Author: Piers Torday

Piers Torday is an award winning and best selling writer for children, whose work has been translated into 14 languages and adapted for the stage. Books include The Last Wild trilogy (Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize), There May Be a Castle and The Lost Magician series (Teach Primary Book Award). Plays include The Box of Delights and Christmas Carol (Wilton’s Music Hall). He co-founded the Paul Torday Memorial Prize for Debut Novelists Over 60 and has been a judge for the Guardian Prize, the British Book Awards and the Costa Book Awards. His latest book is The Wild Before.

The Herds come to London!

Posted on June 19, 2025 by - Songs

Roaming through cities in West Africa and Europe, herds of life-size puppet animals will invade city centres on an epic journey across the world. THE HERDS is a visual dramatisation of the climate crisis and a stark warning of what may come if animals are forced to flee their natural habitats.

Join us on Friday 27 June as 100 local children from the Unicon Theatre’s Creative Hub’s projects become the first to welcome THE HERDS to the UK in an early morning encounter created by the Unicorn’s Artistic Director, Rachel Bagshaw, including an original song written by me and composed by YolanDa Brown.

Find out more here or on my Events page!

INTRODUCING: WOLF CROWN!

Posted on June 9, 2025 by - Books

If you could destroy all the vampirs in the world just like that … would you?
This October, return to a fantasy world of daring werwolves and vampirs, with
An epic treasure hunt, my follow-up to Midnight Treasure, is bursting with magic, courage and hope!

 

Letters to a Dog is OUT

Posted on May 8, 2025 by - Books

My ninth book for children, Letters to a Dog is out today!

It’s my debut novella with the wonderful Barrington Stoke, who specialise in accessible, inclusive, dyslexia friendly books for all children, and is gorgeously illustrated throughout by Alice McKinley.

Jamie is in hospital waiting for a life-changing operation on his heart. But if that wasn’t tough enough, he’s also fallen out with his dad Winston and refuses to speak to him. In fact, Jamie and his dad haven’t spoken properly since his mum died. To cheer him up, nurse Shirley suggests he writes a letter to the dog he desperately wants to adopt from the local dogs home. But imagine his surprise when Dog writes back…

Now available in all good bookshops and libraries near you!

Laureate for Irish Fiction Selection Panel

Posted on May 5, 2025 by - Awards, Judging

A real privilege and a joy to have been asked to join the International Selection Panel for the Fourth Irish Laureate for Fiction.

The Laureateship honours an established Irish writer of fiction and celebrates the contribution of fiction writers to Irish artistic and cultural life. Colm Toíbín is the third Laureate, following Sebastian Barry (2018-2021) and the inaugural Laureate, Anne Enright (2015-2018).

The Laureate for Irish Fiction is an initiative of the Irish Arts Council, initially established in partnership with University College Dublin, New York University, and the Irish Times. It acknowledges the contribution of fiction writers to Irish artistic and cultural life by honouring an established Irish writer of fiction, encouraging a new generation of writers, promoting Irish literature nationally and internationally, and encouraging the public to engage with high-quality Irish fiction.

The process to appoint a Laureate begins mid-way through the year before the new appointment is announced. The Arts Council launch the selection process by inviting nominations from County Libraries, booksellers (via the Booksellers’ Association), Arts Council-funded organisations with a literary interest, national cultural institutions, and their university creative writing residency partners. An external expert shortlisting panel is convened, chaired by the Chair of the Arts Council. This panel uses their expertise and knowledge to assess the nominees in line against the published criteria for the Laureate for Irish Fiction.

These criteria state that the Laureate should:

  • have made a significant contribution to prose fiction in Ireland and internationally;
  • have an internationally recognised body of high-quality literary writing;
  • and be committed to connecting with readers and engaging with the public, the media and the wider arts sector.

This panel establishes a shortlist of names. The Arts Council then contacts all shortlisted writers, outlining key aspects of the honour and associated responsibilities, asking them to confirm whether or not they would accept the position if offered. The final selection from those who put themselves forward for consideration is made by an international panel based on published selection criteria. I joined this alongside Vona Groarke, Anton Hur, Mariella Frostrup and Téa Obreht. Both the reading and selection process were fantastic, and I can’t wait for you to find out who we chose.

