Sing Like a Whale

I’ve always been fascinated by dolphins and whales. When I was nine I tried to teach myself how to speak humpback whale by listening to a plastic record of their amazing song. Strange but true! The record came attached to a copy of National Geographic magazine and it was one of my prized possessions.

My latest book

Every day after school I’d shut myself in my room and wail and moan like a humpback. My mum used to rush into my room, thinking I was sick. If you’ve ever heard a humpback whale singing you’ll know what I mean.

There are lots of dolphins in the waters around Ireland, especially the west coast and I’ve been lucky to see them on many occasions. I’ve seen whales too, in both Ireland and New Zealand.

I’ve always wanted to write a book featuring whales or dolphins, so when I started writing The Songbird Café Girls series, set on a small island off West Cork, I knew it was time to unleash my passion for sea mammals.

I had so much fun researching Aurora and the Popcorn Dolphin, book three in the Songbird series (she’s Rory for short) and I learned a lot about sea mammals along the way. I used some of my (and Rory’s) favourite dolphin and whale facts to write the quiz for you below. Do try it!

Yours in books,

Sarah XXX

Rory’s Dolphin and Whale Quiz

dolphin with blow hole

How much do you know about dolphins and whales? Try this fun quiz and see! Answers are at the end – but don’t peek!

Question 1: What animals are whales and dolphins most closely related to?

A/ Crocodiles

B/ Hoofed mammals like hippos

C/ Elephants

Question 2: How far can a humpback whale’s song travel?

A/ 100 km

B/ 1,000 Km

C/ 10,000 km

Question 3: What is the largest animal that has ever lived on earth?

A/ Fin Whale

B/ Tyrannosaurus Rex

C/ Blue Whale

Question 4: Can dolphins drown?

A/Yes

B/No

Question 5: How do dolphins sleep?

A/ They curl up on the sea bed

B/ They float on top of the water

C/ They shut down half their brain

Answers:

1/ B A lot of people answer elephants, but they are most closely related to hippos.

2/ C The sound can take 8 hours to travel this distance.

3/ C The Blue whale can weigh up to 170 tonnes or the weight of 30 African elephants. The Tyrannosaurus Rex only weighed 7 tonnes.

4/ A Like all mammals, whales and dolphins have to breathe air. Whales can stay underwater for up to 90 minutes, dolphins need to breathe every 10 or 15 minutes.

5/ C Dolphins have to be conscious to breath. This means that they cannot go into a full deep sleep, so instead they shut down half their brain – this is called unihemispheric sleeping.

Review of Flawed by Cecelia Ahern

2

Cecelia Ahern

This review was first published in The Irish Independent.

A new book by Cecelia Ahern always creates a stir. She has sold over 4.9 million books worldwide and with two movies based on her work, plus a television series to her name, she is one of Ireland's most prolific writers.

She has now added a YA (young adult) novel to her vast repertoire. Flawed is set in a dystopian future where being perfect is the ultimate goal, and it's aimed firmly at teenagers, although her loyal adult readers may also 'cross over'.

The main character, Celestine North, sees herself as perfect. She comes from a law-abiding family: her mother is a "model in high demand", her father is the head of a television station, News 24. Ruled over by the 'Guild', in this society those who lie, cheat or steal must wear an armband emblazoned with a red letter F, and their skin or tongue (in the case of lying) must be branded with the same letter. So far, so The Scarlett Letter meets Louise O'Neill's Only Ever Yours. At the opening of the book, Bosco Craven, head of the Guild and father of Celestine's boyfriend, Art, is celebrating Earth Day with Celestine and her family. Another family, the Tinders, are late for dinner and as the group sits down without them, sirens rent the air.

On the street outside, the mother of the Tinder family and Celestine's piano teacher, Angelina Tinder, is dragged away by 'Whistleblowers' in front of her friends and neighbours, deemed flawed by the Guild.

Celestine is "a girl of definitions, of logic, of black and white". Shocked by Angelina's arrest for an assisted suicide ("theft from society"), she understands that rules must be enforced; however, a day later, she boards a bus with flawed citizens and her logical and compassionate actions towards an elderly Flawed man land her in a lock up, awaiting trial as a Flawed herself, flipping her perfect life forever.

The jump from old, perfect Celestine to new, questioning Celestine is too sudden. Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games (one of the most interesting heroines in YA dystopia) is a fearless, feisty hunter even before the Games commence, but Celestine's character isn't given time to bed in before she starts questioning her world's order. Luckily, this new, sceptical Celestine is worth knowing.

The perfect girl who challenges the status quo is a common theme in YA fiction and Ahern manages to breathe life into an intriguing and original teen character. Yes, Celestine and her love of structure and logic can be irritating and pedantic, but she is real, and her fear, pain and growing sense of outrage leap off the page. Add a love triangle with two handsome yet different boys to the mix - Art, and bad boy Carrick, who Celestine meets in the lock-up - some smart, thoughtful dialogue, and a powerful, heart-stopping torture scene in the Branding Chamber, and the reader will overlook any vagueness or lack of clarity in the world building.

Ahern is to be commended for trying something new. It would have been easy for her to stick to what she's best known for, contemporary novels for adults with a touch of magical realism. Flawed is a fast-paced, brave and compelling teen novel written with passion and heart that will fascinate her loyal fans and bring new readers into the fold. With movie rights already optioned by Warner Brothers, and a second Flawed book in the pipeline, Ahern's star shows no sign of burning out.

Down with the Kids: Writing YA

This piece was originally published in The Irish Independent. These days, children's books are big business with Irish bestsellers Cecelia Ahern and Sheila O'Flanagan about to join the fray. Already having dipped their toe in the YA pool are actors Russell Brand, Chris O'Dowd and Emma Thompson, plus musician-turned-writer Julian Gough, who has just published a charming early reader called Rabbit and Bear: Rabbit's Habits.

flawed

On March 24, Ahern will publish Flawed, her new novel. With many award-winning novels under her belt, not to mention two movies and a television show, you might be forgiven for presuming Flawed is a contemporary drama for adults set in the world of politics or perhaps modelling. However, you'd be wrong. Flawed is set in a future dystopian world where society values perfection above all else, and it's aimed firmly at teenagers.

A life-long fan of reading, in an interview for Mumsnet Ahern says: "The books that I remember are the books that I read to myself such as Enid Blyton's Famous Five, The Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley Twins."

Sheila O'Flanagan's novel for age 10+, The Crystal Run (published in April), is a fantasy novel about a boy named Joe who is bullied at school and one day steps through a portal into a different world.

It's hardly surprising that Ahern and O'Flanagan's agents and publishers have encouraged their interest in writing for youngsters. For the first time since records began, children's book sales have recently surpassed adult fiction sales across Ireland and the UK. With growth of 11pc year-on-year in the UK in 2015, children's sales now account for over 30pc of the market's total value, up from 27pc in 2014.

Children are digital natives who have grown up with computers and the internet, but research shows they love 'real', physical books. They are also avid book collectors, and as any former Enid Blyton or Goosebumps fan will tell you, never underestimate the power of the book collector. My daughter has a manga and Jacqueline Wilson collection that would make any library proud. My neighbour's son collects David Walliams books.

Walliams' comedies, from Awful Auntie to his latest, Grandpa's Great Escape, have been taking the children's literature world by storm, but he never set out to write for them.

In an interview for the BBC Radio 1 website about his first children's book, The Boy in the Dress, Walliams says: "I had the idea of, 'what if a 12-year-old boy went to school dressed as a girl?' Then I thought, 'what's the best medium for this?' And I thought, 'well, it's a story about a child, so maybe it should be a book for children'."

darkmouth 3

Former journalist-turned-bestselling-children's-author Shane Hegarty had a similar experience. He hit the headlines in 2013 when news broke of his six-figure children's book deal. The third book in his fantasy adventure, Darkmouth: Chaos Descends, will be published in April. But, like Walliams, he never set out to write a children's book.

"I wasn't really writing for kids," says Hegarty. "I was writing for me. I'd written some adult books and I really wanted to do another book but I wanted to give fiction a go. I wrote the story that I would have liked as a boy. I wrote it for my own enjoyment and entertainment."

If he could give Ahern and O'Flanagan some advice on writing for children, what would that be?

He laughs. "I went to Cecelia for advice and I've met Sheila. I bow to their experience and talent. However, I will say this: the big difference in writing for children is the events.

"It's scary being plonked in front of 500 kids but it's hard to imagine a better audience than a group of 10-year-olds. They are the most excited, excitable, interested, curious and unselfconscious audience. And when they love something, they'll tell you. As a writer, it allows you to be free and to lose your inhibitions. And to act the eejit."

So did O'Flanagan know she was writing a children's book? "I wanted it to be an adventure story," she explains, "and it seemed to me that I could focus on that more with younger characters. Unlike my adult novels, where the characters usually drive the plot, in this case I had a very clear idea of the overall plot first."

Marita Conlon-McKenna also has some advice for Ahern and O'Flanagan. Her famine novel, Under the Hawthorne Tree, is a modern children's classic and she has almost 20 years' experience of writing for both children and adults. "When a child loves your book, they will read it 16 times and know it word for word," says Conlon-McKenna. "They will talk about your book with their friends, play games based on your book. It becomes part of their world, part of their life, part of their family."

Marita Conlon-McKenna

She gets hundreds of letters every year from young readers all over the world and answers every one. "Children will confide in you," she warns. "Be prepared for this. You have to treat each child with great care and great respect. It's a huge privilege to write for children. Your audience are very special. Never take it for granted."

So who will be next to join the children's arena?

My money's on Sinead Moriarty. When asked about this possibility, she says: "All of my books have children in them so I do constantly think about children and how they behave and think and see the world. I love writing young characters, they are so much fun.

"My kids keep asking me to write a children's book," she adds. "So hopefully I'll get around to it before they are adults."

And she's looking forward to seeing Ahern and O'Flanagan's books on the shelves. "They are very talented ladies. I have no doubt their books for young readers will be fantastic."

Sarah Webb writes for both adults and children. Her latest book for children is The Songbird Café: Aurora and the Popcorn Dolphin (Walker Books)

Riches Galore: New Titles Spring 2016

In 2016 I will be posting regular reviews of children's books and YA novels right here. I'll do a mixture of stand alone reviews and round ups and I'll cover as many titles as I can. I like star systems myself, so I'll be awarding each title between 1 and 5 stars. I'll also be posting some reviews from my friends at Dubray Books and other friends in the children's book tribe. So stay tuned. And do let me know what you think or if there are any children's books that have particularly impressed you.

So far in 2016 it’s been a strong spring, with some stand out titles published for all ages.

Book of the Season

knights of the borrowed

It has to be Knights of the Borrowed Dark (Penguin/Random House) by Dave Rudden. Believe the hype (and there has been a lot). This is a cracking middle grade (age 8 to 12) fantasy-adventure with some genuinely creepy scenes.

