#supportanauthor – http://www.elsomillustration.co.uk/work/#/publishing-2018-horace-and-harriet/

Mega talented illustrator Clare Elsom is also a sickeningly talented author! Her new series Horace and Harriet tell the adventures of a little girl and her best friend, a local statue.

“Lord Commander Horatio Frederick Wallington Nincompoop Maximus Pimpleberry the Third (or Horace, for short) has been a statue in Princes Park for hundreds of years. But after suffering endless pranks, graffiti and mountains of pigeon poo, Horace has had JUST ABOUT ENOUGH.

He decides it’s time to get off his pedestal. Surely he can find a better home? One suitable for such a fine commander? Assisted by his new friend Harriet (she’s seven and a quarter years old and definitely NOT a statue) Horace tackles modern life in his quest to find the perfect place to live.”

Check out the whole series at the link above.

#supportanauthor  – http://www.jane-clarke.co.uk/page%203.htm

A prolific writer of picture books and chapter books, Jane has written for almost all age groups. Younger readers with love the cute adventures of Dr Kitty Cat and friends!:

“Posy the puppy has hurt her leg. Will Dr KittyCat and her assistant Peanut the mouse be able to help Posy in time for the Paws and Prizes sports day?”

Check out the plethora of other books Jane has available on her site! This is a series of posts encouraging readers to support all authors and get to a local bookshop to order theirs!

#supportanauthor  – http://www.icefire.co.uk/Pages/dragonbooks.html

Chris D’Lacey has been at the top of his game in the world of Dragon Lit (is that a genre? It is now) for some time and the Last Dragon Chronicles are perfect for those seeking some fun, fantastical adventure:

‘David Rain is a student, desperate to find lodgings. When he first moves in to Wayward Crescent with Mrs Pennykettle and her daughter, Lucy, all seems normal enough. True, the house is full of clay dragons, but Mrs Pennykettle makes them to sell, and there’s nothing unusual in that.

But at Lucy’s insistence, David quickly finds himself involved in a quest to save the life of an injured squirrel. A quest that will help him discover things he never knew about himself, not to mention those ever-present dragons… Hrrr!’

Make clicky with the linky for more!

This is part of a series of posts in which I try to inspire bookbuyers to seek out non-celeb authors and give their books a try as presents this Christmas!

#supportanauthor  – http://andonart.co.uk/?page_id=359

How about giving the gift of rhyme this Christmas? Author, Poet and illustrator Kev Payne has compiled his amazing poems into the hilarious collection, ‘Sock It To Me!’:

‘Have you ever covered a baby in ketchup? Have you had to sit on the naughty step? Have you got a magic bike? Have you ever swallowed a fly?! Poet, illustrator and teacher, Kev Payne, has. Join him as he presents a collection of over 50 poems about sausages, school, science, balloons, long car journeys and exactly what teachers are thinking when they are stood up at the front.’

Also check out B is for Blobfish – an A-Z of unusual and unloved animals!

#supportanauthor  – http://dawnfinch.wixsite.com/home/project01

Fantasy Fans Unite! Dawn’s Brotherhood of Shades is a great present for those in need of a dose of adventure.

“From the chaos of Dissolution rises a secret order, a Brotherhood formed to protect the world of the living from the world of the dead. Growing up on the streets of London, Adam knows nothing of the dark and precarious world that exists just beyond his reality – until he dies, cold and alone, aged 14. Now, after years of abandonment, Adam discovers he is important: an Order that was formed many centuries ago to protect the world of the living from the world of the dead needs him – an Order of ghosts.”

Dawn is an librarian extraordinaire and readers will love this title.

#supportanauthor – https://www.victoriaeveleigh.co.uk/bookshop/

If your kid is mad about horses, then look no further for literary inspiration! Victoria Eveleigh has stableloads of books to delight equine fans. Try Katy’s Ponies Series:

“Katy’s birthday doesn’t feel very special, until she discovers a tiny newborn foal on the moor. It walks right up to her with wobbly steps and Katy is spellbound. As she reaches out and touches its forehead, Katy longs for the foal to be hers. But how will she ever persuade her family?”

You can get books from your local bookshop or direct from the author herself!

#supportanauthor – http://nick-cook.net/

Adventure and sci-fi fans will lose their mind for Nick Cook’s epic Cloudrider series!:

“Dom lives with his mom in Tornado Alley, where twisters used to be a way of life. After a year long drought, the family diner is about to go bust and Dom feels trapped, torn between supporting his mother and the urge to escape. Even his relationship with best friend Jules is beginning to prickle with feelings he doesn’t want.

When the first twister in months appears from nowhere and an airship emerges from the spout, Dom’s world is turned upside down. Its pilots are explorers who make Dom an offer beyond his imagination. But the pilots are hiding a terrible secret. Can Dom uncover the truth and make the right decision before everything he cares for is destroyed?”

Nick also writes books for adults. Jet-pack your way to your local bookshop and order one for your little space cadets.

#supportanauthor – https://jocotterill.com/books/books-for-8-12s/jelly/

Jo is the author of Electrigirl and is getting amazing reviews for her latest work, Jelly:

“Angelica – known as Jelly to her friends – is the life and soul of the classroom. Quick to pick up voices, she loves doing impressions of her teachers to make everyone laugh. Even the teachers can’t be cross with her for long!

But Jelly isn’t quite as bubbly as she pretends. At home, her super-slim mum drinks green tea, runs a beauty business and has an unkind boyfriend. Jelly isn’t super-slim. In fact, she’s the biggest girl in the class – and she knows it.

But when you’re bubbly and larger than life, you’re not supposed to have self-esteem issues, so Jelly keeps her worries confined to a secret book in which she writes expressive poetry. No one, not even her best friends Kayma and Sanvi, know about the book.”

Check out Jo’s website and order your book from your local bookshop. Vive la Revolution!

#supportanauthor – https://clairebarkerauthor.com/buy/

Claire is the author of the bestselling Knitbone Pepper series and is BACK with the amazing Picklewitch and Jack from Bloomsbury:

“Picklewitch is, quite literally, out of her tree. She has a nose for naughtiness, a taste for trouble and a weakness for cake. And unluckily for brainbox Jack – winner of the ‘Most Sensible Boy in School’ for the third year running – she’s about to choose him as her new best friend . . . “

Perfect for fans of… well, brilliant books!

These recommendations are part of my push to get people into proper bookshops again and getting authors into the hands of readers.

https://www.colinmulhern.co.uk/p/home.html

Colin Mulhern writes horrible books for horrible kids (his words, not mine). His latest is Buttercup Sunshine and the Zombies of Dooooom!

“Granny Fondant is waking up to another perfect day in Briar’s Cove – the nicest, safest, sweetest town there ever was, where nothing bad ever happens. She spots Buttercup Sunshine running down the lane, the friendliest, most angelic girl… But wait! How odd. Why would Buttercup be holding a chainsaw?”

Delightfully horrific and horrifically delightful. Perfect gift for your little monsters!

The Twelve Days of Xmas Book Recommendations are randomly picked from my rolodex of awesome authors. Try recommending your own with the hashtag #supportanauthor!