Upcoming events and appearances
Fancy joining a quiz team headed by me or one of the other lovely authors taking part in this special Waterstones event in London?
Join us in Waterstones Picadilly on the 22nd of November. It’s bound to be a lot of fun and a glorious opportunity to chat about children’s books.
The gauntlet has been laid down for a return match between BCT and Buglife as we gather to vote on which is best in Bats vs Beetles! Will you be on Team Beetle or Team Bat?!
A fun, interactive event where both teams share fun facts to try and prove their animal is the best - but ultimately the final vote is by the audience - who will you vote for?
Already joining Team Beetle this year we have Suzanne Burgess and Sally Morris from Buglife, as well as author and beetle enthusiast M. G. Leonard and Ashleigh Whiffin an entomology curator from Edinburgh National Museums.
And assembling for Team Bat, we have Naomi Webster, Philip Briggs from BCT and Gail Armstrong and her bats from North Lancashire Bat Group.
This free online event is open to all ages. There is an optional donation which will be split between BCT and Buglife.
MEET AND GREET SESSION, PLUS SIGNING AT Serenity Booksellers in Romiley, Greater Manchester - 15th October 4pm to 5pm
I’m very excited to begin my travels soon to promote the beautiful paperback edition of The Ice Children, which will be in the shops from the 3rd October. If you’re in the Greater Manchester area on the 15th October, i’m popping in to Serenity Booksellers for an after-school meet and greet session, where you can get your hands on a dedicated and signed copy!
Tickets are £7.99 and that includes a copy of the book for me to sign.
Children must be accompanied by an adult but parents/guardians do not need to buy an additional ticket. Age range for the book is 8-12 years.
To reserve your place, pop in to the the shop or visit their website
I look forward to seeing you there on the 15th!
Discover the power of fairy tales with M. G. Leonard. Join the bestselling, multi-award-winning author of The Twitchers, Adventures on Trains and Beetle Boy as she talks about her latest book, The Ice Children. This modern fairytale is inspired by Hands Christian Anderson’s The Snow Queen and celebrates the wonder of winter. Stuffed with all the fun of a frost fair, this story boasts winter creatures and seasonal sensation. Come along and share in the magic.
Meet best-selling and multi-award-winning M. G. Leonard at the Bath Children’s Literature Festival this September, where she will be presenting the paperback release of her magical winter fairy-tale, The Ice Children.
At the stroke of midnight on the dawn of December, five-year-old Finn Albedo is found frozen on a pedestal of ice. His heart is beating, he is smiling, but no one can wake him.
Finn’s big sister, Bianca, suspects that the tall mysterious stranger who first discovered Finn knows more than they will admit? Bianca's quest to discover the truth and rescue her little brother hurls her into a fantastical winter wonderland, full of beauty, danger and irresistible spirit animals, where all is not as it seems . . .
'As unforgettable as Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen" . . . a whirlingly imaginative storyline full of wonder and hope as well as warning.' - The Times
M. G. Leonard's story of a brave girl and her reindeer friend, who try to save her brother, is the perfect winter treat. The Ice Children is an exciting, modern, magical mystery adventure by the author of Beetle Boy, Adventures on Trains and the Twitchers series.
Venue: Assembly Rooms, Bennett Street, Bath BA1 2QH
To all Dorset Camp Bestival goers. I will be back this year, appearing in the Literary Institute on the Sunday, selling and signing books with Pelican Post. Come along and I’ll share the secrets of how I write detective mysteries and adventures. If you spot me around the site, don’t be shy. Do say ‘Hi’. I’m very friendly.
Come with me to meet the author of the phenomenally successful Alex Rider books. I’ll be interviewing Anthony Horowitz about his thrilling series and trying to find out what is his secret to creating action packed adventures.
Come with questions and books to be signed. We’ll both be delighted to see you.
The STAHS Children’s Book Festival has gone from strength to strength since its 2019 debut, with families flocking to see the likes of David Baddiel, Simon Pegg, Onjali Rauf and Rob Biddulph in action. Book signings and photo opportunities follow interactive talks and storytelling sessions, giving young bookworms the opportunity to meet and engage with their literary heroes.