The book opens in an old fashioned orphanage called Crosscarper which ‘slouched against the mountainside like it had been dropped there’. Orphan, Denizen Hardwick is whisked away by an aunt he’s never heard of, let alone met. When he reaches Dublin he’s in for a shock. His aunt is head of the Knights of the Borrowed Dark and Denizen is about to find out how just terrifying the world can be when Darkness seeps through the cracks.

Rudden’s writing is suburb. Every sentence is carefully crafted and it’s not often I stop to wonder at the language in a fantasy-adventure novel. On a long drive ‘the road looped round the shoulders of the mountain like a tailor’s measuring tape.’ A woman is ‘tall and thin, with a spine curved like an old coat hanger.’

The female characters are strong and realistic, and you’ll fall in love with the naïve, brave bookworm, Denizen. A joy to read, it’s a must for all readers of 9+, adults most definitely included. (***** 5 stars)

Other strong titles for YA (Young Adults)

Plain Jane by Kim Hood (O’Brien Press)

plain jane

I loved Kim Hood’s previous novel, Finding a Voice and this one is even better. Jane’s sister has cancer and Jane has simply become ‘Emma’s sister’ in the small village in Canada where they live. She loves her sister, but she’s tired of what the illness has done to their family.

A complex and highly realistic character, Jane is beautifully drawn and although she’s not always easy to like, the reader walks in her shoes and grows to care about her deeply.

Hood is a gifted writer, and the themes she chooses to tackle – in this book, sisterhood, cancer and teen mental illness - are deeply personal and always fascinating and I can’t wait to see what she does next. (**** 4 stars) Look out for my full review in The Irish Independent

Needlework by Deirdre Sullivan (Little Island)

A storming novel dealing with child abuse and its aftermath. Sullivan has a very distinctive, individual writing voice and her writing reminds me of a bird on a wire, delicately balanced with inner strength and the power to soar at any moment.

needlework

Not an easy book to read at times, but so worth seeking out.

Along with Louise O’Neill and Kim Hood, Sullivan is one of our most talented and interesting YA writers. A true artist.

Early Readers and Middle Grade novels - age 8 to 12 - to come soon!

Picture Books

Blocks by Irene Dickson (Nosy Crow)

blocks picture book

A picture book debut, this is a clever and beautifully designed book about a young girl and boy and their favourite blocks. Ruby has red blocks. Benji has blue blocks. What happens when Benji steals one of Ruby’s blocks? Can they learn to share and play together?

The simple yet clever concept, strong writing and eye catching illustrations combine to make this a real winner. Dickson’s colour palette – an attractive warm orange-red, marine blue and Kelly green - is carefully chosen and very pleasing to the eye. Her images are thoughtfully placed on the page and her use of fluid, thick dark brown outlines is unusual and works perfectly. (*** 3 stars)

Bravo Nosy Crow for discovering this exciting new picture book talent.

Tiger in a Tutu by Fabi Santiago (Orchard)

tiger in a tutu

Wonderfully expressive illustrations, gloriously coloured in rose, teal and sunflower yellow make this a real treat to pour over. And the story’s cracking too – the tale of Max, a Parisian tiger with big dreams. Max wants to be a ballerina and when he meets a young girl called Celeste who also loves to dance, his dreams may just come true. (*** 3 stars)

Where are You, Blue Kangaroo? By Emma Chichester Clark (HarperCollins)

It’s great to see new editions of this modern classic. Lily loves Blue Kangaroo but she’s not always very careful with him. But one day she learns her lesson…

Lively illustrations in glorious, happy colours, this is well worth revisiting. (*** 3 stars)

New imprint Two Hoots (Pan Macmillan) has launched with 3 picture books, 1 debut and 2 by established picture book makers.

The debut is the most interesting. Little Red by Bethan Woollvin is a retelling of the Little Red Riding Hood tale, but this Little Red is not taking the wolf’s nonsense lying down. The illustrations are highly distinctive, and the colours are so rich they seem to dig deep into the paper. Wolllvin won the Macmillan Prize for Illustration in 2014 and it’s not hard to see why – her work is bold and confident and will thrill young eyes. I can’t wait to see her next book. (**** 4 stars)

A spread from Little Red

tidy

Tidy by Emily Gravett is an interesting piece of work. Best known for her award winning picture books, Monkey and Me and Wolves, this book looks and sounds very different. It’s written in rhyme for a start and the illustrations are carefully coloured and the edges of the characters look highly finished, unlike Gravett’s usual lively, sketchy pencil lines. The whole book is a little too clean and polished – from the carefully constructed text to the rather flat illustrations. I’ve always liked the chaos and slightly anarchy in Gravett’s previous books. Wolves is inspired (a 5 star choice).

However parents who enjoy reading Julia Donaldson’s picture books to their children will no doubt love it. (** 2 stars)

The final book from Two Hoots is There is a Tribe of Kids by Lane Smith, best known for (with John Scieszka) The Stinky  Cheeseman and Other Fairly Stupid Tales. It’s not so much a story as a series of lists. A boy leaves his tribe of kids (young goats) and finds a colony of penguins, a smack of jellyfish, a pod of whales, an unkindness of ravens and so on until he finds his real tribe, a group of actual children.

tribe of kids

The illustrations look timeless - there is a solidity and grace to them - and the colour palette of greens, browns and teals is attractive. It’s playful, fun and beautifully produced, with glittering gold foil on the cover.  (*** 3 stars)

Congratulations to Two Hoots on their launch. I wish them all the best with their new list.

I also enjoyed Dave’s Cave by Preston-Gannon (Nosy Crow), a book full of humour and fun. Written in ‘cave man language’ it tells the story of Dave who is tired of his old cave and goes in search of a new one.

The illustrations are stylish and distinctive. Interestingly Dave’s hair is teal – it seems to be the picture book colour du jour. (*** 3 stars)

I’ll Wait, Mr Panda by Steve Anthony (Hodder) sees the return of Mr Panda. This time he’s making a surprise, but will any of the animals wait to see what it is? Some of the best page turns of any recent picture book, this is a fun book to share with young readers over and over again. (**** 4 stars)

lets see ireland

And finally, an attractive, quirky new Irish picture book by Sarah Bowie called Let’s See Ireland (O’Brien Press) which I’ll review properly soon. I loved it. **** (4 stars) 

The Pursuit of Awesome

The Pursuit of Awesome - For Web (2)

Recently I received an email from television presenter, Diana Bunici. I first met Diana when she presented a children’s show on RTE (like the BBC) called Elev8. She’s always been very interested in books and I wasn’t surprised when she told me she was putting together her own book. Her book, The Pursuit of Awesome: Stellar Musings and Advice on Achieving Your Dreams was published this month and is a fantastic read. It’s packed full of advice from writers, actors, sports people, designers, broadcasters and business people, from Derek Landy, to Rory McIllroy, Evanna Lynch (Luna in Harry Potter), Cecelia Ahern and Hozier.

The advice includes:

‘There’s only one way of getting what you want in life and that’s my throwing yourself into what you want to do and making it happen.’ Radio presenter, Rick O’Shea

‘Ignore what’s hot right now. Have fun. Slice off a big piece of yourself with everything you write and put it on the page.’ Derek Landy

‘You are the director of your own life movie, the author of your own autobiography, the artist in control of the paintbrush and indeed, the blank canvas. Splash those colours proudly. Life’s too short to stick to a palette of black and grey.’ Diana Bunici

She even allowed me give teens some advice:

‘You may be young, but you can do whatever you set your mind to. Don’t let anyone put you off, or say you can’t do something – you can. Believe in yourself.’

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? I’d love to know!

Yours in writing,

Sarah XXX

Aurora and the Popcorn Dolphin is Out!

My new book, Aurora and the Popcorn Dolphin has just come out in Ireland and the UK and features a very special dolphin called Click. I’ve always been fascinated by dolphins and whales. When I was nine I tried to teach myself how to speak humpback whale by listening to a plastic record of their amazing song. Strange but true! The record came attached to a copy of National Geographic magazine and it was one of my prized possessions.

Every day after school I’d shut myself in my room and wail and moan like a humpback. My mum used to rush into my room, thinking I was sick. If you’ve ever heard a humpback whale singing you’ll know what I mean.

There are lots of dolphins in the waters around Ireland where I live and I’ve been lucky to see them on many occasions. I’ve seen whales too, in both Ireland and New Zealand.

I had so much fun researching this book and I learned a lot about sea mammals along the way. I used some of my (and Rory’s) favourite dolphin and whale facts to write the quiz below. Do try it!

Rory’s Dolphin and Whale Quiz

 How much do you know about dolphins and whales? Try this fun quiz and see!

 Question 1: What animals are whales and dolphins most closely related to?

A/ Crocodiles

B/ Hoofed mammals like hippos

C/ Elephants

Question 2: What is the largest animal that has ever lived on earth?

A/ Fin whale

B/ Tyrannosaurus Rex

C/ Blue whale

Question 3: Can dolphins drown?

A/Yes

B/No

Question 4: How do dolphins sleep?

A/ They curl up on the sea bed

B/ They float on top of the water

C/ They shut down half their brain

Answers:

1/ B A lot of people answer elephants, but they are most closely related to hippos.

2/ C The Blue whale can weigh up to 170 tonnes or the weight of 30 African elephants. The Tyrannosaurus Rex only weighed 7 tonnes.

3/ A Like all mammals, whales and dolphins have to breathe air. Whales can stay underwater for up to 90 minutes, dolphins need to breathe every 10 or 15 minutes.

4/ C Dolphins have to be conscious to breath. This means that they cannot go into a full deep sleep, so instead they shut down half their brain – this is called unihemispheric sleeping.

Children's Book Ireland Awards 2016 - Shortlist

Nine titles will compete for the CBI Book of the Year Awards 2016, the most prestigious awards for children’s books in Ireland.

 The shortlist for the 26th CBI Book of the Year Awards was revealed today, Tuesday 8th March 2016 at the Duncairn Arts Centre, Belfast. Each of the nine titles will compete for the high calibre awards, which includes the innovative Children’s Choice Award, voted for by young readers across the country. The winners will be announced at a ceremony to be held on 23rd May at Dublin’s Smock Alley Theatre.

The shortlisted titles are:

imaginary fred

Imaginary Fred written by Eoin Colfer, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers

The Day the Crayons Came Home, writtenby Drew Daywalt, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers

The Boy at the Top of the Mountain by John Boyne

Gulliver, by Jonathan Swift, retold by Mary Webb, illustrated by Lauren O’Neill

asking for it cover

Asking for It by Louise O’Neill

Ná Gabh ar Scoil writtenby Máire Zepf, illustrated by Tarsila Krüse

Irelandopedia writtenby John Burke, illustrated by Fatti Burke

The Wordsmith by Patricia Forde

One by Sarah Crossan

Founded in 1990, The CBI Book of the Year Awards are the leading children’s book awards in Ireland. They are a celebration of excellence in children’s literature and illustration and are open to books for all ages written in English or Irish by authors and illustrators born or resident in Ireland and published between 1st January and 31st December each year. Previous winners include Oliver Jeffers for Once Upon an Alphabet, John Boyne for The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas; Sheena Wilkinson for Grounded, Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick for There and Hagwitch and Kate Thompson for The New Policeman, Annan Water and The Alchemist’s Apprentice.

one cover

Dr Patricia Kennon, chair of the judging panel that read almost 80 titles, said: ‘The nine shortlisted titles take us on a imaginative journey around Ireland and beyond, showcasing the range of excellent books being created by Irish authors and illustrators. These books span a wide range of ages from incredibly engaging picturebooks to hard-hitting, thought-provoking novels for teenagers and young adults, in both languages. The members of the judging panel and I very much enjoyed the opportunity to explore and celebrate the best of contemporary Irish children’s publishing.’

