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.

Re-imagining Alice in Wonderland

Posted on February 20, 2019 by - Books, Short Stories

Curiouser and curiouser…announcing that I have been invited to revisit one of the great children’s books of all time, Alice in Wonderland, by Macmillan – who published the original story.

Joining other authors including Robin Stevens and Swapna Haddow, we have all have written stories based on Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland for Return to Wonderland,  published in June, Peter Bunzl, Pamela Butchart, Maz Evans, Patrice Lawrence, Chris Smith, Lauren St John, Lisa Thompson and Amy Wilson have also contributed and each story re-imagines Wonderland from the viewpoint of one of Carroll’s original characters.

My story is about the Cheshire Cat, and how he got his smile….

Return to Wonderland will be illustrated by Laura Barrett and published in hardback on 27th June, ahead of Alice Day on 4th July.

Alexander Macmillan, co-founder of Macmillan Publishers, met Lewis Carroll in 1863 and published Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland in 1865. He published nine different editions in the subsequent 35 years until his death, including French, German and Italian translations.

8½ reasons to celebrate

Posted on January 21, 2019 by - Campaigns, Events

This year on Thursday 7 March, the Ministry of Stories – of which I am a proud Trustee – will celebrate 8½ years of existence. We’ll be doing this in our time-honoured fashion of hosting an amazing party, with a delicious banquet, games galore, a notoriously demanding quiz from co-founder Nick Hornby and most importantly of all, a showcase of the inspirational work produced by our young writers.

It’s going to be a great night, and we’d love you to come.

We’d really love you to come.

But, why should you? Well, here are 8½ reasons why:

1. There is only ONE party like it.

No-one else we know celebrates their 8½ birthday, and no-one celebrates a birthday like us. Where else will you see celebrated authors, poets, performers and business leaders gathered together to celebrate and showcase the imaginative genius of the next generation – our children.

2. If you get TWO questions right, you’re doing well.

Call yourself a quizzer? Fancy yourself a trivia buff? You have not been tested until you have faced a Nick Hornby quiz. Beat my record of two correct answers and I’ll buy your table an extra bottle.

3. I’ve been THREE times.

The first time changed my life. It was so inspiring, I decided to get involved with the Ministry as a Trustee. Will it change your life?

4. It’s just FOUR hours of your life.

But your generosity could help us deliver over 4000 hours of volunteer mentoring support, and over 40 speeches by children to Members of Parliament in the House of Commons!

5. One in FIVE parents in London struggle with literacy and are not able to read confidently with their children.

We can help them. YOU can help them. By coming to our party.

6. There are at least SIX very scary monsters who rely on us for their regular supply of dragon treats, earwax and petrified mice from Hoxton Street Monster Supplies.

And trust me, you don’t want to upset them.

7. If you can’t make it, why not send us a present instead.

Just SEVEN pounds a month could support a young person struggling to find writing inspiration to become a published author – donate here.

8. If you can make it, why not take a VIP table of EIGHT guests?

You get 8 of the best seats in the house, special thanks in event programme, our limited edition 8 ½ birthday poetry anthology, AND 3 quiz cheats!

½. You’ve got a half a chance here to make a real difference in this world.

So, will you?

Find out more and buy your tickets here.

The Lost Magician shortlisted for Alexandra Palace Book Award 2019

Posted on January 10, 2019 by - Awards, Books

The Lost Magician is shortlisted for the inaugural Biblio-Buzz Alexandra Palace Book Awards, formerly Haringey Children’s Book Awards.

Chosen by librarians in my local borough of Haringey, the full shortlist in alphabetic order, is:

Child I  Tasane, Steve

Kat Wolfe Investigates  St John, Lauren

Kick Johnson, Mitch

The Lost Magician Torday, Piers

Tin Kenny, Padraig

Will You Catch Me? Elson, Jane

Schools and groups of children across the borough will now read and discuss these 6 books, culminating in the participating children voting for their favourite at the ceremony on Tuesday 2nd April at Alexandra Palace.

Congratulations all my fellow nominees and thank you once more, the librarians of Haringey.

The Lost Magician is a ‘Book of the Year’…

Posted on December 23, 2018 by - Books

…in an astonishing number of publications. The response to this book is overwhelming. I’m so happy that so many have taken the story and its message to their hearts.

As well as featuring in many end of year /Christmas round ups in by numerous children’s book, teacher and literacy blogs, The Lost Magician is a Children’s Book of the Year in:

  • The Observer – ‘In recent years, Piers Torday has emerged as a major new voice’
  • The Times –‘Piers Torday has an unrelenting imagination, cleverly mixing nostalgia and modernity. After reading this you will never look at a bookmark n the same way.’
  • The Sunday Times – ‘The first in a trilogy, this is masterly storytelling, both entertaining and profound’
  • i newspaper – ‘A  wonderful story, if any book has the power to separate children from their screens, it’s this.’
  • Sunday Express – ‘A wonderful tribute to Narnia, CS Lewis and the magic of books and reading’
  • New Statesman –’Artistically daring…it is as much about storytelling as about creating an enjoyable story’

Box of Delights is “Best Christmas Show in town!”

Posted on December 7, 2018 by - Plays

The Box of Delights has been re-opened at Wilton’s Music Hall for another year, and the response has been extraordinary.

Attitude have called it “the best Christmas show in London” in their five star review, and the production was also one of The Observer’s ‘Top Christmas Shows of 2018’, describing it as a “cultural highlight.”

In fact, we’ve had a clean sweep of festive show critical picks:

“Classic” THE TIMES

“Crammed with enchantment” SUNDAY TIMES

“Critical success” GUARDIAN GUIDE

“Famed adaptation” EVE STANDARD

& critics choice in THE TELEGRAPH and INDEPENDENT!

