Hay Festival was a blast!

Happy 100th Birthday to the ultimate beetle boy 🪲. It will not be a surprise to learn that David Attenborough is an inspiration to me & someone I deeply respect & admire. I’ll be surprised if he isn’t the same for you. We are lucky to have him as a part of our species. 💚

I'm excited that Hunt for the Golden Scarab is included in #Bookbuzz Primary this year! Bookbuzz Primary is a fantastic initiative from @BookTrust to get Year 3-6s reading for pleasure & I'm pleased to be part of it. Find out more & sign up here: bit.ly/4tqHvqw

Two each from my children (when they were younger). A bit more popular than my usual! Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan Diary of Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinnell Adventures on Trains series by @mglnrd.bsky.social and Sam Sedgman

May is nearly here! I will be doing three festivals. Come along and share your favourite Roman facts, general love of books and we’ll adventure into the past together. All event details and links to purchase tickets are available through the event calendar on my website. 🤗🕰️🔑🎶

Today's review...'The Adventures of Portly the Otter @mglnrd.bsky.social illustrated by Polly Dunbar @farshorebooks.bsky.social As a Wind in the Willows fan, I absolutely loved this book- full of charm and character. #KidLitUK www.throughthebookshelf.com/reviews/the-adventures-of-portly-the-otter

I am so excited to start reading Portly the Otter Untold Tales from The Wind in the Willows by @mglnrd.bsky.social. l loved the window art at the Suddenly on Sheaf Street bookshop in Daventry. It's a beautiful book. #amreading

PORTRAIT OF AN AUTHOR who has written 1 book, edited 1 book, published & promoted 2 books, in 14 weeks. Clothes model’s own. Maya wears ugg boots, tracksuit bottoms, nightgown & fluffy teddy bear hoodie. Hair = nest holding brain in. 🤣 Photographer = amused long-suffering husband

Happy Easter! It’s always nice to read a book whilst devouring chocolate. If you’re looking for an egg themed read, may I suggest CLUTCH? It’s an Easter holiday adventure. The Twitchers - bird-spotting detectives - try & stop an egg snatcher from pillaging a Spoonbill’s nest🪺

... Also for Books for Keeps 277 I talked to Polly Dunbar about illustrating The Adventures of Portly the Otter, by M G Leonard. "The scene with Pan, the stillness, I always felt was like childhood itself. Magical, but hard to grasp." @booksforkeeps.bsky.social booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/a-re...

All NEU 2026 conference delegates! Please sign in support of this Urgency Motion in defence of Librarians to fight against Censorship and the Far Right! forms.office.com/e/3vkBFUqCwK

We are loving this by @mglnrd.bsky.social Wonderful to meet new characters but also fantastic to reunite with familiar friends

I climbed into a boat and made a video introducing The Adventures of Portly the Otter: youtu.be/sZvrP_cq9YE

#NewIllustrationOfTheDay. Spread by Polly Dunbar from The Adventures of Portly the Otter: Untold Tales From The Wind in the Willows, by M G Leonard. Portly (bottom right) spies on weasels, sly-eyed and exuberant, partying by moonlight in the Wild Wood. Farshore 26 March. @farshorebooks.bsky.social

Hooray! It’s publication day! Portly swims into bookshops for Easter storytelling, adventure having, & the joy of nibbling on a potted shrimp sandwich beside a river. It has been a joy to create this book with the wonderful Polly Dunbar & the smashing team @farshorebooks.bsky.social

The Adventures of Portly the Otter: Untold Tales from The Wind in the Willows is published tomorrow and The Telegraph is reviewing it… I got tearful at the headline. I love Kenneth Grahame’s story with my whole being and do so want to do it justice. 🦦

Big thanks to Anna Bonet and the iPaper for this review of The Adventures of Portly the Otter. Pre-Order NOW. Publishes this week.