Children’s Books Ireland (CBI), which administers the awards, will again be working closely with reading groups from schools, libraries and bookshops across the island of Ireland. These young readers will choose the winner of the Children’s Choice Award. Reading groups nationwide are invited to sign up for the shadowing scheme to be in with a chance of receiving free copies of all 9 shortlisted titles via www.childrensbooksireland.ie. Five other awards will be made in May also – The Book of the Year Award, Honour Awards for Fiction and Illustration, the Eilís Dillon award for a first children’s book and the Judges’ Special Award.

Jenny Murray, Acting Director at CBI said ‘At Children’s Books Ireland our mission is to make books a part of every child’s life. With this year’s shortlist, CBI is honoured to be able to highlight the very best that Irish authors and illustrators have to offer it is particularly satisfying to note that of the nine shortlisted titles, four are Irish published. This list includes children’s books for all ages covering titles that are challenging, informative, uplifting and funny. They are truly world-class in their quality. We know that young readers nationwide will enjoy this selection’

This year’s shortlist contains three titles from two former CBI Book of the Year Award winners, Oliver Jeffers whose Once Upon an Alphabet took the overall prize in 2015 and John Boyne who won with The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas in 2007. Five of the authors and illustrators shortlisted are new to the CBI Book of the Year Awards shortlist: Lauren O’Neill for Gulliver, Máire Zepf and Tarsila Krüse forNá Gabh ar Scoil and father-daughter team John and Fatti Burke for Irelandopedia. Shortlistees Louise O’Neill and Sarah Crossan are previous winners of the Éilis Dillon award for a first children’s book.

A summary of each shortlisted title follows:

IMAGINARY FRED written by Eoin Colfer, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers – suitable for all ages

Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books

ISBN: 9780008126148 (HBK)

There is only one thing that hurts worse than a headache or a bee sting, and that’s loneliness. Imaginary Fred is a friend to many... but only for a short while. When Fred's companions make real friends, he fades away and returns to the sky to await his next pal. However, things change when Fred meets a boy named Sam, who promises they will be friends always. Things couldn’t be more perfect, this is until Sam gets a real friend and Fred begins to fear the worst: that he may soon be replaced.

THE DAY THE CRAYONS CAME HOME writtenby Drew Daywalt, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers – suitable for all ages

Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books

ISBN: 9780008124434 (HBK)

The hilarious sequel to the prize-winning, international bestseller The Day the Crayons Quit! Watch out - the crayons are back and they're crosser than ever! One day Duncan receives a set of postcards from his crayons who been lost, forgotten, broken - even melted in a clothes dryer and stuck to a pair of underpants!

A hilarious text and joyful illustrations combine to show that crayons have feelings too in this laugh-out-loud sequel.

THE BOY AT THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAINby John Boyne – suitable for 12+

Publisher: Doubleday

ISBN: 9780857534521 (HBK)

When Pierrot becomes an orphan, he must leave his home in Paris for a new life with his aunt Beatrix, a servant in a wealthy Austrian household. But this is no ordinary time, for it is 1935 and the Second World War is fast approaching; and this is no ordinary house, for this is the Berghof,the home of Adolf Hitler. Pierrot is quickly taken under Hitler's wing and thrown into an increasingly dangerous new world: a world of terror, secrets, and betrayal from which he may never be able to escape.

GULLIVERby Jonathan Swift, retold by Mary Webb, illustrated by Lauren O’Neill – suitable for 8+

Publisher: The O’Brien Press

ISBN: 9781847176769 (HBK)

When Gulliver sets sail for the Tropics, the last thing he expects is to find himself stranded in a land of small people- so small, in fact, they are the size of his thumb! Despite their size, the islanders manage to take Gulliver hostage and in order to survive he must learn their ways. A second adventure sees Gulliver arrive in a land of terrifying Giants. The tables turn now that Gulliver himself is as tiny as a mouse. Once again he must fend for his life. Simply falling into bowl of cream could be the end of him! Gulliver is an abundantly illustrated retelling of a favourite classic.

ASKING FOR ITwrittenby Louise O’Neill – suitable for 16+

Publisher: Quercus Books

ISBN: 9781784295868 (HBK)

It’s the beginning of the summer in a small town in Ireland. Emma O’Donovan is eighteen years old, beautiful, happy, confident. One night, there’s a party. Everyone is there. All eyes are on Emma. The next morning, she wakes on the front porch of her house. She can’t remember what happened, she doesn’t know how she got there. She doesn’t know why she’s in pain.

But everyone else does. Photographs taken at the party show, in explicit detail, what happened to Emma that night. But sometimes people don’t want to believe what is right in front of them, especially when the truth concerns the town’s heroes…

NÁ GABH AR SCOILwrittenby Máire Zepf, illustrated by Tarsila Krüse – suitable for 4+

Publisher: Futa Fata

ISBN: 9781906907983 (HBK)

Tá sceitiminí ar Cóilín.  Tá sé ag dul ar scoil inniu ach tá fadhb aige.  Ní maith le Mamaí Cóilín dul ar a chéad lá ar scoil.  Tá ar Cóilín rud a dhéanamh faoi sin.

Little Cóilín is very excited about his first day in school.He’s up early and ready to go, but there’s just one problem –Mommy can’t bear the thought of being separated from him!

IRELANDOPEDIA writtenby John Burke, illustrated by Fatti Burke – suitable for all ages

Publisher: Gill & Macmillan

ISBN: 9780717169382 (HBK)

Irelandopedia is an exciting and vibrant compendium of facts, figures and fascinating findings about our little Emerald Isle. From the most southerly point in Cork to the most northerly point in Donegal, follow a tour of the best sights and sounds Ireland has to offer.

THE WORDSMITHby Patricia Forde – suitable for 12+

Publisher: Little Island

ISBN: 9781908195999 (PBK)

On the death of her master, Letta is suddenly promoted from apprentice to wordsmith, charged with collecting and archiving words in post-apocalyptic, neo-medieval Ark. When she uncovers a sinister plan to suppress language and rob the people of Ark of the power of speech, she realises that she has to save not only words, but the culture itself. A beautiful and gripping dystopian story of how words make us who we are.

ONE by Sarah Crossan – suitable for 14+

Publisher: Bloomsbury

ISBN: 9781408863114 (HBK)

Grace and Tippi are twins – conjoined twins. And their lives are about to change. No longer able to afford homeschooling, they must venture into the world – a world of stares, sneers and cruelty. Will they find more than that at school? Can they find real friends? And what about love? But what neither Grace or Tippi realises is that a heart-wrenching decision lies ahead. A decision that could tear them apart. One that will change their lives even more than they ever imagined…

From Carnegie Medal shortlisted author Sarah Crossan, this moving and beautifully crafted novel about identity, sisterhood and love ultimately asks one question: what does it mean to want and have a soulmate?

Children's Books Ireland Book of the Year 2016 Predictions

The CBI Book of the Year Awards Shortlist will be announced later today. Every year I predict what will be on this shortlist. It's a very strong year for teen books. My favourite Irish book of the year was One by Sarah Crossan which I strongly tip as the overall winner. There are usually 10 books on the shortlist. The winners of the various categories are announced in May.

Here are my predictions - let's see how many I get right this year!

Overall Book of the Year Award 2016 (for books published in 2015)

one cover

One by Sarah Crossan 

Eilis Dillon Award (1st Book)

The Accident Season by Moira Fowley-Doyle

Judge's Special Award

Once Upon a Place edited by Eoin Colfer

Children's Choice Award

As the children will be voting on this in the shadowing scheme, I won't predict this one.

Honour Award for Illustration

Imaginary Fred by Eoin Colfer, Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers or The Day the Crayons Came Home by Drew Daywalt, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers (depending on the judges' tastes - both are outstanding)

Shortlisted Titles

I'm a Girl by Yasmeen Ismail

The Seal's Fate by Eoin Colfer

Name Upon Name by Sheena Wilkinson

The Wordsmith by Patricia Forde

Asking for It by Louise O'Neill

Hubert by Caitríona Hastings

And that's our 10 (ok 11 to be strictly accurate)!

If non fiction is included: Irelandopedia

May also be shortlisted:

Behind the Walls by Nicola Pierce

The Butterfly Shell by Maureen White

Resonance by Celine Kiernan

Still Falling by Sheena Wilkinson

The Snow Beast by Chris Judge

Hubert by Caitríona Hastings

The Boy at the Top of the Mountain by John Boyne

A fantastic year for fiction, and teen fiction in particular. Congrats to everyone who had a book published in 2015 - no mean feat in itself. And keep writing!

Yours in books,

Sarah XXX

Diary of a School Event in Words and Pictures

One of my favourite parts of being a writer is talking to young readers about my work. Every week I visit 1 or 2 schools or libraries to talk to students. Here's the diary of one of those trips. 7am Get up and walk dog - I always pack my bag the night before my event. I have all kinds of things in my green event bag - books, photos, toy whales.

My Green Event Bag

My Green Event Bag

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IMG_7082[1]

8am Say goodbye to my dog, Lucky and get on the road in my Mini Cooper. Yes, I have the same car as Clover in the Ask Amy Green books! 10.00am Arrive in Loughboy Library in Kilkenny and set up for my first event with the children from St John of God's National School.

IMG_7085[1]

Can you spot the whale and dolphin models? There's a shark in there too - his tail goes from side to side, as he's a fish. Sea mammals' tails go up and down.

IMG_7083[1]

10am to 11.30am Talk to the students about growing up (I was late to reading and I talk about this and how having heart and grit are more important than being top of the class), my favourite books, how I became a writer and sea mammals. They ask me some great questions about writing, publishing and whales and dolphins. We do a sea mammal quiz - teachers against the pupils - and the pupils win!

Sarah Webb Visit 2016 004 (2)

My latest book (out in March) called Aurora and the Popcorn Dolphin is all about a dolphin and I have a huge love for sea mammals, especially bottlenosed dolphins and humpback whales. I spent 2 years researching it and I'm still reading up about these amazing creatures. I don't think I'll ever know enough about them and new discoveries are made all the time.

My New Book, Out in March

My New Book, Out in March

Sarah Webb Visit 2016 006 (2)

12.00 to 1.15 Here I am talking to the second school, Gael Scoil Osraí about my school days. I'm holding a copy book from when I was 5! Their teachers were pretty smart and when it came to the quiz they drew with the pupils (who are also very smart). This gang were particularly talented at singing humpback whale - it was a beautiful symphony of strange wailing and snorting noises!

