Last night we had the pleasure of launching our Spring Children’s Books list in @hodgesfiggis.bsky.social, happy reading!

We’re really looking forward to welcoming @gerrydalyart.bsky.social back for an event on Sat 18th April at 3pm! Age 4+. Gerry will be reading and drawing from his latest book What’s that Sp00ky Sound? Tickets €5, redeemable against the book. Tickets here halfwayupthestairs.ie/product/1804...

I’ve made some new drawing (and painting too!) vids for ‘What’s That SpOOky Sound?’ The first is of a pygmy shrew watching a butterfly who can do some thing she wishes she could too… FLY! More to come, and loads more on my YouTube page @theobrienpress.bsky.social m.youtube.com/watch?v=rUi9...

"This is a very special story of bravery, friendship and looking out for each other, ending on a high-flying note!" Lovely review from @childrensbooksireland.ie childrensbooksireland.ie/our-recommen... @gerrydalyart.bsky.social

Amazed that my event at the brill @phizzfest.bsky.social on May 9th is already booked out 😮 There’s so much fun stuff on. Check out their programme if you’re nearby. @theobrienpress.bsky.social #picturebook #picturebookillustration #illustration

Nicola Pierce's Great Irish Wives, winner of the History Book of the Year at the An Post Irish Book Awards, is now signed! I love this book! It gives the women history sidelined their full due & does it in such a vivid, readable, generous way. Nicola Pierce The O’Brien Press

Gerry Daly was in signing copies of 'It's Too Dark, Puffling' & 'What's That Spooky Sound?'! The best children’s books do more than tell a story – they become part of family rituals & we remember them as tiny pieces of childhood. Gerry Daly, The O’Brien Press

Signed and doodled copies of What’s That SpOOky Sound? and Puffling books @chaptersbookstore.bsky.social I love the golden stickers for ‘signed by’ books 😊 @theobrienpress.bsky.social #picturebook #illustration

Fab display at The Winding Stair bookshop window in Dublin 😊 #picturebook #illustration @theobrienpress.bsky.social @futafata.bsky.social

Some new colour in pages for What's That SpOOky Sound? Might be handy during the school break 😊🐣 These and many more downloads are on my website or on the @theobrienpress.bsky.social website pages for each book. Thanks to @artscouncilireland.bsky.social for support in making this book

I must have signed 200+ books in Dublin today & ALL are doodled on too 😊 First was @hodgesfiggis.bsky.social Then two @dubray-books.bsky.social branches at Grafton St & Mary St. Plus @gutterbookshop.bsky.social in Temple Bar. I’ll be signing more soon 🙂 @theobrienpress.bsky.social

Thank you @childrensbooksireland.ie for the fab review of What's That SpOOky Sound? 😊 “A real treat” Out now from @theobrienpress.bsky.social childrensbooksireland.ie/our-recommen...

HaPpy publication day 🥳 What’s That SpOOky Sound? Out now from @theobrienpress.bsky.social Thanks to @artscouncilireland.bsky.social for support in making this book. Looking forward to upcoming events! #picturebook #illustration www.youtube.com/shorts/sM5_D...

Happy publication day to Gerry Daly’s stunning new picture book ‘What's That Spooky Sound?’ Available in all bookshops! @gerrydalyart.bsky.social

Happy Publication Day to... What's That Spooky Sound? by @gerrydalyart.bsky.social: the storm leaves a mystery to be solved;charming tale of friendship & bravery; delightful,heartwarming, & filled with little surprises. @theobrienpress.bsky.social fallenstarstories.wordpress.com/2026/04/02/w...

The O’Brien Press’ Managing Director Ivan O’Brien and author Marita Conlon-McKenna visited the Ulster American Folk Park today to celebrate the opening of the ‘Under the Hawthorn Tree’ exhibition, based on Marita’s beloved children’s novel.

The last character to introduce to you from What’s That SpOOky Sound? is the pygmy shrew. Our smallest native mammal. Always hungry, and can eat 125% its body weight every day which is just 2-6g! Published by @theobrienpress.bsky.social this week 😊 #illustration #picturebook

First time seeing my new book What’s That SpOOky Sound? in a shop! Thanks Bridge Street Books in Wicklow for the fab display. Many books there now signed and doodled on 😊 @theobrienpress.bsky.social #picturebook #illustration #nature #childrensbooks

Last drawing vid from Puffling and the Stormy Sea … the basking shark! These gentle giants are recently back in big numbers along the Irish west coast. @erikamcgann.bsky.social @theobrienpress.bsky.social #drawing #picturebook #illustration m.youtube.com/watch?v=xSnm...

The red deer is the largest native mammal in Ireland. With the pygmy shrew being the smallest. In What’s That SpOOky Sound? one really surprises the other 😊 Published April 2nd by @theobrienpress.bsky.social #illustration #picturebook #childrensillustration

Pygmy Shrew how do you do? Beautifully crafted in felt by @flockdublin.bsky.social the shrew will be joining me & the rest of the woodland posse for upcoming events 😊 What’s That SpOOky Sound? is pub next week by @theobrienpress.bsky.social

Gannets! A new drawing vid from Puffling and the Stormy Sea by @erikamcgann.bsky.social published by @theobrienpress.bsky.social There are 35000 pairs on little Skellig! m.youtube.com/watch?v=3IJ_...

