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The Federation of Children’s Book Groups Blog
The Globe Defenders by Jonny Daymond
The Globe Defenders Rainforest Rescue by Jonny Daymond As a child I soaked up adventure stories. Many of them old books like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World and H. Rider Haggard’s King Soloman’s Mines. Of course, some of these stories hark back to a dark imperial age. But the adventure within them […]
Hide and Seek by Rhian Tracey
We have a fascinating glimpse into Rhian Tracey’s quest for telling historical stories, especially ones close to her home and heart. Lesser known histories and mysteries are my favourite subjects to read, research and write about. I am by nature a curious (even nosy, some might say!) person and find creative pleasure in exploring unanswered […]
Finding Hope by Nicola Baker
We have a lovely guest blog from author, Nicola Baker, about her new series, Whistledown Farm and the first book, Finding Hope. Growing up I loved books about witches and magic – but I also loved books about animals and the countryside. I would get lost in these stories for hours and was never […]
Sammy and the Extra-Hot Chilli Powder by Charlie P Brooks
We have a brilliant guest blog from Charlie P. Brooks about his new book, Sammy and the Extra-Hot Chilli Powder! His funny blog will have you itching to pick up this book! How does a Dad that doesn’t have an office to go to everyday convince his daughter that he isn’t a moron. I […]
Seven Days by Rebeka Shaid
We have a special guest blog from author, Rebeka Shaid, around her favourite classic children’s books from her childhood. It is always fascinating to see what classics were read by popular authors! The children’s classics I loved growing up by Rebeka Shaid I grew up in a home full of books. History books. […]
Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr by Sara Khan
We have a delightful blog from author Sara Khan about the inspirations for her book, Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr. These books are vital for sharing insights into celebrations from cultures and religions around the UK! I am delighted to share with you the inspiration behind my latest children’s book, ‘Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr.’ As […]
National Non-Fiction November Competition Winners!
With last year’s NNFN theme of ‘Wonderful Water’, ‘Sea Change: Save the Ocean’, edited by Tobias Hickey of the International Centre for the Picture Book in Society at Worcester University, made the perfect book to use as the focus for our competition. Published by Otter-Barry Books, this is a collection of original postcards and messages […]
Flying High by Cao Wenxuan
We welcome Jake Hope, one of the translators of Flying High by Cao Wenxuan, to the blog today to share insights into this picture book! ‘In China, kites are more than just traditional toys; they are symbols of culture. During traditional Chinese festivals, such as Qingming and Mid-Autumn Festival, kite flying is an important activity. […]
Time Travellers by Sufiya Ahmed
Sufiya Ahmed is no stranger to our blog and we are really pleased to welcome her back with this guest post about her new series, Time Travellers! It’s publication week as I write this, and I am a little nervous about the reception from young readers for my new book Time Travellers: Adventure Calling. […]
Launch of 2024 Read for Empathy Book Collection
Empathy Lab launched their new book collection for 2024 on social media last week! It caused quite a stir as educators, parents, authors, illustrators and librarians joined in to celebrate this new collection. Please read below for all the details! Launch of 2024 Read for Empathy book collection sees major authors & illustrators help […]
How to find a rainbow by Alom Shaha
Rainbows are something that all ages look at with awe and wonder. In this blog by author, Alom Shaha, we can “unweave” rainbows for greater understanding. It’s a lovely blog post. I recently rescued an old overhead projector from a store cupboard full of disused equipment at the school where I work. OHPs used to […]
The Cat who Couldn’t Be Bothered by Jack Kurland
As it is Children’s Mental Health Week, it is an ideal opportunity to share a guest blog from Jack Kurland who shares the background to his book, The Cat who couldn’t be bothered. There are often days when I can’t be bothered. To do anything at all. On one of these doing nothing days I […]
The Second-Hand Boy by Jennifer Lane
A moving guest blog that shares the inspiration behind a story! It is always wonderful to hear from authors about events in their lives that brought about a story needing to be told. The darker side of The Second-Hand Boy When you’re in Year Five, there is nothing more important than having a best friend. Or maybe the […]
Brontë Tempestra by Bex Hogan
Today we welcome Bex Hogan to the blog sharing some insights about her new book, Brontë Tempestra and the Lightning Steeds. A different direction for this author widely known for her YA titles. Fantasy has always been my true love. I wasn’t the kind of child who read to see my reality reflected back at […]
Read it Forward by Mark Thornton
We are sharing a guest blog today celebrating a new partnership that aims to get books into the hands of children. How to support indie bookshops AND BookTrust this February with Read It Forward! Bookshop.org, the online bookselling website that supports independent bookshops, has launched its first ever charitable collaboration with BookTrust called Read It […]
Dreamstalkers Q&A with Sarah Driver
We were given the chance to read Dreamstalkers and pose some questions for author, Sarah Driver about her book and main character, Bea. Do check out her answers in today’s blog. Sarah, can you tell us a little bit about your latest book, Dreamstalkers? Dreamstalkers: The Night Train tells the story of Bea Grimspuddle […]
Q&A with Krystal Sutherland, author of The Invocations
We have a treat to share with readers today- a Q&A with author, Krystal Sutherland. Her latest book, The Invocations, is a thrilling and mysterious story. Can you tell us about your new book, The Invocations? The Invocations is a gothic thriller about a supernatural serial killer loose on the streets of London – and […]
Branford Boase Longlist Announcement
25th anniversary of the Branford Boase Award, celebrating the most talented debut writers for children and their editors 25 vibrant new writers celebrated on the award’s 25th longlist The longlist for the 2024 Branford Boase Award is announced today. Set up in memory of award-winning author Henrietta Branford and her editor Wendy Boase, one of the founders of […]