Helen Jones

Me too and I also remember the things I wish I hadn’t done or said.

Our Picture Fiction panellists, chaired by the brilliant @kashleyenglish.bsky.social, have loved reading and sharing the incredible picture books submitted. Not long to wait till we reveal our longlists!

Angel of Grasmere

Still time to head over to the shop @scholasticuk.bsky.social and pick up some pretty top notch new releases and get a hefty discount at the same time including these absolute gems pictured. Nina Peanut is fast becoming a must have book in KS2

Schools! It's the last week to take advantage of our early bird offer: TWO sets of books per category instead of one! Sign up here:
www.sparkbookawards.co.uk/schools/scho...

Our 11+ Panel members are excited by the fantastic range of books we've been sent this year for the teen category - longlisting is going to be a difficult job! @rebeccarouillard.bsky.social

A pink background with multicoloured arcs in left top & bottom right corners. Against this is a visual asset of the book pack: Reflecting Realities Book Pack Key Stage 1&2. Letterbox Library logo in bottom left corner. 4 book covers are shown: Dance Just Like So! Faruq and the Wiri Wiri (Both picture books) Nikhil & Jay Off to India Alyssa & the Spell Garden (Both chapter books) Beneath asset is white lettering ‘to enter’ followed by 3 icons; Person with text “follow” Speech bubble with “Drop a 😍” Heart with “sign up!”

1/2 ⭐️SCHOOLS!

⭐️BOOK PACK #giveaway

Author @sophieanderson.bsky.social is kindly gifting 1 UK-based Primary School a Reflecting Realities Book Pack.

TO ENTER:
1] follow
2] reply “ ⛄️ ”
3] sign up to our quarterly newsletter letterboxlibrary.com/subscribers

CLOSES 5PM 26th November
#KidLitUK
…

⛄️

Savannah landscape. Orange, purple and blue shadows. Sky with streaks of orange and blue. Flying birds in silhouette. Trees. Cute golden haired lion cub with hazel eyes in foreground.

Woman with red hair in up style dressed in yellow reading a book walking away from grand building with marble frontage in Beaux Arts architecture style with pillars, arched window & stained glass.

Different hues of deep blue , sky blue and turquoise representing rain clouds. Droplets. Title in bold letters of contrasting shades of blue.

📚WWW meme- What I’ve just read, What I’m currently reading and what I am reading next. 📚#bookbloggers #librarians @carnegiemedals.bsky.social #UKKidLit #Libraries #New York #Historicalfiction #MG #animaladventures 🦁#fantasy

Cover of Spirit Warriors by Gashwayne Hudson

Cover of Runaways by Margaret Hope

Cover of The Appletree Animal Agency Collie Chaos! by Gill Smith

I finished the battle for ancient magic in the fantastic Spirit Warriors by @ashleythorpe.bsky.social this morning. Just started Runaways by @elnorrywriter.bsky.social and have Collie Chaos by Katya Balen on the top of my tbr pile. #UKKidLit #KidLitUK

Covers of seven Adventuremice books: Otter Chaos, Mermouse Mystery, Mice on the Ice, Mice on the Moon, The Ghostly Galleon, Mice Camera Action!, and the new book, Mousehole to the Centre of the Earth. Don’t worry, you don’t need to read the books in order, you can start with the new one or anywhere else! If you’re wondering what age the books are aimed at, they’re popular with kids ages 5-8, but younger children enjoy the books being read to them, and older children (such as 12-year-olds) enjoy the artwork and the sense of a cosy comfort read. Often I find adults buying the books for themselves, and even pieces of the original book ink & watercolour artwork, which I sell on the Adventuremice website.

Nothing makes a fabulous stocking stuffer like a highly-illustrated Adventuremice book... or a big ribbon around the whole series!

My co-author & I recently launched book 7; it's backed up with lots of fun, free activities at Adventuremice.com!

@philipreeve.bsky.social
@dfbstoryhouse.bsky.social

Bridge of Storms (A Mortal Engines novel) Check out Bridge of Storms (A Mortal Engines novel) - <P><B>An edge-of-your seat adventure set in the iconic world of Mortal Engines!</B></P><P></P><P><I>Can they get out of the Frying Pan without get...

This is not a drill! A new Mortal Engines book by @philipreeve.bsky.social is coming out in *three months*, A Bridge of Storms! One of my favorite book series -- instant pre-order! And check out the stunning cover by @ianmcque.bsky.social. bookshop.org/p/books/brid...