I’ve made some new drawing vids for Puffling and the Stormy Sea. First up is Puffling with a gannet chick! @erikamcgann.bsky.social @theobrienpress.bsky.social

“An endearing animal quest story for young readers.” m.independent.ie/life/family/... @gerrydalyart.bsky.social

There are loads of downloads for kids on my website www.gerrydalyart.ie Including from Puffling and the Stormy Sea! The most recent fun and pretty wild adventure for little Puffling. The Puffling series is written by @erikamcgann.bsky.social and published by @theobrienpress.bsky.social

My new book What's That SpOOky Sound? is out April 2nd from the fab @theobrienpress.bsky.social The four woodlands friends in the story can't wait. But the badger here is pretty spooked! 😮 #picturebook #picturebookillustration #illustration #picturebooks

My upcoming book What’s That SpOOky Sound? has four woodland friends. I thought to introduce them before publication on April 2nd from @theobrienpress.bsky.social The owl here thinks she is the wisest... #picturebook #picturebookillustration #illustration #owl #childrensbook

It’s the morning after a big storm. Badger, Red Deer, Owl and Pygmy Shrew hear a strange sound. One by one, they set off to investigate. Just what is that sound? It’s kind of … spooky … @gerrydalyart.bsky.social's enchanting new picture book will be published in April 2026!

The inside covers for What’s That Spooky Sound? 😊 Fun to include the pygmy shrew by herself, actual size. They are our teeniest native mammal! 💚 Published by @theobrienpress.bsky.social on April 2nd 😊 #picturebookillustration #picturebook #endpapers #illustration

What’s That Spooky Sound? has arrived already! Fab to receive some early copies 😊 Publishing on April 2nd from @theobrienpress.bsky.social Looking forward to reading and drawing from the story at upcoming events. Where my forest friends will be joining me too 💚 #picturebooks #illustration

My new book 💚

Fantastic to see our titles included in the 2025 Late Late Toy Show! From little Puffling’s new adventure, to an unstoppable GAA duo and the vibrant expression of one of W.B. Yeats’s most memorable poems, these recommendations will delight many of Ireland’s youngest readers.

Puffling and the Stormy Sea in the Toy Show Leabharlann 😀 Well done the book reviewers! @erikamcgann.bsky.social @theobrienpress.bsky.social #picturebook

Yay! 👏⚡️ Huge congrats to Tom, Erika and Shannon 🥳

“I liked it so much I got another one of the series” A lovely review of ‘Puffling and the Stormy Sea’ on today’s Oliver Callan Show from 6 year old Erin 💫

Join us for our annual Books of the Year Online event on Monday 24th November. Check out the fab line up of authors we’ll be talking to below! And we will be giving out a 10% discount code on the night! Book your free ticket here: halfwayupthestairs.ie/product/2411... @sarahwebbwriter.bsky.social

Lots of signed copies of Puffling and the Stormy Sea by @erikamcgann.bsky.social and me at Dubray books in Cork 😊 @theobrienpress.bsky.social

Fab to spot Puffling’s new book in Dublin’s Winding Stairs window with the gorgeous new book from Lauren O’Hara and Oscar Wilde 😊 @erikamcgann.bsky.social @theobrienpress.bsky.social #illustration #picturebooks

Lovely to visit J. Joyce & Co. shop in Cork today and sign / doodle lots of new Puffling books! 😊 @erikamcgann.bsky.social @theobrienpress.bsky.social

Puffling’s new book by @erikamcgann.bsky.social and me spotted in the Eason window on Nassau Street Dublin. Already looking pretty Christmassy! @theobrienpress.bsky.social

🎉 PUB DAY 🎉 I was so lucky to get to work with the wonderful Tom McCaughren on this book, which is gorgeously illustrated by Shannon Bergin. Have read it at a few events already and it's going down a storm! 🌟📚🌟

We always enjoy thinking up endpapers for the Puffling books. For Puffling and the Stormy Sea (just out from @theobrienpress.bsky.social ) we focused on the basking shark who plays a starring role. The front endpapers are a wallpaper. Is that a rabbit with a beak? Yes 😊 @erikamcgann.bsky.social

“Erika and Gerry's Puffling is one of the best picture book series out there, and this new entry meets the bar they've set.” readandreviews.blogspot.com/2025/09/obri... @erikamcgann.bsky.social @gerrydalyart.bsky.social

Happy publication day to ‘Puffling and the Stormy Sea’ written by @erikamcgann.bsky.social and illustrated by @gerrydalyart.bsky.social 🌊   Available in all bookshops!

🎉PUB DAY🎉 Puffling and the Stormy Sea by me and @gerrydalyart.bsky.social is out today! Published by @theobrienpress.bsky.social and available in your lovely local bookshop 😊

Happy book birthday Puffling! 🥳🌟 Out today from @theobrienpress.bsky.social Puffling and the Stormy Sea is an amazing new adventure for Puffling by @erikamcgann.bsky.social and was a total joy to illustrate. Huge thanks to all the OBP team 😊 #picturebook #illustration #discoveririshkidsbooks

Puffling and the Stormy Sea will be published trw by @theobrienpress.bsky.social It was a lot of fun to illustrate @erikamcgann.bsky.social ’s amazing new Puffling story 😊 I really enjoyed painting many stormy sea scenes. Using impasto, gouache, oil pastel. #picturebook #illustration #puffin

Coming soon from @theobrienpress.bsky.social a gorgeous and stunning new book from @erikamcgann.bsky.social and Conor Busuttil! #picturebook #discoveririshkidsbooks

‘Puffling and the Stormy Sea’ is the newest addition to @erikamcgann.bsky.social and @gerrydalyart.bsky.social’s Puffling books family! When a brave little puffling from Skellig Michael ends up far from home, will her new friends be able to help her find her way back? Out next week!

More bookish goodness! The super-sweet Puffling and the Stormy Sea by @erikamcgann.bsky.social and @gerrydalyart.bsky.social; games and mystery are afoot in Blowing the Whistle by Gerard Siggins, and it's creepytimes at sea with Amy Clerkin and Where the Shadows Hide. #OBrienPress