Fallen Star Stories

Welcome back to my thoughts and ramblings around Day Two of BELONGING; the CBI conference 2019. After being treated to our morning coffees and teas, we were all wide awake and ready to have a magical, wonderful day...and it really was. Our first session was a talk between two giants of contemporary childrens' literature; Julia Eccleshare is the former Guardian Childrens' Book Editor and currently holds the position of Childrens' Director of the Hay Literary Festival. What Julia doesn't know about childrens' books is not worth knowing. She was in conversation with an extraordinary author and personal favourite, Frances Hardinge. Frances is the author of 8 books (with her 9th due out any moment now), beginning with Fly By Night in 2005. Her debut novel won the Branford Boase Award in 2006. Her 7th book, The Lie Tree, took the overall Costa Book Award, the only childrens' book to do so since Philip Pullmans' The Amber Spy Glass. But the conversation revol

Every year, I look forward in longing anticipation to the Childrens' Books Ireland conference; to that feeling of welcome and 'home' that feeds this particular kidlit enthusiast with. I am with my people; my tribe; all very diverse and different, but all very connected. CBI has actually built a strong sense of community in the childrens' book world. We BELONG, and we are excited about welcoming new members to our family. This years' theme was indeed BELONGING and each speaker brought a greater, broader sense of that term, of how we can get that across to children and their grown-ups; parents, teachers, librarians, publishers... this years' conference was truly wonderful. I'm going to take you through some of the highlights; for me. It may be a rather long post, so I will break it into two...covering both days, but there will be a lot of pictures (not the best quality, I'm afraid...sorry.) I hope it will nourish some of you the way it nourished me.

Hello there! Welcome to the very first day (and my post) of the StarChild: The Age of Akra Blog Tour! The Age of Akra is the first book in the thrilling StarChild series by Vacen Taylor. Join us for a quest you will never forget. STARCHILD: BOOK ONE:THE AGE OF AKRA author: Vacen Taylor Odyssey Books (this edition 2018) ISBN: 9781922200020 In a neat and cosy home underground in the land of Sahas, Mai, having shown exceptional ability at thought-banking, has just been selected to train with the mysterious, formidable elemental master, Sah Dohba. She will be trained to be the protector of the desert lands. But first, Mai was make the long, arduous journey to the Valley of a Thousand Thoughts. Facing the harsh environment and innumerable obstacles along the way, she has only her impetuous brother, Long to accompany her as her chaperone and defender. They have not traveled far before they come upon a deep hole in the desert floor with a mysterious glowing orb inside. As

Welcome to my moment on the Faeries of Saizia Blog Tour! FAERIES OF SAIZIA author: Tonya L Chaves Lulu Press (5 February 2019) ISBN: 9781483490700 Saizia is a most magical kingdom...filled with faeries, mystery and all the mundane tasks that allow this land to continue. And as we awaken today, our eyes open on the first day of summer. Not only that, but it is Averys' 100th birthday! The day when he becomes a teenage faerie and receives his true job; his duty to the forest. Before he well and truly settles into his occupation of caring and tending for the toadstools, he and his best friend, Zaria long for adventure. As the teenage faeries concoct a plan to enter the forbidden Eerie Hollow, they end up with more adventure than they bargained for. Spying on the elves who live there, Avery and Zaria discover them tending a dragon; making it the most irresistible, fragrant chocolate. Its' luring scent wafts through the trees, enrapturing Avery and Zaria so that the

In May 2015, we were introduced to a world after "the Melting", an extreme environmental disaster that saw little land left, and few people.We were introduced to the world of Ark, a ruthless leader named John Noa and a young heroine called Letta...and it was completely mesmerising; a book I simply couldn't put down and placed in the hands of more readers than I can remember. The Wordsmith by Patricia Forde (entitled The List in the US.) Over the last four years, while I have returned to The Wordsmith time and again, I have longed to return to that world; to discover what happened to Letta, to all of Ark in the time that passed. That longing has now been satisfied. HAPPY PUBLICATION TO MOTHER TONGUE! MOTHER TONGUE author: Patricia Forde Little Island (12 September 2019) ISBN: 9781912417278 Since the death of its' leader in the battle of the water tower a year earlier, Ark is now under the grip of a new dictator, even more extreme, more ruthless t

WELCOME TO THE LAURA'S SPOOKY SHOW BLOG TOUR! We are spending this week celebrating a fabulous new addition to the Star Club series by Natasha Mac a'Bháird, Laura's Spooky Show . In the run-up to the launch, you will be hearing from five kidslit people and we are all very excited to present our thoughts, questions, hopes and reviews of this brilliant new book for middle-grade/younger teen readers. If you're in and around Dublin, you're all very welcome to the launch of Laura's Spooky Show. So be sure to drop into Hodges Figgis Bookshop in Dawson Street this Saturday, 14 September at 2pm.  It's a launch you won't want to miss. Natasha Mac a'Bháird is the author of 11 previous books, including the Star Club series; Hannah in the Spotlight and Starring Meg . I was delighted when Natasha agreed to take the time to answer a few questions about her inspiration and hopes for the Star Club books; featuring Laura's Spooky Show . We talked a