Skip into the sunshine, for today is the first day of spring 😃 and next Thursday, Portly the Otter will swim into bookshops. Pre-order now for a heart-warming Easter family read 🦦

@andylaneauthor.bsky.social I’m six episodes into Young Sherlock and bloody hell it’s good. Bravo my friend. You must be delighted. It’s the best tv I’ve watched in ages. Congratulations 🙌 It’s wonderful to see a good adaptation and it utterly slaps!

I’m super excited to be at @hayfestival May 24th & 25th. Monday 25 May 11:30am - come with me to Ancient Rome & the Colosseum for THE IMPOSSIBLE GLADIATOR. Sunday 24 May 2:30pm I’ll be talking with Susie Dent about words that bring us together. Booking: www.hayfestival.com

I hope you had a wonderful World Book Day. If your child dressed as one of my characters, I have a gallery on my website to celebrate them. You can @ me in a pic on socials or email it via my website. www.mgleonard.com/news/2026/3/...

Got up. Threw on clothes. Walked to garage in the rain ‘cause @thetimes has brought back the Funday Times for #nationalyearofreading2026 Inside readers meet Portly the Otter for the 1st time! 🦦Beautifully illustrated by the wonderful @pollydunbar OUT 26 March. Pre-order NOW!

10 yrs ago Beetle Boy crawled into bookshops. If you’ve ever supported me, recommending, reviewing, borrowing or buying my books, THANKYOU. I love what I do. To celebrate the decade, I had my portrait taken by Rankin at one of his Lives. I ❤️ these pics of me & my fountain pen

Questions and answers about The Adventures of Portly the Otter 🦦

WORLD BOOK DAY is next week! I've a page on my website to help. FOR TEACHERS: a video to play in your classrooms. FOR PARENTS: costume ideas. FOR CHILDREN: Dress up as 1 of my characters& email a pic or @ me on socials & I'll put you in my website gallery! www.mgleonard.com/worldbookday

#BookReview: THE IMPOSSIBLE GLADIATOR by M. G. Leonard @mglnrd.bsky.social @macmillankidsuk.bsky.social #UKMG #MiddleGradeMonday sifaelizabethreads.wordpress.com/2026/02/23/a...

COVER REVEAL for ATTACK OF THE SEA DOGS, a Tudor time travel adventure! Coming 17 Sept 2026. Art by @manuelsumberac From 7am today til 23.59 Friday 20th February @Waterstones are running a special online offer. 25% off RRP if you enter FEB26 at checkout. www.waterstones.com/book/attack-...

Another Time travelling masterpiece by @mglnrd.bsky.social at @macmillankidsuk.bsky.social read about why this is my favourite in the series so far in my review 👇. Basking in the sun of Ancient Rome can Sim and gang survive the birth of the Colosseum. tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2026/02/18/t...

COVER REVEAL for ATTACK OF THE SEA DOGS, a Tudor time travel adventure! Coming 17 Sept 2026. Art by @manuelsumberac From 7am today til 23.59 Friday 20th February @Waterstones are running a special online offer. 25% off RRP if you enter FEB26 at checkout. www.waterstones.com/book/attack-...

Today's review...'Time Keys: The Impossible Gladiator' @mglnrd.bsky.social illustrated by Manuel Sumberac An excellent addition to this series! #KidLitUK www.throughthebookshelf.com/reviews/the-impossible-gladiator

The Year of Reading 2026 is well under way so I’ve added my voice to the chat with a monthly blog - Here’s February! Recommendations, teacher ideas and resources. Probably nothing groundbreaking but hopefully there’s something useful… tomsbookcorner.wordpress.com/2026/02/14/t...

HURRAH! It's publication day for THE IMPOSSIBLE GLADIATOR! Treat yourself to a mental holiday in Ancient Rome searching for a missing magician! m.youtube.com/watch?v=3IMi...

HURRAH! It's publication day for THE IMPOSSIBLE GLADIATOR! Treat yourself to a mental holiday in Ancient Rome searching for a missing magician! m.youtube.com/watch?v=3IMi...

