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The Federation of Children’s Book Groups Blog

An Ode to Libraries by Daisy May Johnson

Many, if not all, members of the FCBG will resonate with this ode to libraries written especially for us by author Daisy May Johnson! I have always navigated my life by libraries. When I last moved house, I remember asking the estate agent where the nearest library was. It turned out to be in a […]

Marvellous Makers Booklist

We have a brilliant booklist for you to share today with your communities. The Summer Reading Challenge has the theme Marvellous Makers for 2024 and so our booklist has a few extra recommendations suitable for this theme! It can also be downloaded from our website for printing. Booklists

Flame Chasers by Julie Pike

We think today’s blog will resonate with those who love stories and discovering where an author gets their ideas from! Thank you Julie for this lovely guest blog.   When I visit schools to chat about being an author, the question I’m most often asked is ‘where do your ideas come from?’ I always say […]

Bertha and Blinkby Nicola Colton

We welcome to the blog, Nicola Colton to share some insights into her new series, Bertha & Blink. Rumble in the Jungle is the first in this highly illustrated and colourful series. When we meet Bertha, she is a super-star inventor. She used to live a glitzy life in the city and was much more […]

Tidemagic, The Many Faces of Ista Flit by Clare Harlow

We have a brilliant blog from author Clare Harlow about the monsters in her book, Tidemagic The Many Faces of Ista Flit. They are called grilks and terrorise throughout the story. Read on to discover more! Bringing Monsters to Life – Clare Harlow ‘But what do the monsters actually look like?’ This is a question […]

Colossal Words by Colette Hiller

You could likely ask anyone if they have a favourite word and get something different everytime. This book will have children learning and loving new words! Colette, you have created an impressive book of tremendous words! How did you choose the words you wanted to use?  I wanted to choose useful words that children would […]

Knowing the Score by Ros Roberts

We welcome Ros Roberts to the blog today to share her insights into the inspiration and themes behind her book, Knowing the Score. In this book, it is one girl’s determination to right a wrong that keeps the reader engaged!   Inspiration and themes behind Knowing the Score by Ros Roberts Knowing the Score is […]

Skylar and the K-Pop Headteacher by Luan Goldie

We have a fun guest post for you today featuring author Luan Goldie.  She shares some fun books that feature body swapping with comedic outcomes! Have you read any of them? Body swap stories in children’s books by Luan Goldie I’ll be the first to say the plot of Skylar and the K-pop Headteacher, in […]

Call the Puffins by Cath Howe

Call the Puffins is a series from Cath Howe and Ella Okstad. We recently asked Cath Howe a few questions about her characters and this series.  Check out her answers below! Where did the inspiration for Muffin and Call the Puffins come from? I grew up in Scotland. As a child, I spent many holidays […]

Sar Wylda and the Legendary Goldbreaker by Jake R. Wilson

We welcome Jake R. Wilson to the blog today sharing insight into Sar Wylda and her determination to be a dinobeast rider! High-speed races in a prehistoric world. Sometimes it all starts with a throw-away question. In this case: “Wouldn’t it be cool if you could ride a dinosaur?” I asked it to a friend, […]

Independent Bookshop Week

Independent Bookshops are wondrous places to visit and we hope that over the course of next week that you find your way into one or more to celebrate with them. Independent Bookshop Week, launched in 2006, is a celebration of independent bookshops across the UK and Ireland. It aims to highlight the vital role independent […]

Stories that Built Our World by Sarah Walden

Stories That Built Our World When I was young – admittedly a reasonably long time ago now – my grandparents bought me a collection of fairy tales by Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm from Reader’s Digest. Bound in red leather, with gold foil titles, this was the most grown-up book I owned and […]

Mushrooms Know by Kallie George

Kallie George is an author and picture book editor who has written numerous acclaimed books for children. She grew up on the Sunshine Coast in British Columbia, Canada, where she spent her days roaming the forests, making up stories, and even mushroom foraging with her family. Her latest picture book, Mushrooms Know, captures the wisdom […]

Slow Coach by Bethany Rutter

A heartfelt blog about a special story from author Bethany Rutter! Slow Coach is about “an unsporty girl who takes up running out of spite!” There’s been one thought throughout my life that’s probably got in my way more than any other thought: ‘that’s for other people.’ Looking back, any time that thought occurred to […]

Press Start! Game On, Super Rabbit Boy! wins Children’s Book Award

Press Start! Game On, Super Rabbit Boy! wins Children’s Book Award The Children’s Book Award 2024 winners were announced at the award ceremony in Birmingham on Saturday 8th June. And the winners are: Press Start! Game On, Super Rabbit Boy! written and illustrated by Thomas Flintham, published by Nosy Crow won the Books for Younger […]

Nora and the Map of Mayhem by Joseph Elliott

Nora and the Map of Mayhem is a new middle grade adventure and its author, Joseph Elliott has penned a blog sharing some insight into the story! My name is Joseph, and I am a pirate. At least I was. I played a pirate called Cook in six series of the BAFTA-winning TV series, Swashbuckle. […]

Something to be Proud of by Anna Zoe Quirke

We enjoy reading blogs from debut authors and today’s blog is from Anna Zoe Quirke, a new talent in Young Adult publishing. Something to be Proud of is their debut novel. I started writing my book, Something to be Proud Of, in 2020 – famously not a wonderful time for humankind… I desperately needed a […]

Dancers of the Dawn by Zulekha A. Afzal

We have a blog today where the setting of a story becomes the “beating heart of the story”.  It’s a fascinating blog! Dancers of the Dawn: When the setting becomes the beating heart of a story Zulekhá A. Afzal The stories I loved growing up, be them from books, films or TV, were the ones […]

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