1.30pm Hop in the car again after grabbing a sandwich and drive home again.

3.30 Arrive home and say hello to Lucky and the kids.

Writers, do YOU enjoy school visits?

Readers, has a writer visited YOUR school? I'd love to know all about it.

Yours in books,

Sarah XXX

This blog first appeared on Girls Heart Books website.

New Children's Books To Look Out For in 2016

Eoin Colfer

This year looks set to be another stellar one for children's books, and Irish young adult (YA) in particular will blaze a trail in 2016. There are new titles from brand names such as Julia Donaldson, Eoin Colfer and Derek Landy, plenty of interesting debuts and some intriguing books from 'grown up' bestsellers Cecelia Ahern and Sheila O'Flanagan.

Children's Laureate Eoin Colfer's Iron Man novel for children comes from Marvel in autumn - and according to Colfer, the billionaire playboy Tony Stark is set to get the Dublin treatment. Puffin's lead title this spring is Dave Rudden's The Knights of the Borrowed Dark (March), the first in a trilogy featuring Denizen Hardwick, a boy who doesn't believe in magic until he's ambushed by a monster created from shadows. HarperCollins is very excited about Cecelia Ahern's debut YA novel, Flawed, set in a society where perfection is everything (March); while Hachette will be publishing The Crystal Run, Sheila O'Flanagan's fantasy debut for age 10-plus, in May. Gill and Macmillan presents its first YA novel ever in April, from Eilis Barrett, a writer who is a teenager herself. Her book, Oasis, is set in the future and follows a group of teen outcasts.

Little Island has been making waves with its strong fiction list, and looks set to do so again in 2016. First up in February is Needlework by Deirdre Sullivan, for young adult and adults, a novel about child abuse and its aftermath that I read in one sitting. An important and beautifully written book.

needlework

Also from Little Island for older teens is Anna Seidl's No Heros (March), the story of a school shooting and its aftermath, a publishing sensation in its native Germany; in May it launches The Best Medicine by Belfast writer Christine Hamill, about a 12-year-old boy whose mother has breast cancer.

Kim Hood's debut YA novel, Finding a Voice was shortlisted for the YA Book Prize in the UK last year and her second novel, Plain Jane, is out in April from O'Brien Press. The story of a 16-year-old girl whose sister has cancer, it's one I'm looking forward to as I love her vibrant writing voice.

The Square Root of Summer by Harriet Reuter Hapgood (Macmillan, May) follows physics prodigy Gottie Oppenheimer as she navigates a summer of both grief and rips in the space-time continuum; while The Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse (Macmillan, April) is a World War II story set in Amsterdam about a girl who gets involved with the resistance. Puffin Ireland editor Claire Hennessy's YA novel, Nothing Tastes as Good, is published by Hot Key in July and is already creating quite a stir. Annabel is a recently deceased anorexic teen who is assigned as a ghostly 'helper' to Julia, another girl with an eating problem. Brian Conaghan's The Bombs That Brought Us Together (Bloomsbury, April), dealing with terrorism and war, sounds very promising; and Derek Landy is back with the second book in his Demon Road trilogy, Desolation (HarperCollins, March).

For readers aged nine-plus, there's book three of Shane Hegarty's Darkmouth series, Chaos Descends (HarperCollins, April); and also the latest novel by Brian Gallagher (O'Brien Press, April) called Arrivals, a Canadian murder mystery set in 1928. Ger Siggins is to publish another book in his popular sport series, Rugby Flyer (O'Brien Press, February); and Matt Griffin tackles a war between humans and fairies in Stormweaver (O'Brien Press, April). It's great to see Corkman Kieran Crowley back with The Mighty Dynamo (Macmillan, May), about a boy who dreams of being a footballer. I'm currently reading the exquisite Anna and the Swallow Man by New York-based Gavriel Savit (Bodley Head, January), set in World War II. And finally for this age group, the US writer Kate DiCamillo returns with Raymie Nightingale, a novel about a friendship which changes lives forever (Walker Books, April).

Poolbeg will add Maebh Banrion na Troda (February) and Sceal Naomh Padraig (March) to their Nutshell library for younger readers; and the ultimate staying-between-the-lines challenge has to be Where's Wally? The Colouring Book, from Walker Books in June. Sarah Bowie's picture book Let's See Ireland (O'Brien Press, April) has striking artwork; and finally, Julia Donaldson's Detective Dog, illustrated by Sara Ogilvie (Macmillan, June), about a dog with an extra keen sense of smell, sounds as if it will make both children and parents smile.

This piece first appeared in the Sunday Independent.

The Story of You – Keeping a Diary

My Diary Collection 1986 to 2015

Today is Christmas Eve. In many parts of the world children will wake up tomorrow morning and find presents at the end of their bed, or in stockings at the fireplace. Maybe they will get a much wanted bike, books, or even a puppy.

A Photo of Me and My Sisters and My Grandparents - I'm the taller girl in the red!

Christmas is full of magical memories. One way of saving those memories is by taking a photo. This is a photo of me and my sisters with my grandparents when I was about 8 or 9 – I’m the taller girl in the red!

Another way of saving memories is by writing them down in a diary or a journal. I’ve been keeping a diary since I was a teenager and I’ve amassed quite a stack of them at this stage. They are are carefully locked away as they are full of secrets!

I’ve always found that writing things down helps me work through my feelings and helps me make sense of particularly difficult or upsetting days. They say a worry shared is a worry halved, and for me keeping a diary is like telling a trusted friend my problems.

As a young teenager I had many worries:

Do my friends actually like me? The answer to this one was yes, but teenagers don’t always act kindly towards each other – hang in there, it will get easier.

Does everyone feel as alone as I do sometimes? Yes – even as an adult, I think everyone feels alone now and again.

Does everyone notice my spots as much as I do? No, they are far too busy worrying about their own spots!

Who am I supposed to be? How am I supposed to act? I’m in my 40s now and I know who I am – a mum, a writer, a friend, a partner, a sister, a daughter, and a reader. I’m still not sure how to act sometimes, but as you get older you care less and less. You realise that people like you for who you are, not what you are. And if you don’t click with someone, you spend less time worrying about it.

Me at 17

I also kept a ‘boy list’ as the back of my diary of boys I liked. I didn’t actually know many of them, they were boys I’d spotted at a bus stop or working in a shop. I also kept a book list and a movie list and these are fascinating to read back over (far more interesting than the boy lists!). See my 1987 movie list below with the scores out of 10 I gave each film that year.

In some ways I haven’t changed much from my teen years: I’m still mad about books, worry about things, and can be full of energy some days and exhausted and grumpy the next, but one thing that hasn’t changed is my diary keeping. I still do that, 30 years on.

From a young age I’ve always had the urge to write things down, it’s how I make sense of the world. I guess that’s what drove me to write books. This is a photo of me at 17.

In 2016 why don’t YOU try keeping a diary? In 30 year’s time they may give you something truly fascinating to read – the story of YOU.

Happy Christmas to all the Girls Heart Books readers and writers, and most especially to Jo who keeps the whole show on the road. Talk to you again in 2016!

Yours in books,

Sarah XXX

My Movie List - 1987

The Best Children's + YA Books of 2015

Books: Magical Ways to Help Mind the Chislers

Sarah Webb's guide to titles that will make the best presents for young readers (from The Irish Independent)

On the up: Sales of children’s books continue to rise with some breakout Irish literary stars to the fore this year

crayons came home

It's been an exceptional year for children's books. Irish picture book makers like Oliver Jeffers and Yasmeen Ismail are going from strength to strength and we have a new YA (young adult) international literary superstar in the form of hard working Clonakilty woman, Louise O'Neill. There has been much talk of the demise of books over the past few years, but sales of children's books continue to rise. I've gathered together my favourite books of the year and I hope you find something to entertain, enlighten and inspire every child or teenager in your life.

Belfast man, Oliver Jeffers' latest picture book, The Day the Crayons Came Home, written by Drew Daywalt (HarperCollins €19.50), is a joyously funny tale about the adventures of lost, forgotten and broken crayons with exceptional, highly original mixed-media illustrations. My picture book of 2015 for its clever combination of great storytelling, originality and wit. Age 4+.

im a girl

shackleton's journey

Yasmeen Ismail's I'm a Girl! (Bloomsbury €16.50) is a celebration of being yourself, with spirited watercolour illustrations, and Nicola's Colton's A Dublin Fairytale (O'Brien €12.99) is a playful and colourful retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, Irish style.

irelandopedia

Information books are enjoying a renaissance and Shackleton's Journey by William Grill (Flying Eye Books €22.50), chronicles the epic voyage in wonderfully immersive spreads. The unusual colour pencil illustrations are exceptional. Colouring books are a big trend this season and there is a companion activity book (€14.99). Both for age 7+.

boy who fell

The winner of the Ryan Tubridy Show Listeners' Choice Award at this week's Irish Book Awards, Irelandopedia by Fatti and John Burke (Gill and Macmillan €32.50), brings Ireland alive in a stylish and clever way. Each spread of this attractive hardback is packed with information about the 32 countries and it would make the perfect present for an Irish child living overseas. Age 5+.

imaginary fred

The Boy Who Fell Off the Mayflower is the first book both written and illustrated by award winning Irish illustrator, PJ Lynch (Walker Books €15.99). Based on the true story of John Howland, who helped found Plymouth Colony, its stormy Atlantic seascapes are magnificent. Age 6+.

pugs of the

Also a winner at the Book Awards this week (taking the Specsaver's Children's Book of the Year (Junior) award), Imaginary Fred combines two giants of children's books, our current Irish Children's Laureate, Eoin Colfer and Oliver Jeffers (HarperCollins €17.99). A heart-felt ode to friendship and the power of the imagination, with deceptively simple line-drawings. Age 6+.

once upon a time

Confident readers of seven plus will love Pugs of the Frozen North by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre (Oxford University Press €13.50). Orphan Shen is abandoned with only 66 pugs for company. Sika steps in to look after him and together they enter the Race to the Top of the World using pug-power to pull their sled. A funny, fast-paced story with clever cartoon-style illustrations.

darkmouth 2

Older readers of eight plus will enjoy dipping in and out of Once Upon a Place, edited by Eoin Colfer and illustrated by P J Lynch (Little Island Books €15.99), beautifully produced hardback featuring original short stories and poems from Irish writers. I'm proud to have a story in the mix, which sits beside pieces by Roddy Doyle, Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick and Oisín McGann.

book of learning 1

Fantasy readers of age 8+ will enjoy. Darkmouth: Worlds Explode by Shane Hegarty (HarperCollins €14.99). Set in the mist-swirling town of Darkmouth, the last Blighted Village in Ireland plagued by legends, mythical man-eating monsters, this book sees Finn trying to save his father, Hugo who is trapped on 'the Infected Side'. Confident readers will also enjoy E R Murray's original and action packed fantasy adventure, The Book of Learning (Mercier €9.99).

jellyfish 3

One of the biggest books of the season will be Grandpa's Great Escape by David Walliams (HarperCollins €19.50), a funny adventure yarn about 12-year-old Jack and his beloved grandpa, a fighter pilot in World War II who has been dumped in the old people's home from hell; and the new edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J K Rowling with stunning colour illustrations by Jim Kay (Bloomsbury €34.99) will be on many children and adults' Santa lists.

