Fallen Star Stories

The teen and YA books can be difficult to chose. But here are some of my choices for these books from the enormous number of great books for older readers (and by 'older readers, I'm referring to 11years+) this year. (Okay, there is a lot of discussion about what constitutes YA fiction and where you draw that line. Let's not discuss that at this time. I'm just going to say that, for our purposes here, YA books begin at age 14...depending on the reader.) One of the best additions to this group came later this year with Sheena Wilkinsons' wonderful historical novel, Star By Star. Taking place in 1918, this book covers the end of World War 1, the flu pandemic sweeping the world and, most significantly the moment when women first had been given the right to vote. Though not lengthy, it has a great impact on the reader and is fascinating and inspirational. Another high impact novel for 12+ is A Dangerous Crossing by Jane Mitchell. This is the extremely realistic and...

A week ago, I had the pleasure of being on Galway Bay FM radios' The Arts Show with Vinny Brown. Vinny (from Charlie Byrnes Bookshop, as well as the shows' host), Des Kenny (from the world-famous Kenny's Bookshop) and I spent the hour talking our 'best books' of the season and year...and we could have gone on for another hour! Now, I thought I'd share my kids highlights from the show, as well as a few others I didn't get to say much about. Books are frequently left to the last minute when buying seasonal gifts, so perhaps this will help. The first book I talked about is a beautiful book for everyone, young or old. The Lost Words written by Robert MacFarlane with extraordinary illustrations by Jackie Morris was written as a response to the removal of a number of words from the Oxford Childrens' Dictionary. It was claimed these words from the natural world no longer had relevance in childrens' lives.MacFarlanes' response is a series of poems ...

Phew! It's been a busy, busy season!And it's not quite over yet. Still 3 more days of helping people find exactly the right book(s) for their friends and family. I can hardly see straight! I just want to pop in to give you my seasonal heads-up...yes, as the song says, Santa Claus is coming to town. And if you love the magic and excitement as much as I do, you really need to track him on his once-a-year global journey. NORAD is all set up to keep an eye on St Nick with their annual 'Santa Tracker' and world-wide, we can watch him travel round the world in his sleigh, stopping off at every house. It's great fun! And it lets you know when all the little ones have to be in bed before he drops off the goodies. Right now, you can explore the North Pole, play some games, learn about holiday traditions around the world and read the story of how NORAD started tracking Santa...lots to do. There's even a countdown clock so you know exactly how long until Santa starts ...

The holiday season is rolling on rapidly. In a few short days, the shopping will stop, the presents will be wrapped and we will, hopefully, be cosy and warm at home enjoying the company of family and friends...and for us busy booksellers, getting a few days rest. But that doesn't mean it's time to stop consulting and recommending. Oh no! It's time to pick up the slack to help you create your own personal Jolabokaflod! At my place of work, I'm busy in the childrens' section; stacking and re-stacking, arranging and rearranging...and replacing. Can't leave any gaps! And I am determined that you, my dear customers, find exactly the right book for the young people in your life. Have a look at what's under the tree at Charlie Byrnes Bookshop for children and young adults...there is so very much there, chosen with care and attention to cater to your needs and wants. Very soon, I will be blogging about my top picks of the season...in fact of the year! But if ...

Welcome December...welcome lights and trees, hot chocolate and pretty paper and bows. And as I sit here waiting to begin the Late Late Toy Show Bookelves Bonanza (see previous post...we start at 9:30pm....not long now), I also say WELCOME to Mary's Advent Calendar of Books 2017 . Each year, starting December 1st, I open a new page on this blog and begin my Christmas countdown (or is that countup?) Every new day, you will see a new book that I recommend for seasonal reading....some old, some brand new, all favourites of mine. This is something I really love doing every year. Nothing better than digging out the books and talking about them. Some of the books will be specifically Christmas themed, but some are simply 'winter' books. I try to cover all age ranges from 0 to 18. Read them by yourself or share them with friends and family over the season. Oh, and all you grown-ups out there who believe you're too old for childrens' books....don't believe that one se...

As I am here online while the information is coming in, that me offer my huge congratulations to the (kids) winners of the BGEIrish Book Awards 2017...seriously, just announced NOW, straight from the Clayton Hotel in Dublin. I am so incredibly pleased to announce that the BGEIrish Book Award/Dept51@Eason Teen/Young Adult Book of the Year has gone to Tangleweed and Brine, written by Deirdre Sullivan, illustrated by Karen Vaughan. And fantastically warm congratulations go to Judi Curtin on winning the National Book Tokens Childrens Book of the Year (Senior Category) with her wonderful new middle grade novel, Stand By Me. And..... Congratulations to the extraordinary Sarah Webb and illustrator Steve McCarthy for winning the National Book Tokens Childrens Book of the Year (Junior Category) with A Sailor Went To Sea, Sea, Sea: Favourite Rhymes From An Irish Childhood. Journey on over to the website to find out about all the other category winners...and congrats to all! https:/...

For the last few years, I have been absolutely delighted to be part of the Bookelves ; a collective of childrens booksellers who gather this time of year on Facebook and Twitter to recommend the very best childrens books for kids of all ages. There is a vast amount of expertise available to you when you are looking for help in finding exactly the right book.We all know you have questions, so we are all available to answer and to make personal recommendations. And the Bookelves are back! The Snowbeast by Chris Judge We will be kicking this Friday, 1st December from 9:30pm-11:30pm (yes, Ireland...during the Late Late Toy Show). This is our seasonal Late Late Toy Show Bookelves Bonanza ! We will be online recommending and chatting away about books. And YOU, wherever you are in the world, are invited to jump in. (Just remember to check the time difference where you are so you don't miss us LIVE!) If you are on Facebook, head over to our page Bookelves17 ( https://www.faceboo...

