Blog

Sometimes, before you’ve even read one word, a book can be pure joy to hold in your hands. This is particularly true of Oscar Wilde’s Stories for Children, published by Little Island and illustrated by Lauren O’Hara. Aside from the genius of Oscar Wilde’s writing, the other reason this book brings such delight is Lauren O’Hara’s illustrations. With a dreamlike quality that perfectly captures the fairytale character of Wilde’s world, her artwork is mesmerising. Soft and gentle, charming and fascinating, …

True Friends at Fernside is the second book in Sheena Wilkinson’s Fernside series, set at Fernside House, a girls’ boarding school in Belfast, during the mid-1920s. As Linnet prepares to return to Fernside for her second half term, she is full of excitement. She and her cousin Robin are looking forward to seeing their friends again after the holidays. With Special Saturday – a family day – coming up, as well as the chance to spend time at Rowanbank helping …

After the death of her dad, Rowan and her mom move from Arizona in the US to her dad’s homeplace in Ireland. Rowan’s mom won’t tell her why they’ve moved to Ireland, a place Rowan has never even visited. A place where they are strangers. Rowan and her dad had a special bond. They loved hiking, they loved horses and Rowan loved to listen to her dad’s stories. When he died she burned the notebook of his stories, but in …

Set in Belfast in the early years of the twentieth century, Giant tells the imaginary story of 12-year-old Davy and his friendship with 10-year-old Jacks (the young C.S. Lewis, author of The Chronicles of Narnia). Davy’s mum is a servant for the well-off Lewis family, and one day brings Davy to work with her in the hope of finding him a job. There he meets Mrs Lewis who asks him if, alongside his work, he will also play with her …

11-year-old Conn is always in trouble. His enthusiasm, overactive imagination and boundless energy seem to land him on the wrong side of his mum – and his school principal, Mr Cross. When Conn is banned from performing in the school talent show, he decides to take part anyway. However, his daring and dangerous performance doesn’t quite go to plan, almost causing serious injuries and definitely causing pandemonium. Immediately sent home, Conn spends the afternoon at UCD’s National Folklore Collection, where …

When Wild Detective, Arabella Pepper, moves away with her family and her pet crow, Blue, from the island of Little Rock to Greytown (a place perfectly suited to its name), she is torn away from the life she loved. A million miles from the hedgerows, green fields and wildlife of the island, Greytown seems an unlikely place for a Wild Detective, but a spate of missing pets immediately captures Arabella’s attention. Despite her mum’s warnings, Arabella sets about solving the …