Poster announcing CREATIVES 4 SUDAN. A sudanese flag is waving behind the text. The rest reads AUCTION NOW LIVE! RAISING LIFE-SAVING FUNDS FOR PEOPLE ESCAPING GENOCIDE IN EL-FASHER, BID TODAY. galabid.com/creatives4sudan

I will be posting about this non stop in the days to come but v excited to say this auction is LIVE! Funds will go to Emergency Response Rooms in Sudan. Perfect xmas presents and treats for you! app.galabid.com/creatives4su... #keepeyesonsudan

This auction is live NOW! Bid bid bid! app.galabid.com/creatives4su...

Children and teens roundup – the best new picture books and novels The return of Charlie and Lola; the second lives of trees; the dangers of time travel; a YA Bluebeard retelling and more

A wonderful flock of great new books for kids & teens incoming: #kidlituk #ukkidlit
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/n...

I am missing #SundayMorningBookChat from @slatterymr.bsky.social but I also have a question for the #KidLit community arising from the last book I read. It seems hard to write a really strong children’s book told fully in first person (from a single character). Hit me up with any stellar examples!

I’ve read a couple recently for @sparkbookaward.bsky.social that might qualify - The Game I Will Never Forget by Onjali Q. Raúf and Wood: Taller, Older, Wiser by Tanya Turner. I think their success lies in the fact that you feel involved in the story - almost part of the family. #KidLitUK #UKKidLit

Thanks to Louise at Birkenhead High for this lovely endorsement. There is only one more week to take advantage of our earlybird deal - 2 sets of shortlisted books instead of one! Don't miss it - sign up now:
sparkbookawards.co.uk/schools/school-sign-up

I love Barbara Henderson’s (@scattyscribbler.bsky.social) work. Barbara writes well researched Scottish historical fiction for kids. River Boy about the building of the Forth Rail Bridge and Black Water referencing part of Robert Burn’s life are particular classroom favourites of mine.

Anything and everything by @ellemcnicoll.bsky.social and @alastairc.com x

Gotta be Alastair Chisholm's Orion Lost - but he's done so much it's hard to pick one! I am Raven also splendid. alastairc.com/books/

Book cover for Orphans of the Tide with silhouettes of 3 children looking at a mystical city.

For this, I have to go with the amazing Orphans of the Tide by @struan-murray.bsky.social. Just a brilliant and fantastically constructed book. #KidLitUK

My first four that I thought of!
Fabulous Scottish authors and fabulous stories too.

@alastairc.com @ellemcnicoll.bsky.social @strangelymagic.bsky.social @sophiecameron.bsky.social

Cover of No Country by Patrice Aggs and Joe Brady

Cover of No Refuge by Patrice Aggs and Joe Brady

I would add these two but also recommend the pallet by @richardruddick.bsky.social - padlet.com/rruddick9zra...

The Spark! Book Award founders, Mark & Debbie, are the joint chairs of our fantastic 9+ Panel.

IT'S WEDNESDAY!

It's #buyastrangerabook day.

The grooviest of all the days.

I'll give out TWO books.

FOR FREE.

If you'd like one, let me know.

Also, if you'd like to #BuyAStrangerABook too, let me know.

It's a thing! Look.

www.biggreenbookshop.com/stuff-you-mi...

UK only.

A train table with a coffee (top-left), a croissant (top-right), a copy of the book DRAGON STORM TOMAS AND IRONSKIN by Alastair Chisholm (bottom-left) and a copy of the book BLITZERS by Alastair Chisholm (bottom-right).

It's #BookWeekScotland day 3!
Day 2 was an absolute blast at Bellyeoman and Masterton primary schools in Fife. Now off to Glasgow for Giffnock and Neilston libraries for some #DragonStorm and #Blitzers fun!
@nosycrow.bsky.social @barringtonstoke.bsky.social @scottishbooktrust.bsky.social #KidLitUk

Illustration by Jamie Smart

Illustration by Debi Gliori.

Illustration by Axel Scheffler.

Bid now on our Christmas Appeal Auction featuring artworks by @jamiesmart.bsky.social, Axel Scheffler, @debigliori.bsky.social and other top illustrators.

shop.scottishbooktrust.com/collections/...

Thanks to Sarah for another lovely quote about the impact of the Spark! School Book Awards...
sparkbookawards.co.uk/schools/school-sign-up

Meet our Non-Fiction Panel, who are currently reading and selecting a longlist under the expert guidance of panel chair Nikki Gamble…