If you've been following this blog for a number of years, you will already be well aware of how excited I get over Jolabokaflod. This year, it has become ever more apparent that the publishing industry worldwide is embracing this marvelous Icelandic tradition. Worldwide, people are talking about Jolabokaflod. You see, every year in mid-November during the Reykjavik Book Fair, every household in Iceland receives the 'Book Bulletin'. The catalogue is used to plan and to order books for friends and family as Christmas gifts. During the festive season, gifts (the books, of course!) are opened on December 24th. Everyone then snuggles down (for a long winters nap?) and reads the books they have been given, while enjoying a cup of hot chocolate, or perhaps the (alcohol-free, as it turns out) ale called 'jólabland'. What a completely wonderful, warming idea! Peace, quiet and the joy of books....can't think of anything better. How did this book-loving celebration beg...

The CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals longlist are out now! While both are very extensive, if you are looking for a 'what should I read' list, you couldn't do any better. It is so pleasing to see so many of my author/illustrator friends on this list, and the Irish contingent is well represented. On the CILIP Carnegie, we have such wonderful reads as Emma Carroll's 'Letters From The Lighthouse', Peter Bunzl with 'Cogheart', Maz Evans' Who Let The Gods Out', 'Goldenhand' and 'Frogkisser' by Garth Nix, Brian Conaghan and Sarah Crossan with 'We Come Apart'....the list is extensive, as I said. I do have one niggling concern about the CILIP Carnegie List. It has seemed, in recent years, rather YA heavy and I wonder if they should  distinguish the YA from the MG into a separate award? (Causing chaos everywhere I go!) For the Kate Greenaway Medal for illustration, it was fabulous to see Levi Pinfold nominated twice for ...

A quick announcement and more fantastic news for childrens books in Galway! From November 15 through 18, Claddagh National School, supported by Creative Ireland and in partnership with local libraries and bookshops are bringing the first ever festival solely devoted to childrens' books to Galway. There will be visiting authors, illustrators and storytellers at Claddagh National School and at various venues around the city. While there are a number of events taking place for the students of Claddagh National School, there are equally a lot of events for the public, so get your diary out and start planning NOW! You will want to be involved! First, watch out Galway City! There will be a Poetry Flash Mob of children coming to the streets! The schedule of events is available on line, but I am delighted and proud to announce that at Charlie Byrnes Bookshop, on Friday the 17th at 4pm, Marguerite Tonery will be presenting  and answering questions about her books from the Kapheus serie...

I can't believe it's November! This year is rolling by a rapid pace and here we are...in our winter months. But there is no need to despair the weather change and the darkening days. Much is happening in the world of childrens books (and we all know what season is galloping up on us.) If you have been following this blog for some time, you know that November is Picture Book Month...a celebration of picture books and their importance in the lives of children everywhere. If you go to the Picture Book Month site, you will find a new entry every day by a picture book champion! Authors, storytellers, librarians and teachers (to name a few) offer their words of wisdom on "Why Picture Books Are Important." Each one brings a different slant on the vital art form of picture books and how they are viewed; why children should have constant access to picture books; and some activities to bring their magic into every childs' life. So why do I think picture books are import...

Each year at this time here in Galway, we are excitedly preparing for Baboró International Arts Festival for Children. Baboró brings a world of art, theatre, music, dance and literature for young people to Galway through a fantastic line-up of school and public events that are well-worth attending, whether you are a child or a child-at-heart. I want to focus on this year's expanded literature programme...it is filled with bigger and better and more events surrounding the world of childrens' books than ever before. On Monday, 16th of October, Ryan Tubridy and PJ Lynch will be will be talking about their collaboration in creating their wonderful new book, Patrick and the President; the story from a young persons perspective of John F Kennedys' Presidential trip to Ireland. Our own Patricia Forde will be presenting a bi-lingual event in which younger school children will get to visit the school for tooth fairies and also meet Lísín the pirate!(Thursday, 19th October) ...

A week ago, I played a small part of the launch of Genesis , the much-anticipated sequel to Oasis by Eilis Barrett; this time at Charlie Byrnes Bookshop in Galway. Vinny Brown introduces Eilis Eilis is a remarkable young woman, as you might imagine since she is 18 years old and this is her second book. ( Oasis was published when she was 16.) Articulate and accomplished, it is a real privilege to know her, to hear her speak and to read her writing. Genesis author: Eilis Barrett publisher: Gill Books (8 September 2017 ISBN: 9780717174355 Genesis picks up the story of Quincy Emerson. She now finds herself a captive once again, in the maximum-security prison, the Colosseum as a security risk. Held in deplorable and brutal conditions in the prison, where anarchy rules and rival gangs wage a 'street war' of sorts, Quincy takes care to not make an enemy of either gang boss, while holding allegiance to no one but herself and her comrades on the outside. Food is scarce an...

(It has been a busy week, post CBI conference; so apologies for now catching you up before now.) The Childrens Books Ireland conference is actually my favourite weekend of the year. CBI always puts on a great show, with amazing speakers and great comradery all the way around. It's a time to catch up with like-minded people working in childrens' literature, find out what's been happening in their lives and what's coming next in the world of childrens' books...so it does take some time to absorb all the information. I always leave feeling inspired and happy. Here are some of the highlights... Day one.... CBI is celebrating 20 years! With many new incentives and schemes to bring books to children of all ages, it is going to be a very exciting year for childrens' literature in Ireland. Happy 20th, CBI! Lucy Cousins is the creator of Maisy (as you may know) and so many other beloved characters in childrens' books over the last twenty or so years. Created ...