Hello everyone! A new episode of my very occasional podcast about children's literature is now available. This one's about Elinor M. Brent-Dyer and I hope you enjoy open.spotify.com/episode/371D...

I remember reading Persepolis for the first time and seeing it in the cinema and just thinking about what a definition of bravery every inch of that was. A remarkable, brilliant talent and one who just was so, so good. Alongside Persepolis, please also look at "Woman Life Freedom". Such a talent.

Narrative nonfiction books for children aged 5-13, with illustrated recounts by Olivia Meikle, John Francis, David Long, Claire Saxby, Dr Jessica L. Ware, Thomas Harding, Sarah Courtauld & more. schoolreadinglist.co.uk/genres/narra... #teachertwitter #kidlit

On my way into school. We’ll have prospective science teacher trainees visiting and sitting in on our classes over the next couple of weeks. If you know anyone who’s going to train as a science teacher, you should buy them a copy of this. Read the reviews to see why

Hello! I am "doing a substack" as the kids say (do the kids ever actually say this? what is life?). Anyway, if you would like to follow, it is here: substack.com/@daisymayjoh... and I would very much like to follow you back in return. Thank you!

Hello! I am "doing a substack" as the kids say (do the kids ever actually say this? what is life?). Anyway, if you would like to follow, it is here: substack.com/@daisymayjoh... and I would very much like to follow you back in return. Thank you!

Good morning! Today's read is Chin Up Chest Out Jemima by Mary Cadogan which I'm revisiting for a paper I have to deliver soon.

"Child-authored writing must be understood, explained, rationalised. It must be made sense of in a way that adult-authored work is rarely subjected to. It must be controlled. Owned. Made lesser than. (Oh, the fretful discourse of adults!)" bigbootsandadventures.wordpress.com/2026/06/01/t...

Good morning! Today's read is My Own Schooldays by Angela Brazil which is her "autobiography" I say that because it's an absolute piece of art in how it lets you know precisely what she wants you to know and nothing else. It'd be an excellent paired read with the The Story of My Life by Enid Blyton.

if you need me i’ll be whispering the words “peach-house at scone palace” to myself

Also, if you borrow an author's book from a library in the UK, that author gets more than 12 pence per loan in Public Lending Rights. Any author can earn up to £6,600 per year this way. That’s more than I’ve been paid by any publisher this year.

whenever i think "i own enough t shirts already" i see something like this

Good afternoon! If you'd like to read a longform non-fiction / personal memoir on the connections between a four year old writer, a liberal arts experiment set up in Devon by two Americans, the Cambridge spy circle, then you're in luck: bigbootsandadventures.wordpress.com/2026/06/01/t...

I'm standing in a queue and it is a delight of Britishness.

Good afternoon! Today's read is West End Front - the story of London's hotels at war - by Matthew Sweet. So far there's a thousand different stories in it begging to be made into films - not in the least the dude that flooded the Savoy's courtyard so he could have tea on a gondola (I mean). #booksky

I LOVE hearing about small publishers doing cool stuff in the world of children's (and there will always be blog space for you on my site for you to talk about your cool stuff). Please say hello!

Today, we're going to zero in instead on the small publishers that produce rare, wild, interesting, strange books for kids. Say hello to @doremibooks.bsky.social, Messy Press & @medicinewheelpub.bsky.social via @pubspotlight.bsky.social : #kidlit 📚👍 afuse8production.slj.com/2026/05/27/p...

Come join Pushkin Press! We're looking for a full time accounts & royalties assistant to help out our finance team - we'd love to welcome you to our London office. Applications close 12th June 📝 jobs.thebookseller.com/career/29002...

I would like a small bookshop and gathering space.

Good morning! It's time to share my favourite literary quote about the weather... "‘Eh, it’s ’ot,’ he said, his accent at once betraying him for a Yorkshire man. ‘ ’Ot for this time o’ t’ year it is.’"

I often think of my 'ketchup bottle' rule in the great reading discussions of our time (thank YOU impromptu Gandalf). But my point is that reading the ketchup bottle and decoding its narrative counts - as does reading the back of the cereal packet (some of the earliest primary universal texts!)

This sort of thing always reminds me of the person who wrote "liars" next to every mention of a [redacted political party] in the library book.

logging on to bluesky

Online Talk: “Indigenous Futurisms and the Young Adult Dystopia: Reading Cherie Dimaline's The Marrow Thieves and Hunting by Stars” by Dr. Katarzyna Baran University of Wrocław 8 June 2026 18.00 (CET) Please register using this link: forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/respon... or scan the QR code

Teachers, schools, librarians - have you entered the @harpercollins.bsky.social Reading for Pleasure Awards yet? Recognition for the work you do + winners receive £250 of books from HarperCollins Children’s Books, Farshore, @barringtonstoke.bsky.social #EduSky booksforkeeps.co.uk/entries-open...

