Fallen Star Stories

Each year at this time here in Galway, we are excitedly preparing for Baboró International Arts Festival for Children. Baboró brings a world of art, theatre, music, dance and literature for young people to Galway through a fantastic line-up of school and public events that are well-worth attending, whether you are a child or a child-at-heart. I want to focus on this year's expanded literature programme...it is filled with bigger and better and more events surrounding the world of childrens' books than ever before. On Monday, 16th of October, Ryan Tubridy and PJ Lynch will be will be talking about their collaboration in creating their wonderful new book, Patrick and the President; the story from a young persons perspective of John F Kennedys' Presidential trip to Ireland. Our own Patricia Forde will be presenting a bi-lingual event in which younger school children will get to visit the school for tooth fairies and also meet Lísín the pirate!(Thursday, 19th October)

A week ago, I played a small part of the launch of Genesis , the much-anticipated sequel to Oasis by Eilis Barrett; this time at Charlie Byrnes Bookshop in Galway. Vinny Brown introduces Eilis Eilis is a remarkable young woman, as you might imagine since she is 18 years old and this is her second book. ( Oasis was published when she was 16.) Articulate and accomplished, it is a real privilege to know her, to hear her speak and to read her writing. Genesis author: Eilis Barrett publisher: Gill Books (8 September 2017 ISBN: 9780717174355 Genesis picks up the story of Quincy Emerson. She now finds herself a captive once again, in the maximum-security prison, the Colosseum as a security risk. Held in deplorable and brutal conditions in the prison, where anarchy rules and rival gangs wage a 'street war' of sorts, Quincy takes care to not make an enemy of either gang boss, while holding allegiance to no one but herself and her comrades on the outside. Food is scarce an

(It has been a busy week, post CBI conference; so apologies for now catching you up before now.) The Childrens Books Ireland conference is actually my favourite weekend of the year. CBI always puts on a great show, with amazing speakers and great comradery all the way around. It's a time to catch up with like-minded people working in childrens' literature, find out what's been happening in their lives and what's coming next in the world of childrens' books...so it does take some time to absorb all the information. I always leave feeling inspired and happy. Here are some of the highlights... Day one.... CBI is celebrating 20 years! With many new incentives and schemes to bring books to children of all ages, it is going to be a very exciting year for childrens' literature in Ireland. Happy 20th, CBI! Lucy Cousins is the creator of Maisy (as you may know) and so many other beloved characters in childrens' books over the last twenty or so years. Created