To my delight and relief, The Ice Children is one of the Editor’s Pics for Children’s Fiction coming to bookshops this November. I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy and see Penny Neville Lee’s Illustrations. It’s going to be so beautiful. I am hoping it’ll be the perfect gift book this Christmas for young (and old) readers. Find info on the special editions HERE.
A German Puppet Show of The Tale of a Toothbrush
The wonderful puppetry company Wolfsburger Figuren Theater, in Germany, are creating a show based on my picturebook The Tale of a Toothbrush - a story of plastic in the ocean. It will be called Sammy - Die ungewohnliche Reise einer Zahnburste.
I was sent some early production shots. It looks amazing!
The show premiers in September and will be a part of their repertory throughout the Autumn as well as touring to schools in northern Germany. You can find out more HERE.
An Introduction to The Wind in the Willows
To my great delight, I was approached to write an introduction to the new Oxford Children’s Classics edition of The Wind in the Willows. This book has been a touchstone at many pivotal points in my life, and so it feels like a great honour to introduce it to new readers.
So if your young readers are fans of my stories, but haven’t read this classic, why not get them this edition in which I wax lyrical about the importance of Mole, Ratty, Badger and Toady in my life.
The Wind in the Willows is one of my top five favourite children’s books of all time, but it’s much more than that to me. It is a sort of talisman, a song, a signpost, a crutch and a hug, bound in paper, but printed on my soul. We all have books that made us, and this one, more than most, made me.
Brilli-ANT! New exhibition at The Story Museum
My picturebook with illustrator Daniel Rieley, The Tale of a Toothbrush, features in the new exhibition at The Story Museum ‘Brilli-ANT!’ about how small creatures can make a big difference.
It was selected by a mix of young story curators, climate advisors & the museum team, as a story tackling ideas for climate action.
If you’re in Oxford, England, this summer you should visit the museum. It’s magical and one of my favourite places. You can find out more HERE.
Spark is shortlisted for the Wainwright Prize 2023!
Eeeep! Spark has been shortlisted for the Wainwright Prize for nature writing 2023! I’m hopping about like a merry cricket!
Last year Twitch was longlisted and I can’t pretend I wasn’t disappointed when it didn’t make the shortlist.
Much of my work is about attempting to conjure up stories that children will adore, and forges a relationship between them and the natural world, whilst desperately trying to avoid being didactic and keeping things hopeful. It isn’t easy.
To be shortlisted for this particular award is a dream come true and the kind of pat on the back that brings tears to my eyes. I daren’t dream of winning, but keep everything crossed for me because it would mean the world.
This is a special year for the James Cropper Wainwright Prize as it’s their tenth anniversary. To celebrate the awards will take place at the Kendal Mountain Festival in the Lake District, in September. I will be there, along with the other fabulous authors on the shortlist, talking about birds, beetles and my love of nature. If you are interested in being part of the festivities, you can find information about tickets HERE.
If you enjoy hearing a happy author talking about her book being shortlisted for the Wainwright Prize, drop in at 2:50 to the Sarah Gurnell show on BBC Radio Sussex. It was the 1st time I'd spoken about it, which suddenly made it real. That's why I keep giggling.
Beetles of the World
Patrice Bouchard, M. G. Leonard and Max Barclay
Yesterday, I spent a wonderful afternoon at the Natural History Museum in London with two world-renowned (and my favourite) coleopterists. Either one could be Bartholomew Cuttle from my Beetle Boy stories.
I was there to celebrate their wonderful new book BEETLES OF THE WORLD. It has an interesting first chapter which demonstrates the fascination beetles have held for many people throughout history, from Darwin to… well… me! I was utterly delighted that, along with Kafka and some other literary greats, they were kind enough to mention my stories about beetles.
The book is beautiful and written in an engaging and understandable way. All teachers & beetle enthusiasts are going to want this book. It would make a brilliant Christmas present for the nature lovers in your life. You can order one HERE.
The White Ravens Festival, Germany, 2023
The authors and translators with the White Ravens Festival team.
The White Ravens represents a selection of international children's and youth literature made by the Internationale Jugendbibliothek in Munich, Germany. Every autumn, at the Frankfurt Book Fair, they publish an annual catalogue of The White Raven books from the International Youth Library. All compiled titles are introduced at the book fair in Bologna the following year. You can learn more about it HERE.
Every two years the library holds a festival of literary events for families and young people, bringing authors and illustrators from all over the world to Castle Blutenburg, the home of the library, and then taking them out on tour to meet readers all over Bavaria.
In 2017, Beetle Boy was selected as a White Raven title. I was invited to be a part of the festival this year. In July, I spent a week meeting readers in Munich, at the castle and in schools, and then throughout Bavaria. I introduced them to The Twitchers with the help of my wonderful translator, Claudia Soeffner and the gifted German actor Thomas Birnstiel, who performed the readings. It was a wonderful experience. I feel so lucky to be a White Raven, to be a part of this great festival, and to be published in Germany.