My novel of the year for age 10+ is The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin (Macmillan €16.50), the kind of book you just want to hug it's so good. When Suzy's best friend Franny drowns, she's floored by anger, grief and guilt. Franny was a strong swimmer and Suzy is determined to prove that a lethal jellyfish was to blame but her marine research sets her off on an unexpected voyage of self-discovery.

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Teen and Young Adult

butterfly shell

It's also been an exceptional year for teen and YA (young adult) novels. One by Sarah Crossan (Bloomsbury €10.99) is a novel in verse about 16-year-old conjoined twins, Grace and Tippi. It's a brave, compelling, unusual book that deserves to be read.

demon road

Irish writer, Maureen White's The Butterfly Shell (O'Brien Press €8.99) is about bullying, self-harm and resilience. Marie has just started attending an all-girls secondary school and her classmates are not making life easy for her. Meanwhile at home she hears the ghostly cries of a dead baby. A lyrically written and thoughtful debut.

ill give you the sun

If your teenager enjoys horror, Demon Road by Derek Landy is a good choice (HarperCollins €22.50). Book one in a new series about a 'normal' American teenager who turns out not to be so average after all, it powers along from its arresting opening line: 'Twelve hours before Amber Lamont's parents tried to kill her, she was sitting between them in the principal's office…'

the rest of us

Older teenagers who like John Green will love I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson (Walker Books €12.65), an immersive read about twins Noah and Jude and how they manage to piece their lives together after the death of their mother. This beautifully written and highly original novel uses art and sculpture to examine emotion and the creative process.

asking for it cover

The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness (Walker €19.50) is a clever coming of age story about being the 'other guy or girl' - not the hero or heroine, just a teenager trying to get on with his or her life.

And finally, Asking for It by Louise O'Neill (­Quercus €19.50) has become one of the most talked about books of the year. Emma O'Donovan is the Queen Bee of Ballinatoom. Her closest friends may be rich and privileged but Emma is the most popular and she knows it. But all that is about to change. An arresting, unflinching and deeply disturbing look at sexual consent and how society treats rape victims, it's an important book in both an Irish and an international context. This week it won the Specsaver's Children's Book of the Year (Senior) award at the Irish Book Awards,

Sarah Webb is a writer and children's book expert. Her latest book for children is Sunny Days and Mooncakes (Walker Books)

The Best Children's Books for Christmas 2015

Some of my favourite books of the year for all ages, from picture books to YA (young adult) novels. 2015 was a brilliant year for children's books - happy reading!

Picture Books

1/ Grandad’s Island Age 3+

By Benji Davies     Simon and Schuster

One of my picture books of the year, a stunning story about a boy, Syd and his grandad which deals with death and loss in a sensitive way. Young children deserve wonderful writing and glorious illustrations and this book has both.

A spread from Grandad's Island

2/ The Day the Crayons Came Home Age 4+

By Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers    HarperCollins

Belfast’s finest, Oliver Jeffers last picture book with Drew Dayalt (an American writer) , The Day the Crayons Quite was a number one New York Times bestseller last year, and was on the list for a whopping 67 weeks in total.

His new book about the crayons, The Day the Crayons Came Home, again written by Drew Daywalt, is a joyously funny book about the adventures of lost, forgotten and broken crayons with exceptional, highly original mixed-media illustrations. My picture book of the year for its originality and wit. I also love Imaginary Fred, written by Eoin Colfer and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers. (See below)

crayons came home

3/ I'm a Girl! Age 3+

By Yasmeen Ismail    Bloomsbury

im a girl

A celebration of being yourself by an Irish picture book maker, currently living in Bristol, with spirited illustrations that zing with colour.

Non Fiction

4/ Irelandopedia  Age 5+  WINNER OF THE IRISH BOOKS AWARDS, LISTENERS' AWARD

By Fatti and John Burke    Gill and Macmillan

Beautifully produced book which brings Ireland alive in a stylish and witty way. Each spread is packed with info on the 32 countries of the island of Ireland.  Not to be missed.

irelandopedia

5/ Shackleton’s Journey by William Grill (Winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal)  Age 7+

Flying Eye Books

Stunning book which won the Kate Greenaway Award for best illustrated book for children in 2015. It chronicles Shackleton’s epic journey with great originality and wit. Fascinating detailed illustrations (the dogs alone are worth buying the book for). A book made with love and passion and something a little different for fact loving children (and adults).

shackleton's journey

Irish Language Picture Book

6/ Eilifint Óg agus on Folcadán  Age 3+

By Tatyana Feeney    An Gúm

Recommended by my Irish speaking friend, Liz as one of the best Irish language picture books this year.

irish book

Early Readers – age 6/7 to 9

7/ The Boy Who Fell Off the Mayflower, or John Howland's Good Fortune

By P. J. Lynch    Walker Books

Stunning illustrations – a book to read aloud to older children of 6+ with pictures to die for.

boy who fell

8/ Imaginary Fred WINNER OF THE IRISH BOOK AWARDS JUNIOR CHILDREN'S CATEGORY

By Eoin Colfer and Oliver Jeffers    HarperCollins

A heart-felt ode to friendship and the power of the imagination from an award-winning dream team.

imaginary fred

9/ Pugs of the Frozen North

By Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre    Oxford University Press

Orphan, Shen is abandoned with only 66 little pugs for company and is taken in by Sika and her family. Sika and Shen enter the Race to the Top of the World, using pugs instead of huskies to pull their sled. A funny, action packed, snowy story with great illustrations.

pugs of the

Fiction Age 9 to 12

10/ Once Upon a Place

Edited by Eoin Colfer, Illustrated by P J Lynch    Little Island Books

A handsome hardback collection featuring original short stories and poems from Irish writers, illustrated by the award-winning illustrator, PJ Lynch. I’m proud to have a story in the mix, which sits beside pieces by Roddy Doyle, Siobhan Parkinson and Derek Landy.

once upon a time

11/ Darkmouth: Worlds Explode

by Shane Hegarty    HarperCollins

Witty fantasy adventure aimed at a youngish readership (age 8+). Set in the mist-swirling town of Darkmouth, the last Blighted Village in Ireland plagued by Legends, mythical man-eating monsters, this book sees twelve-year-old Finn trying to save his father, Hugo who is trapped on ‘the Infected Side’. This is book 2 in the series.

darkmouth 2

12/ Grandad’s Great Escape

by David Walliams    Harpercollins

Grandpa’s Great Escape takes place in 1983, ‘a time before the internet and mobile phones and computer games.’ Jack is twelve years old and adores his grandpa, a fighter pilot in World War II and now an old man.

Grandpa believes it’s 1940 and he’s still in the RAF. When Grandpa cuts food up and shares it out because of ‘rationing’, Jack thinks it’s charming. When Grandpa hurtles down a supermarket aisle in a shopping trolley, hurling bags of flour ‘bombs’ into the air, Jack thinks it’s hilarious. But Jack’s parents don’t find Grandpa’s dementia so funny and when the elderly man climbs the church spire and almost kills himself, the vicar suggests Twilight Towers, a home for ‘unwanted old folk’. But Grandpa is determined to escape.

grampas great

13/ Illustrated Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J K Rowling, illustrated by Jim Kay

Bloomsbury (UK)

Every house needs this book – stunning artwork. Makes the book a pleasure to read aloud to a new generation of Potter fans.

harry potter illustrated

Fiction Age 12+

14/ The Truth About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin    Macmillan

Honest, compelling book about a girl coping with the death of her best friend. Beautifully written and heart felt. I’m just reading this at present (it’s just out) – will finish it this weekend – but it’s stunning and def one of my books of the year. Age 11+

jellyfish 3

15/ One  Age 14+

by Sarah Crossan    Bloomsbury

Novel in verse about 16 year old conjoined twins, Grace and Tippi. They are beautifully drawn characters and in a short space of time you grow to love and care about them. It’s a brave, compelling, unusual book that deserves to be read.

one cover

16/ The Butterfly Shell Age 13/14+

by Maureen White    O’Brien Press

Gritty Irish teen novel about bullying, self-harm and resilience, lyrically written. Nice piece of publishing by an important Irish children’s publisher.

butterfly shell

17/ Demon Road  Age 13/14+

by Derek Landy    Harpercollins

Derek is an international bestseller. Book 1 in his new horror series with an arresting opening line: ‘Twelve hours before Amber Lamont’s parents tried to kill her, she was sitting between them in the principal’s office…’

demon road

Young Adult/ Age 15/16+

18/ I’ll Give You the Sun

by Jandy Nelson    Walker Books

Wonderfully immersive read about twins Noah and Jude and how they manage to piece their lives together after the death of their mother. Beautifully written and highly original – it uses art/sculpture as a theme to talk about emotion and the creative process.

ill give you the sun

19/ Asking for It WINNER OF THE IRISH BOOK AWARDS SENIOR CHILDREN'S CATEGORY

by Louise O’Neill    Quercus

One of the most talked about books of the year. For older teens and adults due to its subject (gang rape and consent). O’Neill’s main character, Emma O’Donovan is the Queen Bee of Ballinatoom. Her closest friends may be rich and privileged but Emma is the most popular and she knows it. But all that is about to change. An arresting, unflinching and deeply disturbing look at sexual consent and how society treats rape victims, it’s an important book in both an Irish and an international context. Jeanette Winterson says O’Neill ‘writes with a scalpel’ and she’s right. O’Neill is the strongest contender to win the Senior Award.

asking for it cover

20/ The Rest of Us Just Live Here

by Patrick Ness    Walker Books

The premise – what does it mean to be the ‘other guy/girl’ – not the hero or heroine, just a teenager trying to get on with his or her life. Clever coming of age story by a giant of contemporary YA.

the rest of us

Gen Z + Other Stories: What I Learned at the Children’s Con

On Monday I attended the Bookseller magazine Children’s Conference in the Barbicon, London and here is what I found out. I hope you find it interesting and/or useful.

1/ Underestimate Digital Brands at Your Peril

16% of book sales come from digital brands – Minecraft, Zoella etc

55% come from ‘traditional’ books – Harry Potter (before the movies), Jacqueline Wilson etc

14% come from tv brands

8% from film brands

7% from toy brands

(Stats from Egmont’s Cally Poplak based on Egmont’s extensive consumer research in the UK)

For many children books based on digital/tv/movies/toy brands are a way into books and reading. Most parents are happy that their children are reading at all.

All reading is to be encouraged I say!

2/ Children Have a Passion for Print

The Egmont research proves that 75% of children prefer print

I can’t tell you how excited I was to hear this. From talking to hundreds of children in schools all across Ireland I was convinced that this was the case and it was brilliant to hear that this is indeed the case in the UK.

3/ Heritage Brands are Big Business

Walker Books increased the sales of Guess How Much I Love You threefold in 2015, the 20th anniversary of Antrim man, Sam McBratney’s outstanding picture book, illustrated by Anita Jeram.

