This week, we were honoured to speak to an undisputable Queen of Children's Literature - Julie Sykes! Julie is the author of well over a hundred books, many of them co-written with the equally excellent Linda Chapman. Her bestselling series include the Netflix-adapted The Unicorn Academy, but throughout Julie's almost thirty year career she has written for the youngest children right up to teens. Come with us for a brilliant insight into Julie's life, career, work - and just how she keeps her creative flame lit, even after all these years.
Find Julie online at her website: www.juliesykes.co.uk
Find out more about International Literature Festival Dublin at www.ilfdublin.com
Tickets for the LIVE Storyshaped event are available here: LIVE STORYSHAPED PODCAST EVENT
Tickets for Susan's solo event are available here: DISCOVER THE MAGICAL WORLD BETWEEN THE RAIN
Tickets for Sinéad's solo event are available here: THE SUN, THE MOON, AND TWO STARS
Books mentioned in this week's episode include some of Julie's own:
The Unicorn Academy series (co-written with Linda Chapman; illustrated by Lucy Truman)
The Mermaid Academy series (co-written with Linda Chapman; illustrated by Lucy Truman)
The Woodland Magic series (illustrated by Katy Riddell)
The Perfect Puppies series
The Princess Ponies series
And the stories that shaped her include:
The work of Enid Blyton
Swallows and Amazons, by Arthur Ransome
The Punchbowl series, by Monica Edwards
The Romney Marsh series, by Monica Edwards
Carbonel: The King of the Cats, by Barbara Sleigh
Diary of an Accidental Witch, by Honor and Perdita Cargill
The Weirdstone of Brisingamen, by Alan Garner
The Hobbit, by JRR Tolkien
Goodnight Mister Tom, by Michelle Magorian
The Great Elephant Chase, by Gillian Cross
The work of Dominique Valente
Greenwild: The World Behind the Door, by Pari Thompson
The Hedgewitch series, by Skye McKenna
The Wycherleys, by Annaliese Avery
The work of Harriet Muncaster
esp. Diary of Whisker Wildflower, by Harriet Muncaster
The work of Hilary McKay
esp. Rosa by Starlight, Saffy's Angel, and Indigo Star (all by Hilary McKay)
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