Wonderful Bookpost! Thank you @puffinbooksuk.bsky.social for 📕 The Far Out Five - Snot Jelly Island by @ofalafel.bsky.social And a lovely preorder arrived: 📕 The Impossible Gladiator by @mglnrd.bsky.social @macmillankidsuk.bsky.social

The TIME KEYS tour starts today. I’m visiting schools to promote reading & the wonder of history. I’ve a few public events. My Jorvik Viking Festival event is sold out, but there are still tickets available for my @FavershamLit festival event on 20 Feb. www.mgleonard.com/events

Dear readers & bird-lovers of Lancaster, I'll be talking about how nature inspired me to write The Twitchers books & giving you an exclusive peak at The Adventures of Portly to Otter on MARCH 14th at @litfest.bsky.social. Tickets are ONLY £3! www.mgleonard.com/events/2026/...

@litfest.bsky.social #BigRead is this excellent adventure @mglnrd.bsky.social . Its action packed a real page turner . Please get involved and read with your family and friends . We would love you to share your views with @litfest.bsky.social . 🐦🦉🐦‍⬛ And @mglnrd.bsky.social will be at the #festival.

The Impossible Gladiator is published in 1 week! Illustrated by @manuelsumberac HURRAH! If you order your books online then #ReadItForward! Order The Impossible Gladiator during February & @bookshop_org_uk will donate 10% to @BookTrust & @scottishbktrust uk.bookshop.org/a/276/978103...

Polly Dunbar & I visited the E. H. Shepard archive - the illustrator of The Wind in the Willows. We set Polly’s illustration of Portly beside E. H. Shepard’s. It was emotional. Polly gave me the picture as a gift. I love brave little Portly so much. I cannot wait for you all to read this book.

Polly Dunbar & I visited the E. H. Shepard archive - the illustrator of The Wind in the Willows. We set Polly’s illustration of Portly beside E. H. Shepard’s. It was emotional. Polly gave me the picture as a gift. I love brave little Portly so much. I cannot wait for you all to read this book.

Last night I went to the gym, did a work out. Once home I got into pyjamas at 6pm & ordered pizza 🍕 with a full fat coke. I had dinner in bed while watching Poirot on Netflix. It was sublime. No guilt for the takeout because of the workout & Suchet’s Poirot is perfection.

Had a lovely time talking at the Brighton & Hove Reading conference today with the incredible illustrator and my friend Mr Chris Riddell.

Dear teachers, it is the #NationalYearofReading2026. I've had requests to make a video to encourage reading for classrooms. Here it is. Please share and feel free to use it however you choose: youtu.be/xrAeYD1ZQ1A

Dear teachers, it is the #NationalYearofReading2026. I've had requests to make a video to encourage reading for classrooms. Here it is. Please share and feel free to use it however you choose: youtu.be/xrAeYD1ZQ1A

When you write for children, you need to impress parents, carers, teachers & librarians too. Teachers have been particularly kind about The Impossible Gladiator which charges into bookshops in 2weeks. Thanks to everyone who has read & reviewed any of my books. It matters ❤️

When you write for children, you need to impress parents, carers, teachers & librarians too. Teachers have been particularly kind about The Impossible Gladiator which charges into bookshops in 2weeks. Thanks to everyone who has read & reviewed any of my books. It matters ❤️

Look at this beautiful bug edged book! It’s the special limited edition independent bookshop edition of The Adventures of Portly the Otter. Available to preorder now and if you want one signed & dedicated by me get it from @booknookhove

From battling a large trout to saving a human girl, Portly the Otter from The Wind in the Willows takes the lead in this charming collection of stories from Me & illustrated by Polly Dunbar! Preorder @waterstoneskids.bsky.social exclusive edition here: www.waterstones.com/book/the-adv...

You can read about anything during #NationalYearofReading, so how about some mysteries that explore history? TIME KEYS adventures will take you to Ancient Egypt, Viking Times and The Impossible Gladiator is published in 3 weeks! 😃 It’s my Roman Empire adventure.

The Impossible Gladiator will be charging into bookshops in 4 weeks, but you can read The Legend of Viking Thunder on ebook right now (and throughout January) for 99p!!!