Leaf Journal: On Writing for Young People

It's the last few weeks of my children's lit in the 20th century class w/ the Uni of Cambridge & it's been a pleasure to teach. Every student brings something new and thoughtful to the table and it's always a joy. A new intake starts in Sept - come and join us? www.pace.cam.ac.uk/courses/brit...

We're in our final flurry of conference paper proposals and workshop pitches! You have until Monday, 11th August to get in touch with ideas. Have something to say about creative writing for young people? We want to hear it! ojs.library.lancs.ac.uk/lj/conference #kidsbooks #booksky #academicsky

We're in our final flurry of conference paper proposals and workshop pitches! You have until Monday, 11th August to get in touch with ideas. Have something to say about creative writing for young people? We want to hear it! ojs.library.lancs.ac.uk/lj/conference #kidsbooks #booksky #academicsky

3 year old: [silently hands me a book]

me: “do you want me to read this to you?”

3 year old: “I mean. I can’t read. so.”

Green leaves surrounding a text box. The text reads: On Writing for Young People. Call for Papers! Writers for young people in the academy, share your insights. Deadline for Proposals 11th August. Online Conference 20-21 Nov 2025.

Just over two weeks left to get conference paper/workshop proposals in for 'On Writing for Young People'; conference online in Nov. Ideas from both faculty and students welcome. Full details: ojs.library.lancs.ac.uk/lj/conference #ukkidlit #academicsky #booksky

Leaf Journal: On Writing for Young People, Volume Three includes 'A Guide to Responsible Scaring: What are the Limitations of Horror in Young Adult Fiction?' by Dant Hunt ojs.library.lancs.ac.uk/lj/article/v... #ukkidlit #academicsky #booksky

Leaf Journal: On Writing for Young People, Volume Three includes, 'A Practice-Based Research Approach to Selecting Point of View in a Young Adult Fantasy Fiction Novel' by Julia OConnor ojs.library.lancs.ac.uk/lj/article/v... #ukkidlit #academicsky #booksky

Leaf Journal: On Writing for Young People, Volume Three includes, 'The Evolution of AI Characters in Children’s Literature' by Rachel Hamilton & Christopher Piper ojs.library.lancs.ac.uk/lj/article/v... #ukkidlit #academicsky #booksky

Leaf Journal: On Writing for Young People, Volume Three includes, 'Writing Generative Black Anger in Young Adult Historical Fiction' by Laura E. Jacquemond ojs.library.lancs.ac.uk/lj/article/v... #ukkidlit #academicsky #booksky

Leaf Journal: On Writing for Young People, Volume Three includes, 'Navigating Disability in Children’s Publishing: Insights from Disabled Authors' by Daniela Rozental and @joannanadin.bsky.social ojs.library.lancs.ac.uk/lj/article/v... #ukkidlit #academicsky #booksky

Leaf Journal: On Writing for Young People, Volume Three includes, 'The Child’s Experience of Relatives with Mental Health Problems: How Can Middle Grade Authors Combat Stigma?' by Hannah Durkan ojs.library.lancs.ac.uk/lj/article/v... #ukkidlit #academicsky #booksky

Leaf Journal: On Writing for Young People, Volume Three includes, 'The Child’s Experience of Relatives with Mental Health Problems: How Can Middle Grade Authors Combat Stigma?' by Hannah Durkan ojs.library.lancs.ac.uk/lj/article/v... #ukkidlit #academicsky #booksky

Catching Up with Comics Laureate Bobby Joseph Comics Laureate Bobby Joseph continues his mission to promote comics as a medium and reach and encourage new readers, young and old, through workshops, presentations and other events. Just in the past week, the busy comic creator, whose new book, My Dad Fights Demons! drawn by Abbigayle Bircham is published by SelfMadeHero in September, was at the British Library, discussing how comics can impact reading for children as part of this year’s…

Comics Laureate Bobby Joseph continues his mission to promote comics as a medium and reach and encourage new readers, young and old, through workshops, presentations and other events

Leaf Journal: On Writing for Young People, Volume Three includes, 'Inventing the Perfect Crush: Arguing for Middle-Grade Narratives with Aromantic Leads' by Varsha Varghese ojs.library.lancs.ac.uk/lj/article/v... #ukkidlit #academicsky #booksky #lgbtq

Graphic with photos of winning editors of the 2025 Branford Boase Award, Alice Swan and Ama Badu.

Decorative graphic with photo of the winner of the 2025 Branford Boase Award, Margaret McDonald

Congratulations to Margaret McDonald and her editors Alice Swan and Ama Badu, winners of the 2025 #BranfordBoaseAward for the year's outstanding debut novel for young people with GLASGOW BOYS @faberchildrens.bsky.social 💐💐💐#KidLit #KidLitUK #BookSky
booksforkeeps.co.uk/margaret-mcd...