We have a fantastic line-up of authors for 2024 who will captivate audiences in the Main Tent throughout the day. They include M.G Leonard, bestselling author of the Beetle Boy, Twitchers and Adventures on Trains series, and Manjeet Mann whose debut YA verse novel, Run, Rebel, won the 2021 CILIP Carnegie Shadowers’ Choice Award and was named among The Guardian’s Best Books of 2020.
M.G. will be talking all things birds and crime-solving, as she presents her latest book in the Twitchers series, Feather!
For a full line-up of authors please click HERE
Saturday 8 June 2024 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM (UTC+01)
Fluff up your Feathers and come and find out about the True Crime inspiration behind M. G. Leonard’s fourth and final book in The Twitchers seasonal quartet of birdwatching detective adventures.
For all young nature enthusiasts, birdwatchers and detectives in the making: join the bestselling author of Twitch for an engaging, humorous talk.
MG Leonard shares what she discovered about birdwatching when writing her books Twitch, Spark, Clutch and now Feather.
The author introduces the birds who’ve become characters in the series: Twitch, a 12-year-old boy who prefers the company of birds to that of humans, his friend Jack, and their Twitchers club!
Full of mystery, adventure, friendship, bravery and the magnificent wonder of birds, this event is perfect for young nature lovers.
Calling all young nature enthusiasts, birdwatchers and detectives in the making: join the bestselling author of Twitch for an engaging, humorous talk.
MG Leonard shares what she discovered about birdwatching when writing her books Twitch, Spark, Clutch and now Feather.
The author introduces the birds who’ve become characters in the series: Twitch, a 12-year-old boy who prefers the company of birds to that of humans, his friend Jack, and their Twitchers club!
Full of mystery, adventure, friendship, bravery and the magnificent wonder of birds, this event is perfect for young nature lovers.
Tickets £3 for Children, £5 for Adults.
Steam into Stories with best-selling author M.G. Leonard on the Steam Train Story Carriage.
Go full steam ahead with MG Leonard on a real heritage steam train as you travel to Bewdley in style. Along the way MG Leonard will be reading from her Adventures on Trains series so you can get a fully immersive experience.
M. G. Leonard will be on the train from 9:15 to sign books.
Particularly suitable for Ages 7 upwards but we are sure all ages will enjoy this event. The ticket price includes a return ticket for the train journey from Kidderminster station to Bewdley.
Full details of timings and other details will be sent to all participants before the day.
Join bestselling author M G Leonard as she shares what she discovered about birdwatching when writing her award-winning Twitchers series. Full of mystery, adventure, friendship, bravery and the magnificent wonder of birds, this event is perfect for young nature enthusiasts, birdwatchers and detectives in the making.
This event is for school audiences. Tickets are £6 per child, with one free adult ticket with every ten children’s tickets. Additional adult tickets are £7. For more information or to make a school booking contact ben.k.odonnell@gmail.com A limited number of tickets are also available for public purchase.
Age 8+
Join bestselling author M. G. Leonard as she shares what she discovered about birdwatching when writing her award-winning Twitchers detective series. Full of mystery, adventure, friendship, bravery and the magnificent wonder of birds, this event is perfect for young nature enthusiasts, birdwatchers and detectives in the making.
Calling all young nature enthusiasts, birdwatchers and detectives in the making: join the bestselling author of Twitch for an engaging, humorous talk.
As part of the IMAGINE FESTIVAL, M. G. Leonard will be sharing the inspiration for the fourth and final book in the Twitchers series as well as what she discovered about birdwatching when writing her books Twitch, Spark, Clutch, and now Feather.
The author introduces the birds who’ve become characters in the series: Twitch, a 12-year-old boy who prefers the company of birds to that of humans, his friend Jack, and their Twitchers club!
Full of mystery, adventure, friendship, bravery and the wonder of birds, this event is perfect for young nature lovers.
