I was delighted to be invited by Lauren Laverne onto her BBC6 Music breakfast show as her Supernature guest on Monday 14th June, to talk about TWITCH, beetles, and my new found love of birdwatching. If you fancy tuning in to the ten minute segment it is an hour and ten minutes into her show and you can HEAR IT HERE.
Twitch flies into bookshops and is spotted as The Times Children's Book of the Week!
Publishing a book is always nerve wracking, but when you haven’t released a solo book in three years, it’s even more so. Twitch is a book that I’m enormously proud of and on an emotional level, it means a lot to me - it’s dedicated to and inspired by my mother-in-law Jane Sparling who passed away last year. So it has been a thing of joy to see so many people celebrating and talking about the book, which has a beautiful cover by the wonderful illustrator Paddy Donnelly.
I was delighted that Twitch was so positively reviewed in the Observer and The Children’s Book of the Week in The Times in publication week. I hope it flies into the hands and hearts of children (and adults too).
Recording the audiobook for Twitch
Whenever it’s possible, I like to voice my own audiobooks. I was once an actor and so really enjoy performing the story. Last week I recorded the audiobook for Twitch and I can’t wait for you to read or listen to this book. It’s a story about friendship and the wonder of birds. I’m pretty proud of it.
I often get asked about how an audiobook is made, so I filmed this behind the scenes video. Have a watch.
Highland Falcon Thief WINS Children's Book of the Year!
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It is with a full heart that I get to tell you today that The Highland Falcon Thief has WON the British Book Awards , Book of the Year in Children’s Fiction. This is the highest accolade in the publishing world. It’s the equivalent of winning an Oscar, but for books, and I couldn’t be more delighted.
Sam and I have such fun writing these books, and during the pandemic lockdown we’ve had many fabulous letters from young readers who have got to travel in their imaginations whilst being stuck at home.
Below is the video of the ceremony, if you fancy seeing Sir Lenny Henry present us with our award, we’re seven minutes in and the first award of the show.
This week M. G. Leonard is The Story Museum's Story Hero!
This week I am The Story Museum Story Hero! It is such an honour. Watch the video below and find out who my childhood story heroes are, and how I discovered the power of having a relationship with nature. Plus I’ll tell you about my current favourite reads and share some AWESOME storytelling tips.
The Highland Falcon Thief is shortlisted for the UKLA Award
My heart is full today, The Highland Falcon Thief is shortlisted for the UKLA. This award is judged and voted for entirely by teachers, and all children’s authors dream of winning because we know that for many children, the classroom can be the first place they encounter books and develop a passion for reading. Teachers are champions of reading, and if they rate your book, you’re doing a good job.
Below are all the shortlists. You can read more about the award here.
The Highland Falcon Thief is shortlisted for Children's Book of the Year
Today we celebrate the tremendous news that The Highland Falcon Thief has been shortlisted as one of the Children’s fiction books of the year in the British Book Awards, which is our equivalent of the book Oscars. We’re up against some of the biggest names in children’s fiction, namely J. K. Rowling and David Walliams, but who knows, perhaps the Highland Falcon will be the little engine that could. Keep your fingers crossed for us. The results are announced in mid May. You can read more about the awards HERE.
Cover Reveal! - Danger at Dead Man's Pass
This week we unveiled the cover for Danger at Dead Man’s Pass, illustrated by Elisa Paganelli. Isn’t it cool? There are so many clues in this picture about the story we’re telling in this, the fourth Adventures on Trains book.
Here’s the blurb:
Harrison Beck investigates an ancient family curse high in the German mountains.
A mysterious letter from an old friend asks Hal and Uncle Nat to help investigate a spooky supernatural mystery. Legend has it the Kratzensteins, a family of rich and powerful railway tycoons, are cursed, but there is no such thing as a curse, is there . . .?
Hal and Nat take the night train to Berlin and go undercover. From a creaking old house at the foot of the Harz mountains, they take the Kratzenstein family's funeral train to the peak of the Brocken Mountain. Can Hal uncover the secrets of the Brocken railway and the family curse before disaster strikes?
You can pre-order a signed copy from Waterstones NOW!
World Book Day 2021
Every year I like to celebrate the marvellous costumes that girls, boys, mums, dads, carers and teachers create in honour of their favourite of my books and the characters in those books.
This year is unlike any World Book Day I’ve ever known. All my events have been virtual and people are wearing their costumes at home, rather than in classrooms.
Books have been a wonderful help for most of us during lockdown and seeing all these costumes and creative projects really puts a smile on my face. I hope it puts a smile on yours too.
If you have a picture of your child dressed as a character from one of my books, or of a creative project, post it on social media and tag me in, or email it to me (info@mgleonard.com) and I’ll add them to the gallery.
TWITCH - Cover Reveal!
Super delighted that today I got to reveal the cover for my first solo book in three years, TWITCH.
The cover was created by incredible illustrator Paddy Donnelly and I think it may be my favourite cover yet. It’s a very personal thing, the cover for your story, and we went through many rounds till we got to this beautiful image. Walker Books were amazing and balancing all the elements it needs to have. It features lots of birds that you’ll find in the story. I hope you like it.
Twitch will be flying off shelves in bookshops in June.
Murder on the Safari Star rockets into the top ten Children's Bestseller Chart!
We did it again! I’m utterly ecstatic that Murder on the Safari Star has steamed straight into the children’s bestseller chart at number 9! Every single Adventures on Trains book has been a bestseller so far! That’s three in twelve months! I cannot begin to express just how wonderful it is to know that we are producing books that you want to read. Thank you to every reader who preordered, bought, read, reviewed and shared any of our books. You’ve made this author very happy.
Murder on the Safari Star is Blackwells Children's Book of the Month
I’m utterly delighted to be able to announce that Murder on the Safari Star is the Blackwells Children’s book of the month, and even though shops are closed you can buy the book from their website and they will deliver it FREE!
Sam and I recorded a fun introductory video for them, which you can watch here:
Murder on the Safari Star is The Times Children's Book of the Week!
It was a surprise and a delight to see that The Times has selected our Murder on the Safari Star to be their Children’s Book of the week. It is hard to get any kind of review coverage for children’s books, and so these spaces are usually only given to stand-alone books or the first book in a series. You almost never get a review for a book that is the third in a series. I certainly didn’t expect any reviews for this book, although I have to agree with Alex, the reviewer, I believe this is our best adventure yet.
WIN a signed set of 3 books in the Adventures on Trains series plus a bumper selection of art & drawing materials from STAEDTLER
TO CELEBRATE Murder on the Safari Star being published on 4th February, National Book Tokens are holding a competition.
Win a signed copy of Murder on the Safari Star, The Highland Falcon Thief (winner of the Children’s Fiction Award in the Books Are My Bag Readers Awards 2020) and Kidnap on the California Comet. You'll also receive a selection of STAEDTLER art and drawing materials, so readers can embrace their passion for drawing, just like Hal!
The stationary selection includes:
Watercolour pencil set
Oil pastel set
Coloured pencil set
Graphite pencil set
Art eraser
Sharpener
10 runners-up will each receive a signed copy of all three books and a STAEDTLER watercolour pencil set.