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.

Stephen Fry to host Plum: Homage to Happiness!

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!

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.

Midnight Treasure final copies! 🧛🏻‍♂️

The final finished copies of my new book, MIDNIGHT TREASURE, are here!

And they are a thing of beauty. Look at that wolf! Those eyes!

But to appreciate all the detail you will have to get hold of a copy in store. Don’t forget to see what’s under the dust jacket or the endpapers…

All the artwork, including a map and the fabulous cover, is by the brilliant Alla Khatkevich.

In shops from September 5th, available for pre-order now.

Midnight Treasure proofs are here! 🐺

The proofs have dropped for my new book, MIDNIGHT TREASURE, which will be published by @hachettechildrens on September 5th.

It is the beginning of a new fantasy series for children, inspired by a hand-drawn map of a mysterious fantasy land by my Dad, which led to exploring my family connections to Transylvania, and an extraordinary train trip to that magical place, where I have stayed with a real Count, been washed down a mountain and attacked by a pack of wild dogs.

And if I have learned anything on my travels, it is this :

IF THERE IS ONE THING VAMPIRS CRAVE AS MUCH AS BLOOD, IT IS TREASURE . . .

Tibor is a werwolf, adopted
by his guardian, a powerful vampir. He and his friend Roza are on the deadliest of quests, and one that will test their very immortality.

But they’re not the only ones hunting for the Midnight Treasure. Battling with bears, wrestling with vampirs and racing against the clock, Tibor and Roza must decide who to trust. And whether they will dare reveal the secrets . . . of the Midnight Treasure.

A few very kind people were generous enough to read early copies, and I am both blown away by and enormously grateful for their words:

“Stop the hunt for your next epic read because this is a treasure of a fantasy book. High stakes, big heart, frightfully good.”
A. F. STEADMAN

‘A brilliant fantasy adventure.’
ANTHONY MCGOWAN

‘One of my favourite children’s books ever.’
LAUREN ST JOHN

‘Breathless, bold and endlessly imaginative’
JONATHAN STROUD

‘This is storytelling at its very best.’
ELODIE HARPER

‘Epic, glorious, enchanting and dangerous: a writer at the height of his powers.’
EMMA CARROLL

‘An unmissable tale’
ABI ELPHINSTONE

‘A triumph of storytelling.’
POLLY YO-HEN

‘I loved this epic quest
adventure full of surprising twists and turns.’
H S NORUP

‘Lush, cinematic,
deliciously dark and
compelling . . . A thrilling treasure trove’
ROSS MONTGOMERY

‘Wildly inventive fantasy’
MIRA BARTOK

If you would like proof, send me a vial of your blood. Otherwise, you can pre-order an actual book here.

Cover illustrations © Alla Khatkevich 2024

Making Books with Polly Ho-Yen

Happy 2024!

While I was waiting for edits on the new book (on which more soon) at the end of last year, I spoke to my fellow children’s author Polly Ho-Yen for her brilliant new “Making Books” podcast on the art of making books, about everything writing related from the seven stages of editing reactions to how to get started…

Have a listen!

Box of Delights cast announced!

The cast has been announced The Box of Delights at the RSC!

The complete cast includes Nana Amoo-Gottfried (as Joe/Ensemble), Callum Balmforth (as Kay Harker), Stephen Boxer (as Cole Hawkings/Ramon Lully/Grandpa), Melody Brown (as Mayor/Dame Eleanor of Chasuble/Ensemble), Alex Cardall (as Ensemble/Puppeteer), Tom Chapman (as Rat/Puppeteer), Janet Etuk (as Herne the Hunter), Jack Humphrey (as Peter Jones), Tom Kanji (as Charles), Richard Lynch (as Abner), Annette McLaughlin (as Caroline Louisa), Mae Munuo (as Maria Jones), Molly Roberts (as Ellen/The Head/Ensemble), Rhiannon Skerritt (as Ensemble/Puppeteer), Timothy Speyer (as Bishop/Ensemble), and Rosie Wyatt (as Papergirl/Duchess of Musborough/Ensemble). Nia Gwynne and Claire Price will be job-sharing the role of Sylvia Daisy Pouncer.

Our director Justin Audibert commented: “I’m delighted to have the opportunity to work on The Box of Delights again, this time creating a bigger, and even more spectacular production for the Royal Shakespeare Theatre stage.

“It’s a show that features trains, boats, planes, mythical creatures, a good and a very bad magician, and characters that magically turn into tiny versions of themselves, characters that transform into animals that fly through the air and swim in the sea – how exciting is that? We’re telling the story through the imagination of a child, so the staging promises to be a fantastic mix of the inventive and the breathtaking.

“In many ways, The Box of Delights was the first fantasy story for children, and with its classic good versus evil narrative, and three young children as the heroes, you can see its influence on books like the Harry Potter series. I can’t wait for everyone to see it.”

Further creative team members include designer Tom Piper, Prema Mehta (lighting), Ed Lewis (music), Claire Windsor (sound), Simon Pittman (movement), Nina Dunn and Matthew Brown (video), Samuel Wyer (puppetry), Kev McCurdy (fight direction), Réjane Collard-Walker (dramaturg) and Matthew Dewsbury CDG (casting).

The Box of Delights runs from 31 October 2023 until 7 January 2024, with a press night set for 8 November.

 

The Box of Delights at the RSC

Today would have been the former Poet Laureate John Masefield’s 145 birthday. So what better day to share that my adaptation of his joyful children’s classic #TheBoxofDelights is coming to The RSC this Christmas?

This fantastically festive production, originally produced for Wilton’s Music Hall, is directed by Justin Audibert (The Taming of the Shrew 2019, The Jew of Malta 2015) and designed by RSC Associate Designer Tom Piper.

Can Kay Harker save Christmas now that the wolves are running?

BOOKING OPENS FOR PUBLIC ON 22 JUN

Tree to Me

Publishing – the business of turning trees into words – has an impact on the planet. It’s time that the values so many authors promote on the page were matched by the values *of* that page.

So this week – which sees both the huge industry trade fair, London Book Fair and Earth Week, the Society of Authors is launching its Tree to Me campaign.

10 questions authors  can ask their publisher about sustainability so they can both be informed and clear with their readers about your books’ environmental impact

It’s time to get involved – help us make publishing sustainable.

Ten Years of The Last Wild!

The Last Wild was published ten years ago, and I’m hugely grateful to everyone – agents, publishers, fellow authors, reviewers, teachers, librarians, bloggers, and parents – who have read, reviewed, blurbed, taught and promoted these books to young readers.

They changed my life beyond my wildest dreams, and I am profoundly grateful for all the adventures Kester and friends have sent me on.
But the reasons I wrote the books are now only more pressing. From insects to the life in our rivers, from birds to the big beasts – biodiversity is under threat from human interference as never before.
So please, keep reading and sharing. Because we already had the zoonotic virus bit  😷 – I don’t want anything else from these books to come true!
Keep on running, Kester. ❤️

New Domestika course launches

Following the success of my course on how to write your first fantasy novel for children, I’m delighted today to launch by second Domestika course; “Playwriting for Children’s Theater,” which teaches you how to write your first play for children and families.

The course is focused on how to make live work for young audiences, but a lot of the content will be applicable for anyone writing a play. So if you have ever fancied retelling or sharing a story with a live audience, why not buy your front row ticket and take a seat?