Leaf Journal: On Writing for Young People, Volume Three includes, 'Queering the Short Story Cycle for Young Adult Fiction' by Chloe Cannell.
Available at: ojs.library.lancs.ac.uk/lj/article/v... #ukkidlit #academicsky #booksky #lgbtq

Leaf Journal: On Writing for Young People, Volume Three includes, 'The Trickster Figure in Queer YA: A Case Study of Margaret Owen’s "Little Thieves"' by Alex Henderson.
Available at: ojs.library.lancs.ac.uk/lj/article/v... #ukkidlit #academicsky #booksky #lgbtq

Words to describe the NYOR aims

A National Year of Reading 2026 👏👏 to ‘change the nation’s culture’ is Good News! 👏👏 A DfE initiative with NLT as delivery partner @jonnybid.bsky.social @jonny-walker.bsky.social @rootedinreading.bsky.social @openingdoors.bsky.social Do share and get involved! 👏 www.nationalyearofreading.org.uk

Leaf Journal: On Writing for Young People, Volume Three includes, 'Beyond the Binary: Shapeshifting and Nonbinary Identity in Middle-Grade Speculative Fiction' by Candice Lemon-Scott.

Available: ojs.library.lancs.ac.uk/lj/article/v... #ukkidlit #academicsky #booksky #lgbtq

I'm in this one!

My article 'A Guide to Responsible Scaring' features alongside some phenomenally inspiring and thought-provoking pieces written by talented authors.

A huge thanks to the Leaf Journal team for their generosity and time, this was so much fun

A blue sky filled with colourful umbrellas. The text reads 'Leaf Journal Volume Three Now Published: scholarly article on the practice of creative writing for young people'

We have 10 articles with a greater international focus than ever. There are 3 emergent themes in this volume: LGBTQ+ writing; writing through a disability and mental health lens, & the broad intersection of ethics and craft. ojs.library.lancs.ac.uk/lj/issue/vie... #ukkidlit #academicsky #booksky

A real honour to write the introduction to The Poetry World of John Agard from @otterbarrybooks.bsky.social I shared John’s poetry with many of the classes I taught over the years. The book is a beautiful collection of greatest hits, edited by @charliehacking.bsky.social

#CFP: Crossing Borders, Shifting Selves: Migration, Liminality, and the Reimagining of Childhood in Global Children’s Literature
IRCL Special Congress Issue
Deadline: November 1 2025
Email: Johari Murray (jnals.cc@gmail.com) and Izaskun Elorza (iea@usal.es); and Roxanne Harde (rharde@ualberta.ca)

Dear all! I have a new intake starting on July 7th for my course on British children's literature in the 20th century and it would be lovely to have you there. www.ice.cam.ac.uk/course/briti.... More than happy to answer any questions on this - do feel free to message.

Delighted to join Dr Melanie Ramdarshan Bold and @ksandsoconnor.bsky.social for a panel that explored Englishness, Britishness and children’s literature at @irscl2025_usal. A great conference - thank you to all who worked to make it happen!

A leafy background, with the following text overlaid onto the leaves: 'On Writing for Young People. Call for Papers! Writers for young people in the academy, share your insights. Call for Workshops! Get the audience writing. Online Conference 20-21 Nov 2025.

Call for Papers! Call for Workshop Leaders! Writers for young people in the academy - students or faculty - come and share your insights with your community.
Details: ojs.library.lancs.ac.uk/lj/conference
Speakers attend for free. #ukkidlit #kidlituk #booksky #academicsky

Dear IRSCL members,
The 27th IRSCL congress starts tomorrow!
You can find the updated programme here:
irscl2025salamanca.usal.es/english-prog...
See you in Salamanca!

Definitely not my first time (1997!) but so pleased to be on an @irscl.bsky.social panel with @darrenchetty.bsky.social and @drmrb.bsky.social! Hope to see many of you there!

#kidlituk

Graphic with Refugee Week books for kids and teens: Persepolis, Phoenix Brothers, Everything Sad is Untrue, inside Out and Back Again, Migrants, to The Other Side, The Crossing, The Power of Welcome, When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit

Graphic with book covers: The Shell keepers, Super Nani and Captain Yaz, Phoenix Brothers

Graphic with photographs of three authors: Sita Brahmachari, truly Johnston and Saira Shah.

Sharing my #RefugeeWeek picks – it was a delight to hear Sita Brahmachari talk about 'Phoenix Brothers', her brilliant new OUP Reading Rollercoasters novella for teens at our recent SailFest launch – the recording will be up on our YouTube channel soon!
www.youtube.com/@SailFestUK/...