Come to Waterstones in Piccadilly Circus on 7th of December and get all your Christmas books signed by your favourite authors. I’ll be there, as will Maz Evans, Louie Stowell, Matt Lucas, Dermot O’Leary, Stephen Fry and loads of other fabulous people. It’ll be a bit of festive fun.
Join me on Saturday 25th November in Guildford at the Festival.
I’ll be talking about the power of fairy tales and why I wanted to write a modern one, for our times.
Come along and celebrate the magic and wonder of winter with me and my newest book, The Ice Children.
At the stroke of midnight on the dawn of December, five-year-old Finn Albedo is found frozen in the city park standing on a pedestal of ice. His heart is beating, he is smiling serenely, but no one can wake him.
Finn’s big sister, Bianca, suspects that the beautiful sparkling book Finn got from the library has something to do with it, but the book has vanished. Does the tall mysterious stranger who first discovered Finn know more than they will admit?
Each day, more children are found frozen and Bianca realizes she’s running out of time. Her quest to discover the truth and rescue her little brother hurls her into a fantastical winter wonderland, full of beauty and danger, where all is not as it seems.
Can Bianca save her brother and the other Ice Children before they are forever lost?
Join us with the fantastic children's author M. G. Leonard for signings of her latest book The Ice Children.
Children are also encouraged to bring along or purchase Maya's other titles for signing.
COME TO THE 2023 WATERSTONES FINCHLEY ROAD O2 CHRISTMAS BOOK FESTIVAL
SUNDAY 19TH NOVEMBER 2023
ALEXANDRA PAGE
Wishyouwas / 11:00 – 13:00 / 9-12
VANESSA HARBOUR
Safe / 11:00 – 13:00 / 9-12
ROBIN SCOTT-ELLIOT
Sweet Skies / Finding Treasure Island
11:30 – 13:30 / 9-12
JEANNE WILLIS
Jacko / 11:30 – 13:30 / 8-12
JAMIE LITTLER
Arkspire / 12:00 – 14:00 / 9 - 12
A M HOWELL
Peril on the Atlantic / 12:30 – 14:30 / 9-12
GILL LEWIS
Moonflight / 13:00 – 15:00 / 9-12
KIERAN LARWOOD
Treekeepers / 14:00 – 16:00 / 9-12
NOTE: The times given above are an indication of when authors will be there to sign books.
Please arrive early to avoid disappointment.
GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR YOUR LOVED ONES!
SIGNED & DEDICATED BY THEIR FAVOURITE AUTHOR.
I will be in Waterstones Altrincham on the 11th of November, with artist Penny Neville-Lee to meet readers, sign books and read from The Ice Children. It’s a free event, do come along and feel free to bring books from home for me to sign. I’m more than happy to.
M. G. Leonard
M. G. Leonard will be appearing at the Festival of the Girl, giving a workshop on writing about nature and how stories can introduce you to inspiring women, giving you the confidence to be and do the things you dream of.
Come along for a fun, energetic interactive workshop with top tips on how to write a story about animals or any part of the natural world. M. G. Leonard will be signing books afterwards. Please do bring your books if you would like them signed.
M. G. Leonard will be doing a session in the morning at 12.30pm and in the afternoon at 2pm on the Mini Stage.
I’m thrilled to be at the Cheltenham Literary Festival this October. I’ll be talking about my birdwatching detective series The Twitchers, the characters, and what inspired the idea for the series. We’ll play bird bingo, and as a special treat, I’m going to reveal the top secret and utterly beautiful cover by Paddy Donnally for Feather, the final adventure in the series, out in Spring 2024!
Come along and bring your bird knowledge and detective skills with you. It’s going to be fun!
I’m also excited to announce that there will be a FREE family Twitchers Trail for birdwatching detectives around the festival site. Come and try out your own detective skills by simply picking up a trail worksheet and following the clues!
Join me in the Parabola Arts Centre on Saturday 7th October at 3.45pm.
