottest properties at this year’s fair.’

Picturebooks were also prominently on display – however I did wonder was this due to the fact that they are ideal for catching people’s attention with their strong, colourful covers.

The lack of YA being displayed really stood out. There were few YA titles on display or in the publisher’s foreign rights catalogues.

Scout Natasha Farrant said (again in The Bookseller): ‘Quite a few of my Northern European clients say that young people are reading YA in English… It’s making the YA market (for translations) more difficult.’

The range of titles on display was breath taking – it made me realise that we only see a fraction of what’s being published in Irish bookshops as so few books are translated from other languages into English.

So kudos must go to publishers like Little Island who are translating children’s titles from other languages (esp German) into English.

After talking to many of the Irish illustrators attending the fair – they were showing their portfolios to editors and art directors – I realised just how hard they work. They make up dummies of many different books in the hope of selling at least one. There were many successes at the fair for Irish illustrators – watch this space for more on that.

Authors were mainly there to connect with their foreign publishers and/or to soak up the atmosphere and to find out about the international market for children’s books. Judi Curtin visited her Serbian publisher’s stand and was given a hero’s welcome – her books are very big in Serbia! There also lots of talks and workshops to attend, and exhibitions to view.

CBI (Children’s Books Ireland) hosted a very attractive Irish stand, designed by Steve McCarthy, to promote Irish talent to the international children’s book world. It also acted as a hub for the children’s writers and illustrators at the fair. Well done to them – it’s an important role.

The Irish Writers and Illustrators (and friends) at the CBI Stand

There were surprisingly few American stands at the fair (unless I missed them) – but a lot of stands from Japan and China which I found fascinating, plus a super one from Taiwan, filled with artwork.

Other interesting areas – there are lots of books featuring and for children with extra needs being published. There is still a demand for books featuring inspirational women and men – popular history books with a creative edge.

Would I advise attending? 100%. It’s an expensive enough trip but the direct flights from Dublin (Ryanair) make it easier. Go with an open mind and bring a bag with you for catalogues and postcards. Wear comfy shoes. Bring food and water. And ask Jenny from CBI about the ‘secret toilets’!

It made me realise a couple of really important things:

1/ The world is a lot bigger but also a lot smaller than you think – walk the aisles with an open mind, try not to get overwhelmed by the talent on show and you will be hugely inspired.

2/ Talent combined with tenacity and a LOT of hard work will get you places.

3/ You can be ‘reborn’ at any stage of your career – age doesn’t matter if you’ve produced something really original and exciting.

4/ The children’s book world is vibrant, exciting and really, really matters to a whole heap of people from all over the world – this is so heartening.

See you at the fair in 2020!

Life as a Professional Children's Writer - the Low Down

This evening I am the guest on #MGiechat on Twitter, run by the wonderful E.R. Murray. To prepare I’ve been thinking about the questions she has set and I have posted some answers below in case they are useful to other writers.

Q1: What’s your definition of a professional writer?

Interesting question. A professional children’s writer is someone who makes their living from writing or activities linked to their writing. Most professional writers do not earn their living solely from advances and royalties. And royalties and advances go up and down, so it’s a good idea to have a second (or third!) income stream.

I’m not sure relying on your creativity to earn you a crust is the best way to encourage and nurture it either. Elizabeth Gilbert is very good on this in her book Big Magic. She explains putting demands on your writing can scare it away.

Personally I cherish my creative life more and more as I get older. I spend 2 to 3 days a week writing, and 3 to 4 days doing other work. Yes, that adds up to 7 days sometimes!

As well as writing I also:

Programme book festivals (ILFD, Dubray StoryFest – 29th Sept in Airfield, Dundrum – do go!).

Write children’s book reviews for the Irish Independent

Mentor Children’s Writers for the Irish Writers Centre and teach adults for them also (writing for children and teenagers)

Give training days for librarians and charity workers who are interested in children and creativity (I recently did one for Trocaire)

Work as a consultant for Dubray Books – at the moment I am working on a new Dubray recommended reading guide for 2019 (and StoryFest)

Run writing clubs and a drawing club for children in Dún Laoghaire

Do some voluntary work – I’m currently helping CBI and Poetry Ireland with a project

Visit schools and libraries and do workshops and events at book festivals (and other creative festivals)

The common thread to all of this – CHILDREN’S BOOKS!

Roughly 1/3 of my income comes from book advances and royalties, 1/3 from teaching, schools visits and other events (I’ll come back to this later as it’s important), 1/3 from programming and other work.

