TITLE REVEAL - The fifth Adventures on Trains book is called Sabotage on the Solar Express

It is with much pomp and ceremony, that I can now reveal that the fifth Adventures on Trains book will be called Sabotage on the Solar Express and is an action-packed thrill ride across Australia. It will be crashing into bookshops on February 3, 2022.

Ride into danger with Hal and Uncle Nat on the fifth breathtaking Adventures on Trains Mystery, Sabotage on the Solar Express, from bestselling award-winners M. G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman. Perfect for readers of 8 to 12 and brilliantly illustrated in black and white throughout by Elisa Paganelli.

Billionaire train enthusiast August Reza has invited Harrison Beck and Uncle Nat to travel on the maiden voyage of the winning design of his Reza’s Rocket competition. Australian child genius Boaz won with his hybrid locomotive, driven by hydrogen fuel cells and solar power. But during the journey from Alice Springs to Darwin, someone onboard sabotages the train, hurtling passengers into a heart-stopping thrill-ride across the Australian Outback. Can Hal find the saboteur and stop the runaway train before disaster strikes?

Children's Writers' and Artists' Yearbook 2022

I felt very honoured when I was invited to write the foreword to this years edition of the Children’s Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook. I used this book on my journey to publication, and so it feels surreal to see my name on the cover.

If you are thinking of writing books for young people then you will need this book. It is the bible of the children’s publishing world, and things have changed so much and so quickly in the past year, you’ll need the newest edition.

In my foreword I share my mistakes and frustration on my way to finding my agent and achieving my first book deal. I hope it amuses and assists any who are hoping to write a book for young readers.

TWITCH - inaugural read of the new Scouts Book Club

I am thrilled to be able to tell you that the Scouts have started a brand new book club in partnership with my publisher, Walker Books, and TWITCH is going to be the first book that the club reads. There are lots of fab activities, videos and resources to support the book club, and if you take part you get a special badge!

I hoped, when I wrote TWITCH, that people might take the book outdoors to read, and now it looks like that very well could happen. I was a brownie, a girl guide and I did the Duke of Edinburgh scheme, so being part of the Scouts book club feels like a great fit for me, and is definitely a perfect fit for TWITCH.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BOOK CLUB HERE.

It's Insect Week 2021, AND Independent Bookshop Week!

This week we’re celebrating the little things that run the world - insects! As the Vice President of Buglife and the writer of five (count them) books about beetles, you can guess that this is one of my favourite weeks of the year. To big up our brilliant beetle buddies and their invertebrate friends I will be sharing great facts, classroom resources and videos about beetles (and my books!) on social media all week. But hang on . . . insects are not the only thing we’re celebrating this week!

This week is also Indie Bookshop Week! So why not pop into your local book shop and grab a copy of Beetle Boy, Beetle Queen, Battle of the Beetles, The Beetle Collector’s Handbook, or for the little ones - Rex the Rhinoceros Beetle.

Independent bookshops are the lifeblood of many communities, and we are lucky to have so many deeply invested, well-read, downright likeable, and enthusiastic booksellers. So do your bit this week and support them by having a browse and a buy something . . . it doesn’t even have to be a book about bugs!

M. G. Leonard is Lauren Lavern's #Supernature guest on BBC6Music

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!

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!

Find out more about the Adventures On Trains books.

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.