View the full programme website here: https://cheltenhamfestivals.com/literature/whats-on…
View the digital brochure here
Search event LF09
Nature Writing for Future Generations: Live announcement of the Children’s Prize Winner, preceded by a discussion with this year’s shortlistees and Countryfile’s Charlotte Smith in conversation with featured artists.
The morning session celebrates nature writing for future generations, with a finale announcing the winner of the coveted James Cropper Wainwright Prize Children's Prize.
There will be a panel discussion with the outstanding authors shortlisted for this year’s Children’s Nature Writing Prize, as well as interviews with the James Cropper Wainwright Prize Featured Artists and shortlisted Illustrators, hosted by Countryfile’s Charlotte Smith.
The talks will conclude at 12.30pm, giving you ample time to explore the rest of the festival. There will be book signings with your favourite authors, immersive exhibitions, paper making workshops, food, drink and more.
Morning line up:
BBC Countryfile’s Charlotte Smith and Roisin Taylor, co-director for UK Youth for Nature, in conversation with multi-award-winning author, conservationist and climate youth voice Dara McAnulty; award-winning illustrator and author Barry Falls; best-selling author and Winner of the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize Kiran Millwood Hargrave; multi-media artist Tom de Freston; bestselling writer of children’s books M. G. Leonard; icon of modern-day illustration Emily Sutton; popular originator of the craft of flowers-on-tulle embroidery Olga Prinku, this year’s artist; award-winning designer, illustrator and picture-book author, as well as a previous artist for the Prize Dorien Brouwers.
M. G. Leonard is honoured to have been invited to participate in the The White Ravens Festival for International Children’s and Young Adult Literature, which will take place over the course of five days from Sunday 16th July.
Featured authors and illustrators from Germany and abroad will read from their most recent works, lead writing workshops, and talk about their lives as artists. The Festival’s focus is as much on renowned and acclaimed authors as it is on new literary discoveries, and its German and international program aims to build bridges between cultures. Bringing authors and illustrators into contact with readers both young and old is central to the purpose of the Festival.
The Festival is named for the “White Ravens” of the International Youth Library, which in specialists’ circles stand for extraordinary and innovative books for children and adolescents. The Library publishes an annual international book review catalogue titled “White Ravens”. The “White Ravens” selected for inclusion in the catalogue all inspire and provoke, set new trends, and are of the highest quality in terms of language, content and artistry.
The White Ravens Festival showcases children’s and young adult literature thus conceived. The main Festival location is Blutenburg Castle in Munich, which is the seat of the International Youth Library. Invited authors will also appear at schools, libraries and other locations across Bavaria.
The following guests have confirmed their participation for the 7th White Ravens Festival from 16th - 20th July, 2023:
Micaela Chirif, Peru | Simon van der Geest, Netherlands | Michal Hvorecký, Slovakia | Sarah Jäger, Germany | Lisa Krusche, Germany | Shaw Kuzki, Japan | M.G. Leonard, Great Britain | André Letria, Portugal | Malinda Lo, USA | Martin Muser, Germany | Max de Radiguès, Belgium | Bjørn F. Rørvik, Norway | Ingo Siegner, Germany
BOOK TICKETS - please note that this event takes place at Blutenburg Castle, in Munich, Germany.
“Set your alarms and tell your friends folks because tickets for the UK's largest kids' books party are going on sale at 8.00am this Saturday 13 May!”
“Join British Book Award winner and keen amateur birdwatcher M. G. Leonard and her birdwatching detective Twitch on a journey of birding discovery. Full of mystery, adventure, friendship, bravery and the beauty of birds, this event based on the latest Springtime adventure ‘Clutch’, is perfect for young nature enthusiasts, birdwatchers and detectives in the making.”
Suitable for ages 8+
TICKETS will be available from Saturday 13th May
M. G. Leonard will be visiting schools in Guernsey, before appearing at the island’s Literary Festival on the 13th May to judge the Primary Category of the Write Stuff Awards.