Last year they doubled sales of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury.

Irish publishers should be celebrating anniversaries too – 10 years of Alice and Megan, 10 years of Artemis Fowl etc.

 3/ All Brands are Big Business

24% of book sales come from the top 20 children’s brands – Minecraft, Lego, Peppa Pig, Frozen etc

Books give voice to a brand and bring characters to life.

 4/ Information Books are on the Rise

Wide-Eyed Editions and Nosy Crow both talked about their excitement about the non-fiction market.

Wide-Eyed are all about Wonder, Discovery and Innovation – and aim to produce books that capture all three.

a/ They talked about books being immersive, tactile reading devices.

b/ They said ‘books aid mental navigation and memory retention.’  Even the spine helps a child navigate through a book – they described them as ‘mini steps through a landscape’.

c/ They said books build concentration and encourage critical thinking.

d/ Reading print discourages children to do other things (unlike reading on a tablet).

e/ Books knit families together – with shared experiences.

As you can imagine, as a print lover, I adored all this positive print-ness.

tell me and i'll forget

They also talked about involving a child in a book – using the Chinese proverb here:

 6/ Children’s Sales are On the Up and Up

There was a 8.9% growth in children’s sales in 2015 in the UK.

Children’s books are a whopping 27.8% of the UK book market.

Julia Donaldson has sold 1.2 million books to date this year – she is a consistent bestseller and not to be underestimated.

David Walliams is the biggest author in the UK at the moment (after Julia Donaldson)

 7/ German Readers Love Fantasy and Horses

There was a most interesting talk on trends around the world from Rights Manager,  Clementine Gaisman. She said German publishers are very keen on:

a/ Middle Grade (age 8/9 to 12)

b/ Fantasy adventure – Derek Landy and Eoin Colfer were both mentioned

c/ Love stories

But they do not like steam punk apparently!

Brazil is an emerging market and they like:

a/ YA books –they love John Green (who doesn’t?)

geek girl

Scout Helen Boyle said contemporary books (family/friendship dramas) are still strong but need a hook. Like Geek Girl.

She said ‘Good quality storytelling and distinctive voices are always of interest.’

According to Helen, publishers are also looking for:

a/ Magical realism – mermaids etc – middle grade

b/ Adventure with fantasy – Eoin Colfer and Derek Landy

c/ Books with horses in them (esp Germany)

 8/ Bookshops in Schools - Why Not?

Tamara MacFarlane from Tales on Moon Lane Bookshop talked about her new project – a bookshop in a school. I found this most interesting and a very exciting idea.

 9/ Snapchat is Growing Fast

Facebook is for ‘old people’ apparently, according to children and teens. (I love Facebook!)

You Tube is also growing fast and that’s where many readers go to look for book recommendations and information.

It was suggested that writers and people in the book trade should take their books where ‘teens are’ – ie You Tube.

 10/ Generation Z Loves Stories and Books

Generation Z were born between 1995 and 2000 and will drive change according to Emma Worello of Pineapple Lounge – a very savvy and well spoken young lady who has made it her business to talk to teens and young adults for years, finding out how they see the world.

She said ‘Stories are fundamental to Gen Z lifestyles’ and it’s how they engage with the world. They are fans, they follow things. And they love cool formats – collectable books – and the idea of family story hubs and family time with a home library. This is excellent news. When Gen Z become parents, they will definitely build wonderful libraries for their children, full of amazing books!

Lots of great, great news for writers, booksellers and publishers – books are here to stay and long live print!

Yours in books,

Sarah + songbird2

Sarah Webb XXX

Review of The Boy at the Top of the Mountain by John Boyne

John Boyne

John Boyne is one of Ireland’s most versatile, prolific and hard working writers. His latest novel for adults, A History of Loneliness which examines child abuse in the Catholic Church was widely praised for its candour, and he recently published Beneath the Fire, a collection of short stories, again for adults. Add to the mix his new children’s book, The Boy at the Top of the Mountain and we begin to wonder if there are in fact two John Boynes.

Boyne became an international name after the publication of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, which has won countless awards and was also made into a successful movie. Set in Auschwitz, it’s the story of nine year old Bruno, the son of a German officer and his burgeoning friendship with Shmuel, a boy literally from the other side of the fence.

boy at the top

The same German officer and his family also appear briefly in The Boy at the Top of the Mountain. Set once again during World War II, the hero (or anti-hero) of Boyne’s new book is Pierrot, a young boy living in Paris with a French mother and a (deceased) German father. His best friend is Ansel, a young Jewish boy with a gift for writing. When his mother dies, after a short spell in an orphanage, Pierrot is sent to live with his aunt, a housekeeper at the Berghof, Hitler’s infamous mountain-top residence in the Bavarian Alps.

Pierrot, now renamed Pieter by his aunt to keep him safe, becomes obsessed by Hitler who takes him under his wing and, twisted by the man’s philosophies and impressed by his power, the once sweet, innocent boy learns to hate. Pierrot’s rapid transformation from kind eight year old to cruel Hitlerjugend, happy to betray all those close to him, is chilling.

Boyne ends the novel in a poignant, hopeful manner but it does not dispel the sense of darkness that hangs over the reader. But as this is a book about warped egos, evil and manipulation could it be any other way? This powerful, unsettling novel is a must read for older children (11+) and adults.

Sarah Webb’s latest book for children is Sunny Days and Mooncakes (Walker Books).

Writing Tips - Getting it Right - the Importance of Research

My New Book

My new book, Sunny Days and Moon Cakes is out next week – exciting. It was great fun to write and even more fun to research. Sunny, the main character in the book, has a condition called selective mutism which means she finds it difficult to speak. In order to write her story I needed to do a lot of research. I was lucky to meet a mum early on who has daughters with the condition and she was really helpful, reading my manuscript and talking to me about her daughters’ lives. She was really kind to share her family's stories with me.

Research Tip No. 1:

Nothing beats talking someone with specialist or personal knowledge of a subject.

I also watched a lot of documentaries about selective mutism and read academic books. An expert in the field, a UK speech therapist called Maggie Johnson was also a great help. I read her wonderfully clear and well written book on the topic and also emailed her. It’s amazing how kind people are if you ask them for help with research.

Research Tip No.2:

Ask for help. Don't be afraid to go to the top. People who are fascinated by their work and love their subject are generally delighted to talk about their work.

In the book, Sunny's little sister, Min has a terrible accident and has to be airlifted to hospital in a helicopter. Now, I've never been airlifted, thank goodness, so I had to do more research. I wrote to the Irish Coast Guard at Waterford and they arranged for me to fly in their rescue helicopter with my daughter, Amy. It was a remarkable experience and made the cliff rescue scene in the book truly come alive.

Research Tip No.3:

Never say never.

Never think 'I'll never find someone to take me up in a helicopter/out on a super yacht/meet a lion'. Ask around - you'll be surprised how willing other people are to help you track someone useful down. My contact in the Irish Coast Guards came from an old school friend who is now a fireman. I put a call out on Facebook and he stepped in to help connect us.

I'm working on book three in the series now and it's all about dolphins and sea mammals. That has been a lot of fun to research too. I can't wait to share all my newly found animal knowledge with young readers. This photo of a Humpback Whale breaching was taken by Simon Duggan, an old school friend of mine who lives in West Cork - isn't it brilliant? My research is throwing up all sorts of ideas for this and future books.

A Humpback Whale

Research Tip No.4:

Research can play an important part in the writing process.

It can trigger plot ideas and inform your knowledge or feel for a character. If your book is set in the past, research is a vital part of the process. The adult novel I am working on at present is set in the 1930s and I found reading novels set in this period particularly helpful, as well as newspapers and magazines from the time.

Research Tip No.5:

Don't let the research slow down or stop your writing.

It's important to get your book finished. So no matter how interesting the research is, you must know when to stop. If you've started coming across facts you already know it's time to get back to the writing. You can always go back and check details after you've finished your first draft.

Yours in writing,

Sarah XXX

A version of this blog first appeared on Girls Heart Books.

Short Teachers' Notes for Mollie Cinnamon

The Songbird Cafe: Mollie Cinnamon is Not a Cupcake – Teachers’ Notes

Sarah + songbird2

1/ Book Covers and Titles

They say you should never judge a book by its cover. But what about its title? Do you like this book’s title: Mollie Cinnamon is Not a Cupcake? Can you say why/ why not?

Have a look around the nearest bookshelves. What do you think of the titles?

With a friend, think of amusing and/ or unusual titles for some of the real books or make some up eg How Cheese and Crackers Brought About My Downfall, or The Many Vicissitudes of Apollyon O’Shaughnessy.

You might choose your favourite and design a book jacket that would reflect your title.

2/ Wildlife and Swimming Safety

Click is the name of the dolphin living in Dolphin Bay and Mollie is excited to see him as she has never seen a real-life dolphin before. Many people love to swim with dolphins – but dolphins are wild animals and there are safety implications that must be evaluated and assessed before we jump into the water with a dolphin.

Discuss the risks/ possible dangers and the best way of dealing with a situation where your friend might want to get in and swim (with or without a dolphin) in an unsupervised area. What could you say or do to persuade your friend to make a good decision? What might you do if your friend made a decision that might lead them in to danger?

3/ Superstitions and Making Wishes

In the book, Granny Ellen is very superstitious, always saluting single magpies to ward off bad luck. She avoids walking under ladders and stepping on cracks in the pavement and picks up pins and “lucky pennies” all the time.

She also makes wishes on all kinds of things: shooting stars, rainbows, engagement rings. Many people make a wish as they stir a Christmas pudding, or when they eat the first new potato of the year though it is best not to expect too much from wishes as you might well be disappointed! Some religions frown on making wishes /practising superstitions – can you think why?

Make a list of other occasions that might cause Granny Ellen to make a wish/ and/or make a list of other superstitions commonly practised by people today.

Your wish: Take a day to think about something you really wish for. You might write it in your secret diary, or on a slip of paper that you could roll or fold and hide in a safe place. Or you might type and then print your wish in class, and when everyone has done this, you could create a collage of wishes, or hang them on a branch of a tree and create a wishing tree.

4/ Selective Mutism and Anxiety

Sunny is a very talented artist and draws little cartoons to explain herself when she doesn’t feel able to speak. Her anxiety and extreme shyness has probably helped to bring about her selective mutism. Can you do some research on this disorder and write a few lines of Sunny’s diary, explaining how she felt on first meeting Mollie in chapter 4. Or you could take a leaf out of Sunny’s book and describe the meeting in a cartoon strip.

5/ A New Place to Live

Have you ever been away from your family for a long period? Can you imagine what it would feel like to leave your home even for a month? Draw a large heart on an A4 page. Draw a line down the middle to split the heart in two. On one side, write a list of all the things you’d miss about your home if you had to leave. On the other, write a list of the ten things you’d most like to take with you. As you work, think about the choices that migrant or refugee children have to make when they are forced to leave their homes, perhaps for ever.

