Guest post by Ana Sampson As lockdown descended across Britain this spring, many of us turned to our bookshelves for comfort. I spend a lot of time in Tudor England, sitting with Thomas Cromwell as his boys brought in the candles (The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel), riding through England and France with […]

Andrea Reece of the Klaus Flugge Prize celebrates the award in its fifth year, and how much it says about the importance of picture book illustration. The winner of the 2020 Klaus Flugge Prize has just been announced and it is Eva Eland for her book When Sadness Comes to Call, published by Andersen Press.  […]

Guest Post by J.M.Joseph Teaching English kept me busy in the weeks leading up to the launch of Fire Boy, my debut novel. I was deep inside Camp Green Lake and Holes with one class; skirting past Act I of Romeo and Juliet in a second; and revising commas in the third (ugh). Though February […]

Liz Hyder and her editor Sarah Odedina have just been announced as the winners of the 2020 Branford Boase Award, which honours the author and editor of the outstanding debut novel for children. They won for Sarah’s novel Bearmouth, a powerful dystopia, based on real-life stories of nineteenth century child miners and told in a […]

Serena Patel has taken 2020 by storm with the publication of two Anisha, Accidental Detective books, the first in March and the second in September.  Anisha has all the skills to solve mysteries alongside her best friend, Milo.  Both books are entertaining, funny and full of insight into a busy and noisy Indian family life.  […]

Q&A with Author Kimberly Pauley What inspired you to write The Accidental Wizard?  Believe it or not, it was a bet. For almost 10 years, I’ve had a yearly bet with some fellow authors. Brian Farrey (The Vengekeep Prophecies, etc.), inspired by Stephen King, started it. Catherine Ryan Hyde (Pay it Forward, etc.) and I have participated […]

Q&A with Author Dominique Valente 1. Willow Moss is the newest favourite magical star on the scene.  How does it feel knowing readers have taken her into their hearts?  Ah! Thank you so much. It’s honestly so incredibly humbling, strange and wonderful. I’m so surprised and delighted that readers have responded so well to her. She’s this character […]

Guest Post by Colette Hiller A bit about the B – what I set out to do The B on Your Thumb is a collection of learning rhymes to boost reading and spelling. Using rhythm, rhyme and wordplay, these playful ditties aim to help children navigate the strange territory of the English language. The letters […]

by Katie Jennings and Joe Lillington The books in the Colour Fiction range from Little Tiger Group are perfect for newly independent readers aged 5 and up, especially those still struggling to find their feet. Those in search of both a meaty story and the vivid illustrations you find in a picture book. The illustrator […]

Samuel Langley-Swain, Founder of Owlet Press, speaks to their newest author Laura Gallagher about the myths around ‘normal families’ and the need to dispel them:  Samuel Langley-Swain (SLS): Having never worked in publishing before, I set out on a huge journey as a new parent and self-published author to create an inclusive children’s book publisher in Owlet Press. The jump from author […]