2023 Royal Society Prize Judges to include M. G. Leonard
Judges for the book prize
The Royal Society have announced their judges for the 2023 Royal Society Young People's Book Prize. This is a prize for the best non-fiction work published for young readers.
I’m excited to be able to finally reveal that I am one of the judges, along with the panel chair, Professor Usha Goswami FRS , Dr Ryan Cooke - a cosmologist who investigates the chemical elements created immediately after the Big Bang, Jennifer Love - an inspiring STEM primary school science teacher and Dr Ranj Singh - NHS paediatrician and TV presenter and co-creator of BBC’s BAFTA-winning Get Well Soon.
The six of us have the honour of considering all the titles longlisted for the award, then meeting to discuss our favourites and produce a shortlist.
The prize is voted for by children, who rightly are the best judges of such books.
You can learn more about it HERE.
Spark longlisted for the James Cropper Wainwright Prize 2023
The James Cropper Wainwright Prize is given for nature and conservation writing, and without fail I buy the winners every year. It is one of my favourite prizes.
You probably know that my stories encourage young readers to go outdoors and develop a positive relationship with the natural world, whether with birds or insects, so I am utterly delighted to be able to say that Spark has been longlisted for the James Cropper Wainwright Prize 2023.
This year celebrates ten years of the Wainwright Prize, which makes being a part of it doubly delicious.
Twitch was longlisted last year but didn’t make it to the shortlist. I have my fingers and toes crossed that Spark will make it this year. However, check out the longlist in the Children’s category. There are some glorious books here and stiff competition.
Spark wins the Staffordshire Libraries Young Teen Fiction Award 2023.
I was utterly chuffed to learn today that Spark had won the Staffordshire Young Teen Fiction Book Award, 2023. This award is run by the Staffordshire libraries and voted for by the young readers of that county.
It is always lovely to win an award, but this is award is special to me for two reasons. The first is that this is the first award that Spark has one, and I really love this book and hope it pleases many readers. The second is that this award is voted for by the readers, and those are always the best awards.
I am sending huge amounts of love to all in Staffordshire - especially the librarians - and oodles of gratitude to all the young readers who voted for Spark. Thank you!
The Ice Children hardback cover reveal
I’m delighted to share the cover of The Ice Children with you. It’s coming soon in hardback from Macmillan, including glorious illustrations by Penny Neville-Lee. Spot the winter creatures in the frost fractals!
From Waterstones you can pre-order a signed exclusive edition 🖋️ Featuring beautiful sprayed edges.
And from select independent bookshops you can order an indie exclusive edition. Or order a standard copy through Bookshop.org.uk to support indies!
❄️ ‘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 ❄️
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?
The Ice Children is shortlisted for Audiobook of the Year by The Week Junior
I’m utterly delighted that The Ice Children has been shortlisted in The Week Junior’s inaugural Book Awards, for Children’s Audiobook of the Year.
Please keep all your fingers and toes crossed for my frosty tale. It means a great deal to me and I’d be delighted to win this. I’ll be over here doing the celebration dance of a snow sprite.
TWITCH wins the Alexander Palace Biblio-Buzz Children's Book Prize 2023
I’ve had such a wonderfully surreal day at the Alexandra Palace Biblio Buzz Children’s Book Award 2023.
Biblio Buzz is a huge event organised by Haringey Libraries and Haringey Schools Librarians Group. It’s a reading initiative that encourages young people aged 9–12 to immerse themselves in the world of books.
Over 700 children read the shortlisted books and vote for their favourite.
The list was awesome. On it were:
Tyger by S. F. Said
The Bird Singers by Eve Wersocki Morris
Consequence Girl by Alastair Chisholm
The Elemental Detective by Patrice Lawrence
S.T.E.A.L.T.H. Access Denied by Jason Rohan
and of course - Twitch by me
Twitch won! I cannot tell you how happy this has made me. The noise from the audience when it was announced was deafeningly jubilant. I was so shocked.
A huge thank you to all who organised the event and the librarians who selected the shortlist.
What a day! A boy brought a Goliath beetle to the signing queue, for me to meet. I plotted a murder with over 250 kids. I saw an old friend whom I love, and I learned that Jack Meggitt-Phillips can tap dance.
It was truly unforgettable.
Thank you to all Twitch readers, voters and bird lovers. You’ve made this author very happy.
Spark is shortlisted for the CrimeFest award 2023
When Twitch won the CrimeFest Best Crime Novel for Children Award last year, I was over the moon. So you can imagine how pleased I am that Spark has been shortlisted for the same award. I think this pair of books are as good as each other, and as different as Twitch is from Jack.
You should totally check out the other authors on the shortlist, particularly the excellent Sharna Jackson and reader’s favourite Robin Stevens.
I can’t believe I’ll win the award for a second year, but I’m going to dream that it might. Huge thanks to CrimeFest for shortlisting Spark. It means a great deal to me.