Q2: People believe the holy grail is to be getting paid for just writing - but how realistic is that? How does a professional writer really make a living?

See above! For about 8 years I wrote full time, my income came from advances and royalties. But the books I want to write and work on now are not series books and are not as commercial as my previous books.

My latest two - Blazing a Trail which is out in October and A Sailor Went to Sea, Sea, Sea (with Lauren O’Neill and Steve McCarthy) - are books that are mainly for an Irish audience. I have adored working on them both with the team at O'Brien press. But it does mean I need to work on other projects to pay the bills. But that is my choice.  

And the next two are similar – passion projects. I’m lucky to have that choice.

Most of my children’s writer friends are similar – they have some years where they are writing full time, other years when they are doing other work too. That is normal. In my case it suits me, it keeps me engaged and interested. I’m not sure I’d be able to go back to just writing. I’m having too much fun!

Q3: How much should a writer charge for their time? And how do writers go about having this conversation?

Writers should always charge for their time when it comes to events. If you have a new book out your publisher may ask you do to some promotional events, that is of course fine and I always support my publishers in this way. But schools, libraries, festivals – you must charge for your time.

There is an excellent piece on the Words Ireland website about fees for events which includes this from Children’s Books Ireland:

‘For our annual conference, we cover travel, accommodation and meals for speakers and offer a fee of €250 for someone speaking alone, €200 each for a duo, €150 each for a panel unless the author/illustrator in question is including the event in a promotional tour.* For our education work, we pay a €200 fee plus travel and accommodation for a schools workshop, which runs usually for up to 2.5 hours.’

* It is standard practice that writers do promotional events to publicise a book and don’t receive a fee, though they are earning their usual royalty on sales generated by such events. This should occur in the weeks or months ahead of, and just after, publication of that book.

The full piece is here:

http://wordsireland.ie/words-ireland-pay-scale-information-for-writers/

When a school or library approaches you to do an event – quote these recommended fees. Then prepare your event meticulously. Make sure you give your all at the event. Arrive punctually and be professional at all times. I often give the school a copy of one of my books for the school library.

I have also pasted a link below to a blog about approaching or pitching to festivals. The ones I programme are curator led, so I don’t generally take many proposals (1 out of 25 events might come from a proposal and it’s usually a workshop), but some other festivals do.

More on this here: How to Pitch to Book Festivals - Practical Tips for Children's Writers

https://www.sarahwebb.info/blog/2018/3/20/how-to-pitch-to-book-festivals-practical-tips-for-childrens-writers

And here is a piece from The Bookseller about why writers should not do free school visits:

Authors Aloud, an organisation that helps schools to find authors to visit them, said writers should only do “two or three” free events at the start of their career as a learning exercise and ask for feedback from the school in return.

(Clara) Vulliamy said all authors should charge a similar rate because “one of the worst things you can do is offer yourself at a lower price. That muddies the water and makes it harder for the rest of us”.

https://www.thebookseller.com/news/free-school-visits-one-worst-things-author-can-do-306293

Q4: People need practice, but working for free undermines other writers. What advice do you have for writers starting out with events?

Tips for Events:

If You Have No Experience – Go and Get Some.

Prepare an event and deliver it on a trial basis in creches, schools, libraries, retirement homes. Anywhere that will have you. Make your mistakes early and learn from them. Ask for feedback.

Ask an experienced writer if you can shadow them. Or go to events at festivals and see how other writers do it. Learn from them and then come up with your own event.

Ask the teachers to give you an event ‘reference’ eg ‘Mandy Bloggs was wonderful. She kept JI and SI highly entertained with her stories about African animals and they learned a lot in a fun and innovative way.’

Prepare a script for your event and practice it until it’s perfect. Most events are 60 mins. Break this down: 20/30 minutes talking is perfect. Add  1 or 2 x 5 min readings within or after the talk (never more) + 20 mins for questions at the end.

Your event is not a hard sell for your book. In fact some of the best talks I’ve ever heard are not about the artist’s book at all. Eoin Colfer is one of the best in the business (watch him in action on You Tube) and he rarely mentions his books.

Think about using props, music, dance, theatre, images (although powerpoint presentations can go wrong so always be prepared to deliver your event without it).

Think about using costumes or at the very least looking visually appealing to children (see Sarah McIntyre and Philip Reeve’s costumes).

Q5: You wanted to talk about the reality of book advances @sarahwebbishere – fire away!

At one of the #ProperBook events for writers recently Grainne Clear from Little Island was open and honest about advances:

She explained that advances are paid to a writer based on how many books the publisher thinks they can sell and the price of the book.

