What’s happening in children’s books at the moment? Here are a few current events and reviews. And while I’m sure the publishers didn’t intend it to be so, don’t you think it’s interesting that the covers of the two illustrated books are so remarkably similar? Nicolette Jones reivews A Tangle of Traitors by F E… Continue reading »
Jan
04
Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick
Patricia McCormick’s powerful and graphic book recounts the real life experiences of Arn Chorn-Pond, a child struggling to survive during the brutal regime of the Communist Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. Separated from his family and forced to work gruelling hours with other small and traumatised children, Arn draws on his own resources to not only… Continue reading »
Mar
30
The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan
This slim and rather beautiful little volume tells the story of thirteen year old Polish immigrant Kasienka as she arrives in England with her mother, a broken suitcase and an old laundry bag, in search of her father, who has left the family. Novels in free verse are neither poetry nor prose, but instead occupy… Continue reading »
Jan
26
Naked by Kevin Brooks
As you read the first half of this book, I wager that you won’t have any inkling of the major surprise that awaits you in the final chapters. The unexpected shift in gear and direction turns this tale from what appears to be the story of punk band Naked and its struggle for recognition into… Continue reading »
Dec
20
Great children’s books to buy as gifts…for yourself or others.
It’s that time of year when Santa Claus and mum and dads and aunts and grannies and friends are looking for the perfect book to tuck into Christmas stockings to keep alive the imaginations of children and young readers. For the uninitiated and uncertain, plenty of newspapers and journalists are busy compiling lists of the… Continue reading »
Nov
27
Top Reads of 2011 in the Irish Times and the New York Times
On 21st November, the New York Times published what it considers to be the 25 most notable children’s books of 2011. It makes a wonderful and informative list of what small children, middle-sized children and teenagers in the States were reading during the year and it reflects the current trends in books for young people.… Continue reading »
Nov
20
Kill All Enemies by Melvin Burgess
I’ve always liked the power of Melvin Burgess’s writing – though not always his subject matter – and was accordingly satisfied by his latest book. Although at first, I disliked the three protagonists: they’re loud, aggressive and violent. In fact, they’re very similar to those who ran riot, wrecking the streets of London in August… Continue reading »
Aug
21
The business of writing for children
RTE Radio’s weekly business programme, The Business, today featured an interesting, if sobering, interview with Irish children’s book author Derek Landy and Ivan O’Brien of the Irish publishing house, O’Brien Press. Both were asked about the business and financial aspects of writing for children. Derek Landy said that he became aware that writing books for… Continue reading »
Jul
07
The Glass Collector by Anna Perera
Books that draw the attention of young minds to the exploitation of human rights and the unreasonable burdens placed on some members of society are always commendable; The Glass Collector is one of these. Perera’s second book, after her critically acclaimed Guantanamo Boy, is set in Egypt, among the Zabbaleen, a minority religious community of… Continue reading »
Jun
16
The Butterfly Heart by Paula Leyden
Set in Zambia, the butterfly heart of Africa, this lyrical story tells of the fate of bright little Winifred when her uncle forces her into an arranged marriage with an old man from another village. Not only will this result in the end of her schooling and her freedom, but the end of her happy… Continue reading »