Follow the Yellow

Announcing Aarhus 39

aarhus39

I’m so excited to be able to share the news that I’ve been selected as one of the Aarhus 39!

At the London Book Fair last week, the Hay Festival announced that 39 children’s and YA writers from around Europe aged 40 and under have been chosen to take part in this amazing new project for European Capital of Culture Aarhus 2017 – and I’m delighted to be one of them.

The other UK authors on the list include the brilliant Katherine Rundell, Laura Dockrill and BR Collins, as well as multi-award-winning superstar Sarah Crossan, representing the UK and Ireland. There are lots more amazing writers included too from all around Europe – some whose work I’m already familiar with, like Maria Turschaninoff who wrote the amazing Maresi, but lots who I am excited to discover. I’m tremendously grateful to the judges for selecting me to be part of such an inspiring list!

As part of the project, we’ve each been commissioned to write an original story on the theme of ‘Journey’. Two anthologies of the stories, edited by Daniel Hahn, will be published later this year, both in English (by Alma Books) and in Danish by Gyldendal. The two English language anthologies – Quest (aimed at children age 8+) and Odyssey (for young adults) – will be launched in May at the Hay Festival.

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The anthologies will also feature drawings from some of the world’s leading illustrators, including Barroux, Britta Teckentrup, Dave McKean, Satoshi Kitamura, Axel Scheffler, Benji Davies, Chris Riddell and many more. I’m thrilled that my own story has been illustrated by the amazing Joel Stewart – his illustrations are absolutely magical.In October we’ll all be off to Denmark for the inaugral International Children’s Literature Festival in Aarhus – and I can’t wait! I’m especially pleased to be part of this project at a time when it feels more important than ever to be building positive relationships across Europe, and I’m really looking forward to the chance to learn more about children’s books across the continent. Many thanks to Hay Festival and Aarhus!

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