6/ Little Bird Island

Little Bird is a small island off the coast of Ireland and Mollie thinks there it’s boring, boring, boring, with nothing to do and nothing to see, except maybe some tractor-spotting. As you read, make a note of all the attractions on the island, and design a brochure to encourage tourists to visit. And/or choose some part of the Wild Atlantic Way and design a brochure that Fáilte Ireland might use to attract more visitors to our western coast.

7/ Your View on School Uniforms

The school uniform Nan finds for Mollie (chapter 6) is scratchy and beetroot-coloured  and Mollie isn’t used to wearing a full uniform. What is your opinion of school uniforms? You might do a survey on the opinion of your class/ school and/or have a class debate to tease out the advantages and disadvantages of being dressed exactly like all your fellow pupils. You could address your findings to the Students’ Union/Council and/or the Board of Management of your school.

8/ Red Moll and Granuaile

Red Moll is a fictional character, but is inspired by Gráinne Ní Mháille or Granuaile, the warrior chieftain who ruled the seas and large areas of land around Co Mayo in the sixteenth century. With a large army and a fleet of ships, this unconventional woman lived by trading and raiding, and her captains demanded payment for safe passage from all who sailed her waters around Clew Bay off the west coast of Ireland. In your group, read more about the ‘Pirate Queen’ and write five of the facts you find most interesting about her life and times. Share these with the class.

9/ Old Films

Nan and Mollie watch old films together. What movies would you watch with your grandparents/elderly relative? Draw a large tub/container with popped corn coming out the top. In the ‘tub’, describe your perfect afternoon at the movies, and in the ‘corn’ name the films you’d most love to watch with some older people.

10/ Making Friends

What has Mollie learned about making (and losing) friends in this book? Do you have any qualities that you feel are Friend-Makers or Friend-Breakers? Think carefully about the qualities you feel are non-negotiable/ absolutely necessary in a friend, and also about those things that are ‘friend-breakers’ eg bullying behaviour, disloyalty.

Wanted: a friend for me. You have just placed an ad in a local paper to find yourself a friend. What qualities would you want this friend to have? What type of person would suit you best? Write a brief description, stating types of things you like to do with your friends. Before you start, try to think how classmates see you, why your friends like you – make a list of words you think describe you and what your friends think of you.

Design Your Own Cupcake

If you were sponsoring the Songbird Café, what dish or cake would you like Alanna to dedicate to you? Help her out, design your own cupcake: What does it look like? What do you call it? Can you draw it and maybe post it to the school site /noticeboard? If each person in your class designed their own cupcake you could make a very colourful display for the entrance hall.

Write to Sarah

Sarah loves hearing from her readers. Your class can drop her a line – sarah@sarahwebb.ie

For more detailed teachers' notes, with activities for every chapter see here.

Songbird map (1)

How to Attract a Top Children's Literary Agent

Chatting to Judi Curtin at the West Cork Literary Festival

I'm at the West Cork Literary Festival this week, teaching a workshop for adults - Writing for Children - and talking to children. At festivals I always make the time to listen to other writers read and also to attend a masterclass or talk about something that interests me.

On Monday I listened to Julia Churchill speak and I was very taken with her honest, direct and open manner. She talked about her role as an agent and what she's looking for in a new writer. She spoke real sense and is a gifted communicator. I took lots of notes so that I could share her words of wisdom with you.

Julia Churchill

Julia is a children's agent at AM Heath after cutting her literary teeth at Darley Anderson, where she was one of the first readers to discover Cathy Cassidy in the slush pile. She says Cathy's manuscript made her cry and was one of the few manuscripts (along with Sarah Lean's) that needed little or no work before being sent out to editors at publishing houses.

This is how Julia sees her job:

- to spot talent

- to develop talent

- to sell her clients' books

- to create a career for her writers.

It's refreshing that Julia puts so much emphasis on building a career for her writers and not just selling rights. I listened to another agent speak recently and she talked largely about selling rights and not about helping her writers.

Her core 'day job' is taking care of the authors on her books. However 95% of her writers come from unsolicited manuscripts so she reads submissions in the evenings and at weekends.

First she has a quick look at the submissions and sees if there is anything really exciting in there that she needs to act on immediately, before other agents pounce on it. She wants to be the first person on the phone to this kind of author. I was impressed by her competitive nature - this is the kind of agent I'd want representing me - quick, smart and ready for action! If my own agent wasn't such a superwoman, Julia would definitely be on my list.

She said all submissions get read - which is heartening for debut writers. She reads 'Until a point that I want to stop reading' but did point out that this may be at the (bad) covering letter.

She wants 'a voice that transports me'.

She said 'most debuts will need work'. The most common problems are: too much going on - strip out anything that isn't needed.

The market is tough at the moment she explained. There are more agents than ever before, more books out on submission and less books being published. Writers have to appeal to the marketing and sales team as well as editors.

In 2014 A M Heath took on 4 new writers but new agents will take on more writers.

Julia deals with a core group of 25 editors in the various children's publishers. An important part of her job is contracts and getting the best deal for her writers.

How To Find an Agent

Julia explained that this is a marketing job. Finish your book and make it as strong as you can. There are approx 40 children's agencies - look at the Writers and Artists' Yearbook for details - the most up to date one. Find each agency's submission details and follow them. Be professional from the start. Submit to 7/8 agents and take your time. Act on any feedback you get, rewriting your manuscript.

She says the secret of a good covering letter is simplicity and a good book pitch (the paragraph about your book). You can follow up (your submission) politely after 2/3 months.

Do not follow trends - you will be launching into an overcrowded marketplace. A book can take up to 2 years to get to market, the trend may already be over.

What Julia is Looking for in a Book:

- concept

- character

- setting

- theme

- story

- voice

A book has to work on all these different levels. A book also needs high stakes - the reader needs to care about the characters.

water

She said 'Publishers can be heroic. They can take risks.' She cited Sarah Crossan's The Weight of Water as an example of this, a book in verse that went on to win many awards. 'If a book is fabulous, it will sell,' she said. 

Chatting to Judi Curtin at the West Cork Literary Festival

If you are looking for a strong, wise children's agent it would be worth seeking her out.

Yours in writing,

Sarah XXX

Writers: How to Pitch Yourself to Book Festivals by Sarah Webb

These notes were prepared for the International Literature Festival Dublin’s Mindshift Event: The Connected Writer – Getting the Gig, Doing It Well in association with the Irish Writers Centre and Words Ireland The panel for that event were: Sarah Webb, Family and Schools’ Curator, Mountains to Sea dlr Book Festival,

 Keith Acheson,

 Belfast Book Festival and Martin Colthorpe, International Literature Festival, Dublin

All notes by Sarah Webb with thanks to the contributors who provided information and quotes.

Schedule of Programming

Most book festivals start programming six months to a year in advance. For example, the Mountains to Sea dlr Book Festival (I am the Children's Curator of the festival) takes place in March and programming closes towards the end of the previous year (mid December). Key names would be in place 8 to 10 months in advance for the children’s programme: ie Francesca Simon, David Almond.

Francesca Simon

If you are thinking about approaching a festival (and more on how to do this in a moment), make sure you don’t leave it too late. I would suggest at least 4 months in advance. See below for details of when to pitch to other Irish literary festivals.

Martin from ILFD suggests you pitch at least 4/5 months ahead and Keith fro the Belfast Book Festival agrees.

Both say you can pitch directly to them via email with a well written proposal detailing your event idea.

Martin says roughly 20% of his events came from pitches (the others are commissioned or come via publishers). Keith says around 40% of his events come from pitches. For the Mountains to Sea dlr Book Festival, roughly 20% come from pitches.

They both suggest that writers should say if they are happy to be included on a panel.

We all agree that it’s important for writers to be seen at festivals, supporting festivals as an audience member. I suggest volunteering at a festival to get an idea of how a festival is run and what festivals are looking for from writers.

Anniversaries are very important. All festivals are looking to celebrate anniversaries. 150 years of Alice in Wonderland is a good example.

The average fee for a writer appearing at an Irish book/arts festival is from e150 to e300 depending on the venue. For the Belfast Book Festival it’s £200 to £250.

What I’m Looking For (Children’s Events)

1/ International names who will attract a large audience and fill a theatre (300+ seats) eg Francesca Simon, Derek Landy, Eoin Colfer, Michael Grant, Julia Donaldson, Philip Ardagh (2016).

2/ Strong, award-winning names for individual events and panels – especially writers who have written outstanding books (anything from 120 seats to 300+ seats depending on the artist) eg David Almond, Meg Rosoff, Patrick Ness. This year we had new writers Shane Hegarty and Holly Smale along with Derek Landy in the Pavilion.

3/ Writers who are excellent at performing for school audiences and who have a strong body of work behind them. Experience is key for school events in a theatre (or in any venue). Ex-actors are particularly good. Eg Guy Bass, Steve Cole, Niamh Sharkey, Marita Conlon McKenna, Oisin McGann, Judi Curtin.

4/ Exceptional storytellers and spoken word poets eg Dave Rudden and Grainne Clear.

5/ Exceptional workshop leaders eg Dave Lordan, Celine Kiernan, Niamh Sharkey, Claire Hennessy, Sarah Crossan. The best ones engage 100% with the young writers/illustrators and bring something unique to their workshops.

6/ Exceptional new/newish writers for panel events featuring emerging voices – eg Louise O’Neill, Phil Earle (2016), Dave Rudden (for 2016). I am lucky to be sent early proofs which I read eagerly. If you have written a brilliant, original and exciting book you have a good chance of being invited to a book festival.

7/ Exceptional picture book makers to give talks/workshops to children and also masterclasses to adults eg Yasmeen Ismail, Oliver Jeffers, Chris Judge, Chris Haughton, Niamh Sharkey, Steve Simpson, Sarah McIntyre.

Sarah McIntyre and Philip Reeve

8/ Unusual and original book related events. Esp non-fiction events in fact – history, natural history, science, maths. Come up with a unique and inspiring event and practice, practice, practice.

9/ Artists who are willing to work hard and go the extra mile. Artists who will muck in. Artists who offer to fill in for other artists when there’s a last minute illness or delay. Artists who are fun to work with and above all, professional.

10/ Strong local talent – writers, poets, storytellers, illustrators, picture book makers and more. Experienced and debut writers alike eg children’s poet, Lucinda Jacob.

I’m a Self-Published Writer, Can I Apply to Appear at a Festival?

The Mountains to Sea dlr Book Festival is a curated festival. This means the curators select the artists. Yes, you can apply to appear, if you think you can offer something original and exceptional (and your book is professionally produced and an excellent read – children deserve the best literature we can give them). But please note that very few artists who apply directly are selected; most artists are invited. This goes for all writers, not just self-published writers.

What I’d Love to See More Of

1/ Non-fiction events – science, natural history, history (think 1916 for next year for eg – not 1 writer has offered me an innovative 1916 event yet). If your book is fiction, you can still offer a festival a non-fiction event. I have put together an event called ‘Talk Like a Dolphin, Sing Like a Whale’ for festivals/schools – based on whale and dolphin communication (my latest series for children is set on a small island).