Children from schools across the Bailiwick took up the challenge to write a story of no more than 300 words on the theme of Nature. The judges were M. G. Leonard (Primary category), Joseph Coelho (Intermediate category), Sita Brahmachari (Senior category) and Huw Lewis-Jones (SEND category). We are delighted to celebrate the winning stories at a special prize-giving ceremony, with readings by the judges.
Bookings open: 27 February for members and 4 March for the general public
*Please still book for FREE events. The GLF reserves the right to change any event without prior notice.
Visit the Guernsey Literature Festival website for further info on booking from 4th March.
Always engaging and humorous, M. G. Leonard will introduce the birds who’ve become characters in the series, Twitch, a twelve-year-old boy who prefers the company of birds to that of humans, his friend Jack, and their Twitchers club!
Full of mystery, adventure, friendship, bravery and the magnificent wonder of birds, this event is perfect for young nature enthusiasts, birdwatchers and detectives in the making
To purchase tickets, CLICK HERE. Please note, public booking for the 2023 festival opens on Thursday 2nd March at 10am.
Join M. G. Leonard as she explores the fascinating world of birds through her books Twitch and Spark, both thrilling adventures full of friendship, mystery, and birdwatching! M. G. Leonard is a keen amateur birdwatcher, and in this event she will take you on her journey of birding discovery, with some tips on how to spot birds where you live that might even inspire you to get up super early and listen to the Dawn Chorus, and she will definitely get you to take THE TWITCHER’S OATH!
The session will last approximately an hour.
Suitable for children aged 8 -12 years old - must be accompanied by an adult. Purchase tickets for the children attending only. By booking a ticket you are guaranteed a place, but there will also be drop-in spaces avaiable on the day so if tickets sell out please still come along.
FREE event.
This session is part of the Family Day at Crawley Library.
M G Leonard will be signing books after the session
MONDAY 20TH FEBRUARY
Discover the amazing world of Twitchers (birdwatchers keen to spot rare birds) as you use your spotter trail to navigate the park and find clues to uncover a secret code.
Birdland will also welcome a highly acclaimed children’s author as a very special guest during February half term.
M. G. Leonard, author of the popular wildlife detective series The Twitchers, will be at Birdland for a signing of her books Twitch and Spark on Monday, February 20, ahead of the launch of her new book Clutch.
Simon Cox, general manager, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled that Maya will be with us here at the park to talk about her new book and her love of the natural world. Birdland will provide the perfect backdrop to discuss her love of wildlife and to tell us about her fantastic birdwatching detectives as featured in the books Twitch and Spark.”
M. G. Leonard’s books have been translated into more than 40 languages and one of her titles, Beetle Boy, is being developed into a TV series.
Both Twitch and Spark will be available to buy from 11th February in the Birdland shop. Those who complete the trail will be in with a chance of winning a signed copy of one of M. G. Leonard’s books each day.
Come and get extra special books for Christmas - signed and dedicated to the lucky recipients. Pop something a little extra special under the tree this year.
Come and meet M. G. Leonard at Waterstones Finchley Road, in the O2 Centre in London on Sunday 20st November from 12pm. She’ll be signing all of her books, from Beetle Boy to Twitch. She’ll be meeting readers, chatting about adventures and happily posing for pics. There may even be tinsel!
Sam Sedgman will be joining her at 12.30pm and will be there until 2.30pm to thrill you with facts about trains and sign your books too.
Lots of other great authors will be there, signing books, throughout the day.
I'm coming to Bath for The Bath Children’s Literature Festival 2022 on Saturday 1st October. With only a few weeks to go, tickets are selling out fast so make sure to grab yours before it’s too late, see you there!
Join M. G. Leonard as she explores the fascinating world of birds through her books Twitch and Spark, both thrilling adventures full of friendship, mystery, and birdwatching! M. G. Leonard is a keen amateur birdwatcher, and in this event she will take you on her journey of birding discovery, with some tips on how to spot birds where you live that might even inspire you to get up super early and listen to the Dawn Chorus, and she will definitely get you to take THE TWITCHER’S OATH!
