Take a look at this exclusive behind the scenes preview of Little Angel Theatre’s adaptation of my book There May Be a Castle! You can buy tickets here.
There May Be a Castle rehearsal video is out!
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.
BookTrust Lifetime Achievement Award announced
Today, BookTrust, the UK’s largest children’s reading charity, has presented its Lifetime Achievement Award to the playwright, poet, and children’s writer John Agard. John is the first poet to receive the prestigious award for his outstanding contribution to children’s literature.
John Agard is not just one of our greatest poets and writers for children, but one of our greatest writers period. With every word, every line, he reinvents the form and challenges readers to see the world afresh, whilst always inviting them in at the same time.
For over 40 years, he has championed poetry in schools – sometimes a lonely path – and made us sing and dance with joy along the way. He is a master of his art, a superb communicator and a born storyteller – his contribution to children’s love of literature in this country is immeasurable and this recognition is long overdue.
It was an honour to be one of the judges for the 2021 BookTrust Lifetime Achievement Award alongside journalist Nicolette Jones (chairing), CEO of BookTrust Diana Gerald, screenwriter and novelist Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Teaching Fellow at UCL Institute of Education Darren Chetty and Candy Gourlay, award winning author of Tall Story and Shine.
There May Be A Play!
It has been a long journey but well worth the wait – I am so excited that one of my books closest to my heart, There May Be a Castle, has been adapted for the stage by Barb Jungr and Samantha Lane, with music, and puppets by Judith Hope.
I cannot wait to see it, and hope to see you there…
There May Be Castle
Based on the book by Piers Torday
A Little Angel Theatre production
13 November 2021 – 23 January 2022
On a frozen Christmas Eve, a young boy called Mouse Mallory, and his family, set off across the snow-white valley to visit his grandparents. They never arrive.
When Mouse wakes up, he finds himself in a magical landscape, with only a talkative sheep and a very bossy horse for company. So begins Mouse’s extraordinary quest through a world of wonder. A world of monsters, minstrels, dangerous knights and mysterious wizards; a world of terrifying danger but also more excitement than Mouse has ever known.
A remarkable story about love, loss and the power of the imagination, from award-winning writer Piers Torday, is adapted into a musical puppetry production by the creators of Little Angel’s The Smartest Giant in Town and The Pixie and the Pudding.
Praise for the book:
“Original, ingenious and bold … I am still reeling.” – The Sunday Times
“an outstanding book and a future classic” – The School Librarian
There May be a Castle is aimed at ages 7-11.
Credits:
Based on the book by Piers Torday
Adapted by Barb Jungr and Samantha Lane
Directed by Samantha Lane
Music and lyrics by Barb Jungr
Puppets designed by Judith Hope
Set and costumes designed by Ellie Mills
Lighting designed by Sherry Coenen
Image copyright © Rob Biddulph 2016.
The Child in the Snow
Thrilled to announce that following Christmas Carol, A Sunday Times Best Christmas Show of 2019 and the much-loved The Box of Delights, I am returning to Wilton’s Music Hall this Christmas with another show…
This time, it’s a ghost story! (And I’m afraid not suitable for children under 12…)
Based on ‘The Old Nurse’s Tale’ by Elizabeth Gaskell
26th November to 31st December .
7.30pm Monday – Saturday; Weekly matinees .
£12.50 – £36 full price, £10 – £32 concessions
Previews 27th November – 1st December
Previews 27th November – 1st December
Whatever you do, no matter how much he cries, don’t go out in the snow.
Elizabeth Gaskell’s famous seasonal ghost story is brought to the stage for the very first time, in a thrilling, frightening and ultimately uplifting adaptation.
1918. A nurse, recently back from the front, is haunted by her wartime experience. But when she finds herself at a séance, recalling memories of a lonely childhood Christmas on the Northumbrian moors, she also unearths a dark secret that refuses to remain in the shadows…
Spine chilling festive drama in Britain’s oldest surviving grand music hall from the team that brought you The Box of Delights.
#ifyouknowyouknow
#dontgooutinthesnow
Creative Team
Writer – Piers Torday
Director – Justin Audibert
Designer – Tom Piper
Lighting Designer – Jess Bernberg
Composer and Sound Designer – Ed Lewis
Casting Director – Helena Palmer
Magic Consultants – Morgan and West
Response to Wilton’s Christmas Carol
Delightfully surprising and subversive. (The Guardian ★★★★)
Fantastic… incredibly well made. (The Sunday Times ★★★★)
A cracking piece of theatre… Wilton’s may have found itself a perennial crowd pleaser.(What’s on Stage ★★★★★)
And for The Box of Delights
The small enchantments keep coming and the setting is the genuinely magical Wilton’s (The Sunday Times ★★★★)
I suspect this production is destined to become an enduring festive favourite. (The Evening Standard ★★★★)
Recommended age 12+
This is a ghost story – not suitable to those of a nervous disposition.
