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.

Tree Thing longlisted for Wainwright Prize Children’s Fiction 2026

Posted on July 15, 2026 by - Awards, Books

Tree Thing, illustrated by Matthew Taylor Wilson, has been longlisted for the Wainwright Prize for Children’s Fiction 2026.

The Wainwright Prizes are the UK’s foremost awards celebrating nature, conservation, and environmental writing. Named in honour of Alfred Wainwright, writer, walker, and champion of the outdoors, the prizes were established in 2013 to spotlight the growing genre of nature writing and inspire readers to connect more deeply with the natural world.

I wrote Tree Thing to encourage children to wonder about the mystery of our natural world, in particular the deep and deepening mystery of trees and how they grow, communicate and change in order to renew and survive our changing world. It’s a privilege to see that recognised today, alongside a list of completely fabulous books for children on nature and conservation.

Tree Thing wins Wolverhampton Children’s Book Award!

Posted on July 7, 2026 by - Awards, Books

Tree Thing, illustrated by Matthew Taylor Wilson, has won the Wolverhampton Children’s Book Award 2025/6

Established and run by Wolverhampton Grammar School eight years ago, the Wolverhampton Children’s Book Award continues to celebrate the best children’s books published in the preceding twelve months. It remains an opportunity for children in Years 5-8 to read a range of fiction, and to nominate new books which they have enjoyed reading.

Both the longlist and shortlist of books are chosen by young people from schools across the region. The purpose of the Wolverhampton Children’s Book Award is not only to celebrate children’s literature but to promote reading for pleasure and to reinforce the importance of fiction.

Children from across Wolverhampton voted for the 2025/26 shortlisted titles, which encompassed a fantasy adventure inspired by Irish folklore; thrilling animal adventures inspired by a beloved children’s classic; a celebration of the warmth, memories and bonds shared between children and ageing relatives; and a celebration of bravery, hope and the marvels of the natural world. All four books have left an indelible emotional mark on, and brought joy and pleasure to, their readers.

The four shortlisted authors were  Sophie Kirtley for Swanfall; M. G. Leonard for The Adventures of Portly the Otter: Untold Tales from the Wind in the Willows; Onjali Q. Raúf for The Game I Will Never Forget; and Piers Torday for Tree Thing.

Midnight Treasure shortlisted for Children’s Book Cover of the Year

Posted on June 4, 2026 by - Awards, Books

Congratulations to the brilliant Alla Khatkevich or being shortlisted for the The Week Junior Book Awards 2026 Children’s Book Cover of the Year, for her wonderful cover illustrations for Midnight Treasure. I also want to pay tribute to Quercus Children’s/Hachette design genius Bhavini Jolapara and my editor Rachel Wade whose vision this fantastic cover is.

Congratulations to all the shortlisted illustrators and books, and good luck – the trophy will be awarded to the cover that children deem to be the most creative, eye-catching and appealing to its intended audience.

Children can vote here!

The Last Wild tour announced 🦌🎭

Posted on May 13, 2026 by - Plays

Today, the National Theatre launched National Theatre Nationwide: a new landmark partnership with 12 leading theatres in all nine regions of England dedicated to ensuring parity of access to art and culture, enriching people’s lives – wherever they live.

This includes original and annual National Theatre-commissioned tours for schools, offering children and young people vital first encounters with curriculum-relevant theatre.

In partnership with the Unicorn Theatre, The Last Wild will visit 7 partners nationwide in 2027. Directed by Rachel Bagshaw and adapted by Jude Christian from the award-winning eco-thriller.

The partnership proudly brings together the expertise and reach of theatres across England to address this. Belgrade Theatre in Coventry, Birmingham Hippodrome, Leeds Heritage Theatres, Curve, Leicester, Lowry in Salford, Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury, Newcastle Theatre Royal, Norwich Theatre, Sheffield Theatres, Southampton Mayflower, Theatre Royal Plymouth and Theatre Royal, Nottingham join together to form a new network with the National Theatre.

Tickets are on sale now via the Unicorn Theatre.

NEW BOOK: Books According to Dog and Owl

Posted on March 5, 2026 by - Books, Non Fiction

Delighted to announce my non-fiction debut, publishing with Orchard for Hachette Children’s this autumn, on October 22nd.

BOOKS ACCORDING TO DOG AND OWL, specially commissioned to celebrate the National Year of Reading, is a lyrical celebration of the joy and magic of reading, illustrated by Tim Smart.

Join Girl, her loyal companion Dog and new arrival Baby Brother on a magical journey to discover books. Together, they explore the many joys of reading: for happiness, adventure, empathy and even future success. From the quiet magic of libraries to the warmth of sharing stories at home, their world, reflections, adventures and questions celebrate the beauty of a childhood shaped by books. But when the world feels full of distractions and the magic of books starts to fade, the arrival of the Story Owl reminds them – and us all – of the extraordinary power of reading…

Books have been a constant companion throughout my life, gifting me the privileges of literacy, empathy and confidence. But above all, for me, reading has been about love. Taking the time to read or share a story, investing in the journeys of fictional characters and understanding the lived experiences of others – these are all acts of love. [In] this National Year of Reading, I cannot wait for readers to meet Dog and Owl – so stunningly brought to life by Tim Smart – and to discover the love that reading of any and every kind can bring to their lives.

 

Shortlisted for the 2026 Ruth Rendell Award

Posted on February 14, 2026 by - Awards

The Authors’ Licensing & Collecting Society (ALCS) and the National Literacy Trust have announced the shortlist for the 2026 Ruth Rendell Award, which recognises the writer or author who has had the most significant influence on literacy in the UK over the past year.

The award was launched in 2016 by ALCS and the National Literacy Trustin honour of the best-selling crime author and literacy advocate Ruth Rendell, who passed away in 2015. Previous winners include Andy McNab, Cressida Cowell, and Chris Smith and Greg James. Tom Percival is the current holder.

I am hugely honoured to be shortlisted alongside the brilliant Rob Biddulph, Maisie Chan, Maz Evans, Nicola Gerrard, Laura Henry-Allain MBE, Nathanael Lessore and MC Grammar.

The winner of the 2026 Ruth Rendell Award will be announced at a reception in London on 26 February 2026.

Waterstones Children’s Book of the Month! 🎃

Posted on October 1, 2025 by - Books

I am beyond THRILLED to announce that Waterstones have chosen Midnight Treasure to be their Children’s Book of the Month for October!

The exclusive edition with gorgeous digitally sprayed edges will be available in their stores for the whole month, and I will be visiting branches all over the country for signings and events. Check my socials for details!

Happy Halloween!

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!