Sophie McKenzie was born in London, studied at university there, and worked as a journalist, an editor and a creative writing tutor before turning to writing full time.
Texts & Authors
Authors in the Spotlight
Authors stop by to share their thoughts and free classroom posters convey these.
Atinuke was born in Nigeria and spent her childhood in both Africa and the UK. She is the author of the bestselling Anna Hibiscus and No. 1 Car Spotter series, as well as Africa, Amazing Africa: Country by Country.
Wendy Meddour has published over 25 internationally successful children’s books and is best known for writing award-wining picture books that tackle challenging topics in uplifting ways.
Eloise's middle grade novels have won the Wales Arts Review Young People’s Book of the Year, the Wolverhampton Children’s Book Award, the YBB Book Award, and have been shortlisted for the Tir na nOg, the NE Book Awards and Wales Book of the Year.
Natasha Farrant is the author of the Costa Award winning novel, Voyage of the Sparrowhawk, bestselling middle-grade novels, The Children of Castle Rock and The Rescue of Ravenwood.
Kieran's books have won several awards, including the Blue Peter Best Story and the Prix Sorcières. He is inspired by a life-long love of fantasy stories.
Carnegie Medal winning Tanya Landman is the author of more than forty books for children and young adults.
Anna James is a writer and journalist. Before turning her hand to writing children’s books Anna was a secondary school librarian for 5 years, Book News Editor at The Bookseller magazine and Literary Editor of Elle UK.
Manjeet Mann is an actress, playwright, screenwriter, and director. She is founder of Run the World and author of two award winning YA novels - Run, Rebel and The Crossing.
Beverley Naidoo is the Carnegie Medal-winning author of many novels for children and young adults. Much of Beverley’s writing is influenced by her upbringing during the apartheid years in South Africa.
Author of over 35 award-winning titles, he also writes dyslexic-friendly books - Gamer, Ninja and SPEAR – and the highly popular DFE-validated Little Wandle phonics series Jake and Jen.
Ken Wilson-Max was born in Zimbabwe. His first book was published in 1993 and since then there have been over 70, with a string of national and international awards.
Children's Choices
Each month we’re asking children in classrooms up and down the UK to decide what their recommended book is, and to give us some interesting titbits to get us started.
A Story Like the Wind
A group of people are fleeing their country… on a small boat, with a small hope, in a rising wind, on a rising sea. This small hope comes from stories shared between them – stories that unite them
Joan Procter, Dragon Doctor
As a child, Joan Procter was given a crocodile as a birthday present! This is the true story of how she grew up to become an important reptile expert, even though most scientists at that time were men. The book explains how she designed the Reptile House at London Zoo and became well known for her brave work with Komodo dragons.
Top Texts
Every month a guest recommends three books
Marilyn Mottram has chosen a beautiful mix of texts for this month
Bethan Jones has chosen a wonderful selection of captivating texts
Mary-Rose Grieve has selected a delightful choice of explorative texts this month.
Tash Hyde has chosen a wonderful mix of texts for KS1, KS2 and KS3
Witham St Hughs have sent some wonderful recommedations for this month
Rebecca Kennedy has chosen a delightful mix of texts for July
Amy Greatrex has chosen some of her favourite picture fiction for EYFS
Dr Julie Blake has selected a wonderful collection of poems great for sharing aloud
Sue Rook has chosen some delightful picture books for April
Kate Sayer has picked some wonderful picture fiction for this month