British Book Awards 2021 judges announced
Very proud and excited to be announced today as one of the judges of this year’s #Nibbies, or British Book Awards, run by The Bookseller magazine.
I will be judging the Best Book, Children’s Fiction, alongside writer and performer (and so much more) Sir Lenny Henry and bookseller Katie Clapham.
Can’t wait to reveal the book we choose!
You can see a full list of all the judges here
Lockdown Stories Return!
Lockdown time means Storytime is back!
I will be reading The Dark Wild, the second book in The Last Wild trilogy, out aloud at 2.30pm every weekday from Weds 6th Jan, a chapter a day, live on Instagram, or catch up later on my YouTube channel, until we’re out.
Hope to see some of you there.
Prequel to The Last Wild announced!
Delighted to announce that, eight years later, there will be a prequel to THE LAST WILD.
THE WILD BEFORE will be published on August 19th 2021 with Hachette Children’s.
Drawing on themes of climate change, hope and friendship, The Wild Before returns the reader to the world of the beloved The Last Wild series, before the redeye virus has taken hold of every animal in the land, years before the events of The Last Wild have unfolded. The Wild Before tells the story of a young hare who is the world’s only hope of saving the legendary Mooncalf and avoiding certain disaster.
And I can’t wait for you all to read it!
Artwork: Thomas Flintham
Wild About Writing WINNER announced!
ANNOUNCEMENT DELIGHTED to announce that the WINNER of my #WildAboutWriting competition with Blackwell’s Bookshop and Hachette Children’s is….
‘Rescued Like Her Name”, by Siri Krznaric, age 11
We had an epic number of entries, and narrowed it down to an incredible shortlist. The judges had to make a tough decision, but in the end Siri’s tale was so in the spirit of the starter – wildly imaginative, full of cool characters and exciting events from start to finish.
But a huge congratulations and thanks to all those who took part, as well as our fantastic runners up. All the entries were a testament to the extremely high standard of children’s creative writing in this country, which made us all so hopeful & positive for the future.
Siri wins £500 of books for her school library, a £50 Blackwell’s voucher for herself, a digital school visit from me, a set of signed books, and some specially designed, printed copies of her story from Hachette. An absolute writing talent to watch.
Huge thanks to all our judges, Hachette and Blackwell’s for giving so many young writers a chance to really shine.
Info: #WildAboutWriting was for children aged 7 – 12 across the UK to get creative in a new summer writing competition. They wrote a story of up to 1,000 words using this story starter:
It was midnight, and far beyond my window, a wolf in the darkness was calling my name …
Wild about Writing Tip 6: Fantastic Finish
There are just TWO DAYS left to enter Wild About Writing! So this week, my final writing tip for you all is on how to give your story a FANTASTIC FINISH!
These tips are for anyone entering my Wild About Writing creative writing competition which I’m bringing to you in partnership with Blackwell’s Bookshop and Hachette Children’s Group.
It’s open to 7-12 year olds and the first prize is £500 worth of books for the winning child’s school or public library. The winner will also receive a virtual visit to the school by me (as well as a selection of my books), a printed version of the wining story with a designed cover, and an invitation to a virtual prize-giving ceremony. 19 runners-up will receive a signed copy of ‘The Last Wild’ and a £10 Blackwell’s Gift Card.
Just take a look at the story starter paragraph introduced in this video from me, and then write a fictional short story of no more than 1,000 words. Submit your entry by 13th September 2020.
Happy writing and good luck! The winner will be announced in October..
For full details of this competition, please visit the competition website: www.hachettechildrens.co.uk/wildaboutwriting
Wild About Writing Tip 5: Super Stories!
Just two weeks left to enter Wild About Writing! This penultimate week my tip is about how to write a longer story than you might normally…how to write a SUPER STORY!
These tips are for anyone entering my Wild About Writing creative writing competition which I’m bringing to you in partnership with Blackwell’s Bookshop and Hachette Children’s Group.
It’s open to 7-12 year olds and the first prize is £500 worth of books for the winning child’s school or public library. The winner will also receive a virtual visit to the school by me (as well as a selection of my books), a printed version of the wining story with a designed cover, and an invitation to a virtual prize-giving ceremony. 19 runners-up will receive a signed copy of ‘The Last Wild’ and a £10 Blackwell’s Gift Card.
Just take a look at the story starter paragraph introduced in this video from me, and then write a fictional short story of no more than 1,000 words. Submit your entry by 13th September 2020.
Happy writing and good luck!
For full details of this competition, please visit the competition website: www.hachettechildrens.co.uk/wildaboutwriting