Tuesday 26th. May, 17:30-19:00. @catgqf.bsky.social will present her work on girls' swimming lessons from c.1890 to 1914. The research was inspired by comments in a National School logbook about the girls starting swimming lessons, and flowed from there. www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...

Congratulations to the amazing Fantasy Book Swap!!

Good afternoon! I am sorting the old shelves out and have a spare copy of You're A Brick Angela by the estimable Cadogan and Craig. I always like this sort of title to go to a good home so if you're interested, send me a private message or just reply, thank youuu!

We hit another threshold today! Hurrah! Thank you for supporting this eccentric little endeavour ❤️

Good morning! A quick note to say that all the below applies at any time of the day (but not after 9pm, we all need a kip, let's not push it) and I'd love to come and do stuff with you.

Not now, Bernard #TinyGarak

Recently updated on our site: Authors, illustrators and poets who visit schools in the UK & Ireland. 📚👍🏼 schoolreadinglist.co.uk/resources/au... #kidlit Browse our UK and Ireland directory of children’s authors, poets and illustrators for school visits, with trusted recommendations, virtual o...

We are now open for New Writers Awards 2027 applications. In the comments, tag the talented writer, poet, or spoken word artist in your life to encourage them to apply for a year of tailored development and support. Deadline: 29 July 2026 ✍️

I will come on your podcast very happily and nerd out with you very happily, no questions asked, let's get our nerd on 👍

Will I ever be able to cope with hotel toasters? No, I shall not.

Recently updated on our K12 site: Fairy tales for children. 📚👍🏼 k-12readinglist.com/genres/fairy... #kidlit Fairy tales for children including books by Robert Sabuda, Rachel Isadora, Jan Brett, Jon Scieszka, Eric A. Kimmel, John Steptoe, Susan Midd...

Thrilled I've got 150 responses to my survey on personal tutoring! I'm aiming for 200 responses, so if you're an academic in UK HE who's had pastoral responsibility for students in the last five years, whatever that's called, with ten minutes spare, I'd love to hear from you. Do share if you can.

reminder that I keep a list of original fantasy and science fiction for adults published in Celtic languages, and I am always looking to expand it: anduilleaggheal.neocities.org/ficsean-speu... if you know of anything that's missing, please let me know!

I GET LOGGED OUT. BUT I LOG IN AGAIN

A sneaky quick trip back to familiar climes today. An absolute pleasure to meet old friends and make new!

🎶 When you're in a new area, spot a second hand bookshop, swoop in, emerge at the till five seconds later with a handful of EJOS, that's amore. 🎶

she’s in oakland, someone tell interpol

I'll caveat this by saying that I am an ancient adult type but I pick: - Millions, Frank Cottrell Boyce - A Little Love Song, Michelle Magorian - No Castanets At The Wells, Lorna Hill - The Chalet School In Exile, Elinor M. Brent-Dyer - Flambards, KM Peyton #KidLitUK #UKKidLit #KidLit

I’m really looking forward to my first ever visit to Rock Road Library in Cambridge, Wednesday 20 May, 7.15pm to talk about Atlantic Furies & amazing women pilots. Come & say Hi! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/atlantic-f...

YOUNG HAG IS VERY VERY GOOD (Arthurian legend retelling, comic book, lady led, wry meta, I am DELIGHTED).

The 😍 I just made

Mark International Transgender Day of Visibility🏳️‍⚧️with books for children and teens that support empathy, discussion and inclusion at school and home. Booklist curated by the LGBTQIA+ owned School Reading List website. #TDOV schoolreadinglist.co.uk/genres/inter...

We’re appointing a writer-in-residence! Join us to respond to our holdings related to the Bloomsbury Group (including the archives of Leonard and Virginia Woolf’s Hogarth Press) ahead of a major exhibition in 2027. Applications close 19 May. Best of luck! collections.reading.ac.uk/news-and-vie...

Good morning! 1. If you're after a very charming, supernatural, Heartstopper meets Buffy, lyrical kind of graphic novel with witches, Arcana by Sam Prentice-Jones is a treat and 2. Today's read is Young Hag by Isabel Greenberg which I am very much looking forward to. #booksky #comics

This is your periodic reminder that word of mouth moves more books than any formal advertising! I invite you to rec something you've recently enjoyed -- preference for the stuff that's *not* already extremely well-known and talked about everywhere.