2/ Innovative workshops – offer me something different and put time and passion into developing your idea. Again, you need experience. Offer to present your workshop at a local school. Ask the students and teachers for feedback.

For eg I have created a Book of Kells workshop for Hay Festival in Kells, with real vellum and swan quills; a Jane Austen workshop for mothers and daughters; and I’m now presenting a ‘Create Your Own Fantasy Island’ workshop for festivals. Be inventive!

3/ Innovative pairings – dancers, musicians, artists, puppeteers, other writers. For eg this year I have teamed up with Judi Curtin and we are talking about our friendship at all the major festivals. It’s our ‘Friendship Tour’. Previously we have toured with Oisin McGann (The Ideas Shop) and Sophia Bennett (Your Wildest Dreams Tour). Team up with someone interesting and put together a cracking event. It’s a lot of fun!

Me and Judi Curtin (by Sarah McIntyre)

4/ Events for children with special needs. This year I put together a How to Catch a Star workshop with Deirdre Sullivan for children on the autistic spectrum based on Oliver Jeffers’ book.

How to Apply to a Book Festival

1/ It’s best to apply thorough your publisher. Tell your publisher you are interested in appearing at X festival and ask them for their opinion. They will either a/ say yes, great idea or b/ suggest you might need a little more experience. If their answer is b – go off and get that experience and go back to them.

2/ Be a festival supporter - it’s important to attend and support festivals if you’d like to appear at them. You also learn a lot by watching and listening to other artists doing events. Take a notebook along and jot down things that work and things that don’t work.

3/ Make a demo video of yourself in action and upload it to You Tube. Nothing fancy – you can take it on your phone. Let programmers see you in action.

4/ If you don’t have a publisher or they don’t have the staff to contact festivals on your behalf, you can apply yourself. Email the children’s curator/programmer - outlining your book, the events you’ve done previously and what you can offer them: workshops, events etc.

It is vital to have a professional photo to send festivals for their brochure. It must be high res, clear and should show something of your personality. Ask someone to come along to one of your events and take an in-action photo if possible.

Oliver Jeffers

The blurb for your event and your biog should be short, well written and relevant. I rarely get sent interesting titles for events – be the one who sends me something unusual and clever!

If the programmer says no, do not hound them under any circumstances. That is not going to make them change their mind. They may simply not have a slot for you that year, but do try again the following year.

Tips for Events

If You Have No Experience – Go and Get Some.

Prepare an event and deliver it (free) in creches, schools, libraries. Anywhere that will have you. Make your mistakes early and learn from them. Ask an experienced writer if you can shadow them and watch them in action.

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 for age 9+. Add 1 or 2 x 5 min readings within or after the talk (never more) + 10/15 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. You are there to entertain and inspire the audience, not to sell your book (although if they like your event, this is often a much appreciated by product!).

Sinead Connolly, from the ILFD puts it beautifully when she says: ‘Festivals, I feel , are not a vehicle to sell books ( though of course that will be and should be facilitated), but rather are an opportunity to engage with an audience/potential or existing readership in a very immediate way.’

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).

Growth Areas

Events for the under 7s (Aoife Murray from Children’s Books Ireland also sees this as a big growth area for the events she programmes)

Family events that the parents will enjoy as much as the children – eg the CBI Monster Doodles, innovative storytelling, book-related puppet shows

Events that combine yoga/fitness with books; music with books; dance with books (see ILFD notes below for more on this)

Events for children on the autistic spectrum

Drama workshops for children; screen writing workshops for children; animation workshops for children – also the same for teens.

How to Approach Other Festivals and What They Are Looking For

Writers’ Week, Listowel

We would love any writers to contact us either through their publisher or directly themselves, but we would like a brief biog about themselves and their writing included.

The events that we are looking for are fun, interactive events, and creative writing workshops.

Aoife Murray, Children’s Books Ireland

How to approach a festival: For me I don’t mind if it’s via agent/publisher or on your own bat as long as the contact is respectful, informative and useful to my purposes eg: I want to know what age you do events for, what type of events you prefer and how much you want to charge. I feel it’s essential to research the festival to see if you suit it, otherwise you are banging on a closed door and it’s important to remember that the programmer has a vision and if you don’t fit it, that’s unfortunately just how it is on this occasion.

Events we’re looking for: Something more than the standard reading and signing, as this doesn’t generally work for younger audiences. In demand at the moment are events for 0-2 and 5-8.

Sinead Connolly, International Literary Festival Dublin

How to approach: Sinead welcomes approaches from authors, but says it can be easier to talk via a publisher initially to sort out the practicalities.

She is looking for:

1. One/two person events with key authors

2. Panels of authors and others on a particular theme

3. Outdoor events that engage families (see their 2015 festival brochure for some excellent outdoor family events)

4. Newly commissioned work that can imaginatively engage with a wider public conceptually

5. Sectorial events aimed at programmers, education, library, publishing etc.

And she notes that strong author photographs are very important for the festival website and brochure.

Vanessa O’Loughlin, Waterford Writers’ Festival

I prefer direct approach (less links in the chain, less likely to go wrong), always looking for original innovative events that are more about entertainment than just about books. With kids events I like to get an element of the educational in there so it's a learning experience as well, however subliminal.

Eimear O’Herlihy, West Cork Literary Festival

I am very happy to hear directly from authors or from their publishers. An initial pitch by email is best and this can be sent to the WCLF festival office. We'd need a pitch 8 months to a year in advance of the festival - esp for the workshops. Our festival's in July - our workshop programme goes out in December and the full programme in April.

The more detail that the writer can give me in the pitch email the better. I would like a synopsis of the book, the ideal age range for the book, whether the book is of most interest to boys or girls or of equal interest to both - please be honest about age and gender suitability as we all want the event to be attended by the right audience who will really enjoy it. Details of the type of events that the author has done in the past - or new events that the writer thinks would work - would also be welcome as they know their target audience better than I ever could. I would also like to see a copy of the book and I much prefer a hard copy - I appreciate that this can be expensive but in many instances the publicist should be able to send it on and I will of course look at an electronic copy if necessary.

For WCLF I am looking for a wide variety of events across all age groups and for both boys and girls. I am particularly open to events that are non-gender specific. My budget and number of programming slots are both limited so if I don't select an event it may simply be because I already have an event for "boys 7-9" and writers should feel free to re-pitch in subsequent years.

Sian Smyth, Director, Dalkey Book Festival

Sian suggests applying by email to the festival website. She says a press release is ideal as it will outline the book / genre / area of interest . It is also a good idea to offer to post a copy of the book and if this offer is accepted, to send it promptly.

She likes to see a video clip of the writer speaking if possible. The best time to apply for her next festival (June 2016) is December 2015 to February 2016.

Sian likes strong writing. She says ‘We look for new writing as well as well-known, established writers. If a writer is unheard of we often work to put them with someone better known to give them a new audience and of course the audience (hopefully) an unexpected pleasure.’

Bert Wright, Primary Curator, Mountains to Sea dlr Book Festival

There are so many Irish literary festivals now that I always feel the need to develop a distinct identity for Mountains to Sea. We're fortunate in having so many writers living locally and to have the traditions of Joyce, Beckett and Flann O'Brien relevant to the area so that helps. In the past we've been fiction-dominant but non-fiction draws in more general readers so we're planning more biography, memoir, politics and history where possible.

I'm conscious of the trap whereby your festival becomes shaped by touring UK or US authors with new books. These have their place but they can breed complacency and it's good to generate your own event ideas and then source relevant authors to the theme. We like to add a theatrical or musical dimension to the programme also and these have proved popular. It's all about good ideas, well executed. We get loads of proposals for events and are always willing to entertain suggestions but you're looking for things you think will work, things that will appeal to your core audience.

Picture Books: To Rhyme or Not to Rhyme?

Some of My Picture Book Collection

I was doing some intense thinking about picture books last night. My writing class asked me why I'm not keen on rhyming picture books and I didn't have a coherent answer for them. But I do now!

When I got home I read dozens of rhyming and non rhyming pictures books. Every month I am sent review copies of all the new titles (and proofs or early reading copies) by the various Irish and UK publishers, and I read ALL the picture books and as many of the novels as I can. So I get a great overview of what's going on in the world of children's books. (Aside - when I was the children's book buyer at Waterstone's and then Eason's I saw the covers and titles of up to 8k children's books a year. Booksellers are a font of knowledge when it comes to children's books, trends, titles, covers etc. I'm proud to say I still work with booksellers, as a consultant with Dubray Books.)

So what conclusion did I come to after my late night read? A large number of rhyming picture books are all about concept (love, ABC, 123, colour) and it's hard to get emotion and conflict into even the best of them.Yes, yes I know Julia Donaldson manages to pack her books with emotion (and others do too - Madeline, Millions of Cats, Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes etc) but she is one in a million. Non-rhyming picture books are all about story, character and emotion.

Spread from Owl Babies

monster mamma

I like books that squeeze my heart, books full of emotion and power. Owl Babies, Where the Wild Things Are, Lost and Found, The Heart and the Bottle, Monster Mama (see below for details).

I hate insipid, badly rhyming picture books about loving your mummy (who is also a teddy dressed in human clothing). Managing to make the last words on each line rhyme does not magically turn a writer into a poet. The whole line has to sing.

And for the record here are my all time top 10 favourite picture books (not the best books, or the ones that have won the most awards, the ones I love the most). Books I could not live without:

1/ Where the Wild Things Are - Maurice Sendak

Is there a better picture book?

2/ Owl Babies by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Patrick Benson

Love it - and it has my name in it!

3/ Lost and Found - Oliver Jeffers

Oliver Jeffers

Oliver is exceptional. One of the greatest picture book talents Ireland has ever produced.

4/ Busy Busy World - Richard Scarry

My childhood is embedded in this book.

5/ The Elephant and the Bad Baby by Elfrida Vipont, illustrated by Raymond Briggs

Loved it as a child, love it now.

6/ The Red Tree -  Shaun Tan

From The Red Tree

The illustrations make me shiver, they're so good. I also love Rules of Summer. All his work in fact.

7/ Monster Mama by Liz Rosenberg, illustrated by Stephen Gammell

Incredible book about a mother and her son, bullying and the power of love.

8/ Alfie Gets in First - Shirley Hughes

Best writer for toddlers ever. Her domestic scenes sing with love.

9/ Peter's Chair - Ezra Jack Keats

Exceptional picture book from 1967 about sibling rivalry. I was read it first when my sister was born and it's stayed with me all that time.

10/ Fighting it out for the last slot - I can't choose. There so many amazing picture book makers. Jon Klassen is my pick for today. I Want My Hat Back. But I also adore Dr Suess (who doesn't?), although may of his books are more illustrated books than picture books (maybe Richard Scarry's too?). A topic for another day. And for pure illustration, Lizbeth Zwerger all the way. Journey by Aaron Becker is pretty special too (wordless picture book). So many pretty books ...

A Spread from Journey

Better get back to the writing! I'll leave you with this: award winning picture book maker, Marie Louise Fitzpatrick talking a lot of sense about picture books that rhyme:

Yours in writing,

Sarah XXX