Entries by FCBG blog

My Book of Classic Nursery Tales by James Mayhew

Many of us will have grown up with familiar tales and nursery rhymes. James Mayhew shares his insights into the importance of storytelling and voice but also in sharing these tales from childhood.     Like so many children, I grew up with traditional folk tales, in particular the Ladybird series of “Well-Loved Tales”, and […]

Oscar Wilde’s Stories for Children, Illustrated by Lauren O’Hara

We welcome Lauren O’Hara to the blog today answering a few questions about her latest project, Oscar Wilde’s Stories for Children. It’s a fantastic collection of popular stories brought to a new generation of reader!     Why did you choose this collection of stories? What appealed about Oscar  Wilde?   I grew up with Wilde’s […]

And the River Drags her Down by Jihyun Yun

On the blog today, we welcome Jihyun Yun sharing some insights about her book, And the River Drags her Down.   Why YA needs a touch of darkness – and how writing about loss and grief helps young people confront their own emotions within the safety of fiction   Last year, I attended a dinner […]

Dead Yard Seeds of Doom by P.J. Kilburn

We welcome author, P.J. Kilburn to the blog today sharing some personal insights into her book, Dead Yard Seeds of Doom.     The first dead yard I remember attending was for my grandmother. I was 12 years old and in Year 7 at the time. I had probably attended ones before that age; growing […]

The Rise of Neptune by Scott Reintgen

Author Scott Reintgen shares a blog with us today about his books and how they may inspire boys aged 10-15 to pick up a book!     Hoping for a Rise in Reading: The Dragonships Series and Its Complicated Audience The Rise of Neptune is out/launches worldwide this week. It is the sequel to The […]

Catching up with Emma Farrarons, Winner of the Klaus Flugge Prize

We are delighted to welcome Emma Farrarons, winner of the Klaus Flugge Prize to the blog today, answering questions about winning this prestigious award.   Catching up with Emma Farrarons, winner of the Klaus Flugge Prize Emma Farrarons has just been announced winner of the 2025 Klaus Flugge Prize, awarded to the most promising and […]

The History of We by Nikkolas Smith

We welcome Nikkolas Smith to the blog today sharing answers to a few questions about The History of We, published by One World Publications.   The History of We takes us all the way back to humanity’s beginnings in Africa. What inspired you to tell this story? Growing up, the textbooks I had in school […]

A Poem for Every Question by Brian Bilston

Recently, we sent a series of questions to poet, Brian Bilston about his new book, A Poem for Every Question.  Check out his answers below! Where did the idea come from to create a book of poems around questions? If truth be told, the publisher – Farshore Books – approached me with the idea. It’s […]

The Day the Jungle-Net Broke by Marleen Lammers

The endless struggle between books and screens! Author Marleen Lammers shares some insights into how to make children’s books compete with screens. How to make children’s books compete with screens While anyone who’s ever looked after young children knows that screens can be a real blessing (we all cheat our way through some tricky moments!), […]

Nature Heroes by Lily Dyu

Today we welcome Lily Dyu to the blog sharing insights into Nature Heroes, a book featuring inspiring people making positive changes to the environment. Psychotherapist and eco-anxiety expert Caroline Hickman says that when talking to children about the climate and nature crises, it’s crucial to balance bad news with good. I often wish adults would […]