First words
#1 in an occasional series… Original cover (left) and how it looks now (right):
‘Refugee’: Children’s Word of the Year
The BBC’s Newsround has announced that ‘refugee’ has been deemed the Children’s Word of the Year. That comes after OUP analysed 120,000 stories written for BBC Radio 2’s 500 Words competition. In October, we published a children’s book (7+) about a very unusual refugee – Angle the crocogator – who has to leave Nowhere to go to Elsewhere. It…
Paul Murdoch: World Book Day availability
Paul Murdoch is the author of Windscape (9+, written under his Sam Wilding pen-name), Talisman (9+, book 1 in The Peck Chronicles) and the forthcoming Citadel and Tyrant titles (books 2 & 3 in the series). He also writes for adults and younger children. He’s an accomplished presenter who has visited many schools and libraries, deploying an…
Q. Which Strident author is in the new Star Wars?
Is it: A. R2D2 B. Harrison Ford C. Hugh Holman Somehow we don’t think you’ll find that one too difficult! And the X-wing? It’s his mode of transport. (In the film, not in real life…)
A 2016 sneaky peek at Citadel
Later this month (Jan 2016) you’ll be able to get your hands on Paul Murdoch‘s Citadel – book 2 in The Peck Chronicles that began with Talisman. We know that many of you will be relishing the prospect of more edge-of-your-seat fantasy adventure. That’s if you haven’t worn out that seat edge already… And it won’t…
Space v hospital
In space, no-one can hear you scream. In hospital, children can’t hear their parents screaming at them to tidy their rooms. That’s why children spend more time in hospitals than in space. (Logical, Captain.) If you haven’t already noticed it, the sign on the wall is good.
Twin Peakes?
Is it just us, or is there a certain similarity between astronaut Tim Peake and Nick Green, author of the Cat Kin trilogy? Both seem to relish jeopardy (certainly if Nick’s books are anything to go by), but only one had a tiny part in a TV drama serial as a child. We hope they’ve sent the…
Don’t say you hadn’t noticed!
Yes, it’s almost Christmas. For us, that’s as much of an excuse as we need to stare in awe at the cover of Emma Barnes‘ Wolfie. It’s not even a Christmas book, but there’s something about that snow… Emma won the Fantastic Book Awards with Wolfie. And no wonder, it’s a dream of a book.…
Hamley is a pog
He’s also one of our favourite aminals. Aminals are, of course, animals that derive from 2 species. Can you guess which species feature in Hamley’s phylogenetic tree. Hamley is a bundle of fun. He crashes into Hugh Holman‘s The Almost Animals like a bowling ball into skittles. Which is your favourite aminal?
The real-life dragon that inspired DarkIsle
Meet the inspiration behind the dragon,Shona, in D A Nelson‘s DarkIsle books. The trilogy has captivated readers worldwide, but starts in Scotland (where the books are widely read in schools and elsewhere). That’s where this massive stone dragon – constructed from the remnants of a disused railway bridge – sits above the dunes in Irvine Beach Park…
Which is your favourite Aminal?
Today sees the publication of Hugh Holman‘s The Almost Animals. It’s a gem of a book aimed at reading age 7+ but which will delight ‘read to’ children from 5 upwards. We wonder what everyone’s favourite aminal will be. And that’s not a spelling mistake – we do mean aminal. Our particular favourite – apart from…
Mossneuk Primary pupils to launch Talisman
It’s all go at East Kilbride’s Mossneuk Primary School, where preparations are in full swing for the launch of Paul Murdoch’s 9+ fantasy novel Talisman on 6 October. Primary 7s are doing the organising – fantastic preparation for their transition to secondary school next year. And they have everything under control. Chairing, reviews, trailers, posters,…
Tie that author down!
