Following a medical degree, Lissa Evans changed careers to become a comedy producer for radio and TV. Her children’s novels have been shortlisted for the Costa Children’s Book Award, Carnegie Medal, and Branford Boase Award.
Texts & Authors
Authors in the Spotlight
Authors stop by to share their thoughts and free classroom posters convey these.
Chrissie Sains is the author of The Alien in the Jam Factory and The Treasure Under the Jam Factory. Chrissie has a background in marketing and events but now writes full time and is a graduate of the Golden Egg Academy and a member of SCBWI.
Neill Cameron is an award-winning author and cartoonist. He is the creator of several comic books, including the Mega Robo Bros series and How to Make Awesome Comics.
Helen Cooper is an author and illustrator whose books have won lots of awards including the Kate Greenaway Medal - twice. She also writes and illustrates Chapter Books and sometimes writes Picture Books in collaboration with other illustrators.
Larraine Harrison writes books for both teachers and children. She likes to involve children in the writing process by asking them to review her drafts and has managed to persuade her grandchildren to be the models on her book covers.
Shereen Malherbe is a British Palestinian author of novels and children's books. After travelling throughout the Middle East, Shereen now resides in the UK with her husband and four children.
Laura Mucha is an award-winning poet and author whose work has been featured on TV, radio and public transport, as well as in
hospitals, hospices, prisons, magazines and books around the world.
Lucy Strange is a bestselling children’s author. Her novels for booklovers aged 9+ include The Secret of Nightingale Wood, Our Castle by the Sea and The Ghost of Gosswater.
Marcia Williams is famous for her retellings of classic stories. Marcia's humorous comic-strip illustrations are hugely popular all over the world.
Rob Biddulph is a bestselling and multi award-winning author/illustrator whose picture books include Blown Away, Odd Dog Out, Kevin and Show and Tell.
Lucy Courtenay has written over 100 books, both as herself and as a team writer on series such as Beast Quest.
Sue Cheung is an award-winning British-Chinese author/illustrator of books for children and young adults.
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
Megan Graham has chosen some delightful text recommendations for this month
Eve Morton has selected her own choice of fascinating top texts for May
Jennifer Farrar has chosen some wonderful texts this month by Scottish Authors.
Erin has chosen her top three graphic novels for this month.
Miranda has chosen some powerful texts for early and secondary years.
Katie Bareham has selected some delightful picture fiction for this month.
Jo Bowers has selected some marvellous texts with a Welsh theme.
Tom Brassington has selected three of his favourite choice of texts this month.
Danni Cooke has chosen some brilliant texts for Year 3-4
Barbara Bleiman has chosen some thrilling texts for KS3.