The Next Big Story

Posted on May 1, 2025 by - Awards, Writing Tips

Over at The Novelry, where I am a Children’s Fiction Writing Coach, we are delighted today to launch The Next Big Story!
It’s a writing contest where you could win £75,000 [$100,000] [ for just 3 pages from the start of a novel.
That’s right, just 3 pages!
We’re on the lookout for fresh voices, so don’t rule yourself out. Everyone is welcome.
And to help, we’ve got some helpful hints on our website. Our incredible judges include Tayari Jones, Julia Quinn and Yann Martel – and I’ll be helping read through entries too.
Take a look, get started, and enter for the chance to win! Head to thenovelry.com/prize to learn more. Terms and conditions apply.
We can’t wait to read your story!

The Last Wild – the play!

Posted on April 30, 2025 by - Books, Plays

Delighted to announce that The Last Wild is going to be a play,  in a new version for primary school audiences, adapted by Jude Christian from the award-winning novel by Piers Torday, will be directed by the Unicorn Theatre’s Artistic Director and former Peter Hall Associate, Rachel Bagshaw, in a co-production with The National Theatre.

Opening at the Unicorn Theatre in February 2027, the production will tour to venues and schools in areas across England, doubling the reach of previous National Theatre primary tours.

For more details see the full announcement by The National Theatre here.

Sustainable Story Award! 🏆🌏

Posted on April 22, 2025 by - Awards, Campaigns

 HAPPY EARTH DAY 2025! 

What better time to launch a major book prize from World of Books?

THE SUSTAINABLE STORY AWARD

I am thrilled to be a judge for this £15,000 prize supporting authors writing about sustainability — in fiction, non-fiction, or children’s literature. (With two runner-up prizes of £5k each) I will also help mentor the winners, offering guidance to help shape their careers and maximise their books’ impact.

We are looking for powerful storytelling around issues like climate change, social justice, conservation, sustainable economies, and more.

The award is open to published authors working on their next sustainability-focused book. Entrants must submit a book proposal, the first three chapters of the book, and a short statement on how their work contributes to sustainability discourse.

Deadline for submissions: 6TH JULY 2025

Learn more about the award and how to enter here.

As a campaigner for a more sustainable publishing industry, I’m proud to be working with World of Books which has championed sustainability since day one — through rehoming preloved books and driving the circular economy :

“It is time to turn the page on climate in publishing –  and I’m excited about welcoming a new green wave of stories which centre sustainability, offering hopeful, actionable visions of a fairer, healthier, enduring world.’”

Thrilled to be joining my amazing fellow judges Sophie Galleymore Bird, Shannon Cullen, Amanda Ridout and Anna Bond.

Stephen Fry to host Plum: Homage to Happiness!

Posted on March 31, 2025 by - Plays

The Pleasance Theatre Trust has announced a theatrical tribute to PG Wodehouse. Plum: Homage to Happiness is devised by me and directed by Amy Lane. It’ll be hosted by Stephen Fry, and feature Alexander Armstrong, Stephen Mangan and Miss Baby Sol, as well as music from the Simon Beck Quartet playing Gershwin, Cole Perter and Jerome Kern.

Commemorating 50 years since his death, the evening is described as “a joyful celebration of words, dance and songs from one of the best-loved and funniest writers ever to put pen to paper.”

Lyricist Wodehouse, who once had a record-breaking five musicals running simultaneously on Broadway, based the characters in his stories on those shows. He went on to create Jeeves and Bertie Wooster, Lord Emsworth and his prize pig, Mr Mulliner, Uncle Fred and Psmith.

The Cazalet family, who are step relatives of Wodehouse, said: “Come celebrate the glorious world and words of PG Wodehouse at Wilton’s Music Hall in the only way he’d approve – by having a dashed good time! Where Imperious Aunts, Grunting Pigs, Bertie and Jeeves and a host of his beloved characters come together under one roof, for one night only, in a grand homage to humour.”

The event will take place at Wilton’s Music Hall in London on 20 May 2025, in aid of The National Literacy Trust.

See you there!

Introducing – Letters To A Dog!

Posted on December 6, 2024 by - Books

BREAKING: I have a new book! I have long envied Barrington Stoke’s list of incredible books not just for their accessibility and concision but also their astonishing range of voices and stories.

So today, I am jumping up and wagging my tail to announce that I will be joining that list with

LETTERS TO A DOG in May 2025!

When I was little, I sometimes wrote postcards from holidays or birthday cards to my pets, but they never wrote back. What if one did?

This story follows Jamie, who begins writing to a longed-for pet while awaiting an operation.

“Piers Torday has delivered something uplifting, heartwarming and laugh-out-loud funny, which demonstrates his remarkable ability to weave storytelling magic!” – Ailsa Bathgate, Barrington Stoke.

I can’t wait to share this amazing story with you all! 🐶 The completely gorgeous artwork and interior illustrations are by Alice Mckinley.