Fortunately we didn’t need to. But when we spotted Talisman author Paul Murdoch heading for Waterstones in East Kilbride, we nabbed him and ‘persuaded’ him to sign a few copies for us. The ‘persuaders’ fled their seats before they could be captured on film, but we caught brief sight of one of them as he made a break…
Talisman review
This just in from a young reviewer named Buddy. He’s been lucky enough to have had early sight of Talisman by Paul Murdoch, the 1st book in the Peck Chronicles series. ‘Oh my gosh that was the best book ever! When is the next book out??? My favourite part was when Craig [ah, sorry, we…
From Bali’s man to Talisman…
Children’s author (and sometime rock musician) Paul Murdoch is set to take readers to another world in Talisman, the first novel in his new Peck Chronicles children’s fantasy-adventure series aimed at ages 9+. It’s officially published on 4 September but the books have recently arrived from the printers, so they’re available to order now. Paul recently…
The Almost Animals
We’re thrilled to announce that we’ll be publishing this gem in October. The Almost Animals by Hugh Holman tells the tale of Angle the crocogator’s search for acceptance in Elsewhere. (Angle is the green one on the top ledge, under the WELCOME TO NOWHERE sign.) We adore this book. It’s quirky, uplifting and poignant, with that underdog-deifies-the-odds cleverness…
Danger, danger, danger!
At a recent event at Waterstones in Glasgow’s Argyle Street, their children’s bookseller Lana noted a resurgence in rip-roaring adventure novels. It seems book-buyers are embracing jeopardy again. At Strident we like a good dose of danger and get our kicks not on Route 66, but from reading Matt Cartney’s Danny Lansing Adventures series. Few characters take risks like…
DarkIsle: The Final Battle – ebook now available
The final instalment of D A Nelson‘s brilliant DarkIsle trilogy is now available as an ebook as well as in paperback. Inspired by a huge stone dragon in Irvine, on the west coast of Scotland, this series has captured the imagination of readers around the world with its combination of fantasy, adventure and humour. [metaslider id=1749]…
WOLFIE is a Fantastic Book Awards WINNER!
Wolfie by Emma Barnes announced a winner of the Fantastic Book Awards
Windscape used for school eco projects
Sam Wilding’s eco thriller Windscape is being used by a number of schools running combined literature+eco projects. A neat example of cross-curricularism! (Made up word? Probably!)
Beware! Yeti seen in Blairgowrie & Coupar Angus!
But fear not, author David MacPhail has this beast under control! As a special World Book Day treat, a few lucky pupils in both towns were given a sneak preview of David’s debut, Yeti on the Loose. David was last seen being tape-measured by young readers keen to know how tall a yeti is compared…
Shiver Me Timbers!
It be International Speak Like a Pirate Day t’day, me hearties. Which be the ideal day to be bringing out some scribblings entitled Pyrate’s Boy. They be the workings of an E B Colin, they be. And ye can find ’em in all good bookshops, priced 5 whole pounds and 99 of the little bits…
Matt Cartney’s research trip…to Russia…by motorbike!
Matt Cartney, the intrepid author of the Danny Lansing Adventures series, is at it again. Follow his motorbike journey to Russia…all in the name of research for his next novel. Matt Cartney’s blog on his Russian research adventure
Sam Wilding’s WINDSCAPE features at Edinburgh Botanics
Sam Wilding‘s Windscape title has been chosen as a key part of the ‘Sustainability’ section of the ‘Leafing Through Natural Scotland’ exhibition at Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Garden. Windscape is an adventure thriller for ages 9/10+. It is already widely used in schools to promot discussions about different sources of energy. The backdrop to the book is a move…
New: Trailer for Matt Cartney’s Danny Lansing adventures
Watch: Trailer for The Sons of Rissouli and Red, White & Black by Matt Cartney. Action-packed adventure-thrillers.
Lee novels…the trailer
Click to watch the brand new trailer for the hilarious LEE series…Lee novels trailer
New: trailer for Nick Green’s Cat Kin trilogy
See the great new trailer here! Includes previously unseen artwork. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8HT5gBVgdM&feature=youtu.be
Sam Wilding tours WINDSCAPE novel
This week it’s Bristol’s turn to be entertained and educated by Sam Wilding, with Ayrshire, Northern Ireland and Berwickshire to follow in the next few weeks. There’s great interest in this page-turning adventure from Sam. It’s partly the intrigue of the plot and the quality of the storytelling, but it’s also because it’s backdrop is the sometimes controversial subject of wind…