Little Island pay a standard advance to all writers, both new and established of e1k this was something I hadn’t realised and useful to know. Authors usually get 7.5% royalty of the recommended retail price of the book. The average Irish print run is 2.5k copies Grainne said.

For more on this see this piece:

https://www.sarahwebb.info/blog/when-are-you-going-to-write-a-proper-book-the-lowdown

And finally an article from the Irish Times about Writers’ Pay in Ireland by Martin Doyle and Freya McClements which includes quotes from Donal Ryan and Liz Nugent.

“Maybe now people will stop asking me why I’m driving a 13 year old car,” says Liz Nugent.

The article says: ‘The most recent survey of Irish authors’ incomes – published by the Irish Copyright Licencing Agency in 2010 – found that in 2008-09 over half the writers consulted (58.7 per cent) earned less than €5,000 from writing-related income. Indeed, the commonest response – given by more than a quarter, or 27.9 per cent of respondents – was that they earned less than €500 a year.’

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/the-500-a-year-career-do-irish-writers-get-paid-enough-1.2965310

Now go write! Write the book of your heart and enjoy the writing journey!

Yours in writing,

Sarah XXX

Children's Books Ireland Book of the Year Awards 2018

The 2018 Children’s Books Ireland Award is given to books published in 2017. There were some outstanding titles last year for all ages, from Rabbit and Bear for young readers of five plus (Julian McGough and Jim Field), to Sarah Crossan’s searing YA novel in verse, Moonlight.

Every year I predict the titles that will be on the shortlist and the overall winner. This year I have a book in the mix, A Sailor Went to Sea, Sea, Sea, illustrated by the hugely talented Steve McCarthy. Obviously I’d love it to be shortlisted. I believe Steve’s illustrations are outstanding and if it is shortlisted we will both be over the moon. Let's wait and see!

The shortlist will be announced on the 12th March and the awards are on 23rd March (tbc).

So here goes – my predictions for the CBI Awards 2018:

Picturebooks

1/ The President’s Glasses by Peter Donnolly 

A wonderfully funny tale about what happens when the president of Ireland forgets his glasses. Striking illustrations in luscious colour.

2/ Here We Are by Oliver Jeffers

A heartfelt ode to the world for his new baby son. Glorious illustrations in a more painterly style. A treat for the eye.

Early Readers

3/ Rabbit and Bear: The Pest in the Nest by Julian Gough, illustrated by Jim Field

I am a huge fan of Rabbit and Bear – what brilliant characters. Funny and thoughtful, a super book for reading aloud. 

Age 9+

4/ Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin, illustrated by Giovanni Rigano

Moving graphic novel about two refugee brothers who are making their way from North Africa to Europe by boat. Not to be missed.

5/ Hopscotch in the Sky by Lucinda Jacobs, illustrated by Lauren O’Neill

Moving and thought-provoking poems for children about subjects that fascinate children. A brilliant collection from one of our most important children’s poets. (Disclaimer – I worked with Lucinda at the early stages of this book.)

Age 12+

6/ Pavee and the Buffer Girl by Siobhan Down, illustrated by Emma Shoard

Graphic novel about a traveller girl. Siobhan write it before she died and her writing as always is lyrical and powerful.

7/ A Dangerous Crossing by Jane Mitchell                      POSSIBLE OVERALL WINNER

Excellent novel about a refugee boy from Kobani, Syria. Strong and powerful.

8/ Star by Star by Sheena Wilkinson

Suffragette tale by one of our most talented writers.

YA

9/ Moonrise by Sarah Crossan                  POSSIBLE OVERALL WINNER

Powerful novel in verse about death row that deserves to be read.

10/ The Space Between by Meg Grehan

Debut novel in verse about an Irish teenager with mental health problems. Brave and moving.

11/ Tangleweed and Brine by Deirdre Sullivan

Lyrical, sinuous writing make these feminist retellings of fairy tales leap off the page. Not to be missed.

Other outstanding books from 2017 that might make the shortlist

Like Other Girls by Claire Hennessy

Claire is an outstanding YA writer and this book about gender politics and identity pulls you in from the first page.

The Girl in Between by Sarah Carroll

Debut about a homeless girl and her mother from a writer to watch.

Stand by Me by Judi Curtin

Judi’s books are beautifully written and are much loved by readers. This one goes back time to the 1960s.

Knights of the Borrowed Dark: The Forever Court by Dave Rudden

Brilliant fantasy adventure with heart.

The Lotterys Plus One by Emma Donoghue

A tale of a family with two dads, two moms and seven children.

Good luck everyone!