So what are you waiting for?

The wolves are running, if you can stand their bite…. book today!

There May Be A Castle longlisted for People’s Book Prize

Posted on November 6, 2018 by - Awards, Books

Completely delighted to learn that There May Be A Castle has been longlisted for The People’s Book Prize 2018 (Children’s)

The People’s Book Prize is a literary competition aimed at finding, supporting and promoting new and undiscovered works – decided exclusively by you, the public.

And you can vote here – it only takes seconds and no need to register

There May Be A Castle paperback

Stephen Fry announces Paul Torday Memorial Prize

Posted on July 21, 2018 by - Awards

Last night Stephen Fry announced the new Paul Torday Memorial Prize, at the The Society of Authors #AuthorsAwards party.

Paul published his first book, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, at the age of 60, and his sons Piers and Nick Torday have founded this new prize in his memory for the best debut novel by an author 60 or over.

We want to celebrate and encourage creativity in later life

We believe it is never too late to discover your passion

We want to promote writing as a second career

The Society is administering the award and entries are open from 1st August 2018. The deadline for entry is 15TH NOVEMBER 2018.

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY

1. The novel must have been first published in the UK and Republic of Ireland between 1 September 2016 and 31 August 2018 for the first award, and thereafter between 1 September and 31 August in the year preceding that year’s award.

2. The novel must be a full length work by a living author.

3. The book must be in the English language and cannot be a translated work.

4. The novel must be the author’s first published full length fiction work but they can have had works published of other lengths or other genres in the past.

5. The author(s) must be aged 60 or over at the date of first print publication of the novel and living at the date of submission. In the event that the author is shortlisted, they will be asked to provide proof of age.

6. There are no residence or nationality restrictions.

7. We cannot accept books that are only available in e-format or that are only self-published or where the author has contributed or paid for the costs of publishing.

8. Submissions must be made by the print publisher.

9. The decision of the judges is final and they reserve the right not to award the Prize if, in their opinion, no works entered reach a sufficiently high standard. Judges may call in books if they so wish.

The prize will be awarded at the Society of Authors’ annual Authors’ Awards ceremony in July 2019. For any queries, please email prizes@societyofauthors.org.

The Box is Back!

Posted on July 5, 2018 by - Plays

Watch out, because those wolves are running again…

It is with splendiferous pleasure that I announce that, following our sold out, critically acclaimed four star run at Wilton’s Music Hall last year, my adaptation of  John Masefield’s The Box Of Delights is back by popular demand for a limited run of 45 performances.

Based on the much–loved and critically acclaimed festive children’s classic by Poet Laureate John Masefield, a direct forerunner to Narnia and Harry Potter, known to many through the legendary BBC adaptation. You can now experience the enthralling wonder of Masefield’s world for yourself, from flying cars to fiery phoenixes.

Once upon a time, there were two great sorcerers, Ramon Lulli and Arnold of Todi. To decide who was the most powerful, they made a wager. Who could invent the most incredible magical power, never seen before?

After a year, Ramon returned with an elixir, which would grant the drinker eternal life. But then Arnold revealed his invention .
A box of his own invention. A mysterious and wondrous Box of Delights, with dark powers.
Before Ramon could respond, Arnold disappeared, taking his Box with him.
Now centuries later, a boy on a train travelling home for the holidays, is about to be drawn into an ancient magical struggle, that will see him fighting not just for his life, but to save Christmas itself.
Watch out, Kay Harker, for the wolves are running…

Announcing Authors4Oceans – take the plastic pledge!

Posted on April 24, 2018 by - Campaigns

Today I proudly join over 50 of the UK’s top authors and illustrators, including Sir Michael Morpurgo, Chris Riddell and Jacqueline Wilson, as we pledge our support for a campaign encouraging the book industry to ditch plastic, to try and save our oceans.

Authors4Oceans is the brainchild of children’s author Lauren St John, who wants publishers, bookshops and readers to reduce the amount of plastic they use by finding eco alternatives to the bags, straws, bottles and single-use cutlery that ends up at the bottom of the sea.

She came up with the idea when she ordered a drink in a bookshop and it came with a plastic straw “It made me think of all the bookshops across the UK – there are 300 branches of Waterstones alone – and about how many of them dish out plastic straws and bags every day. If I had written on behalf of myself I probably wouldn’t have achieved anything, but I thought if I teamed up with other writers and illustrators we might have a voice.”

I couldn’t agree with Lauren more, and along with M.G. Leonard, Abi Elphinstone, Katherine Rundell, Tom Moorhouse, Robin Stevens and Rob Macfarlane, Jackie Morris, Marcus Sedgwick, Quentin Blake and Patrice Lawrence, to name but a few, we are all campaigning to rid our oceans, seas, lakes and rivers of the plastic menace.

You can visit Authors4Oceans website, which has teacher resources, blogs and tips on how to reduce plastic waste.

One school will win a visit from a bestselling children’s author and 50 books – one from every author and illustrator who signed up to support Authors4Oceans. Two runners up will win author visits and 30 books, and a third prize winner will receive 20 signed books.

 

We were all inspired ny last year’s “Blue Planet II” BBC programme, presented by David Attenborough, which revealed that pieces of plastic will outnumber fish in the oceans by 2050.

It is not too late to change this though – and truly, every step you take will make a difference. So what are you waiting for? Take our pledge!

 

New series – coming this September

Posted on April 18, 2018 by - Books

The Lost Magician by Piers Torday

I’m delighted to announce that my publishers, Hachette Children’s Group (HCG) imprint Quercus Children’s has bought a new fantasy series.

The first book will be The Lost Magician, set in 1945, about four children who step through a mysterious library door into the world of Folio, where an enchanted kingdom of fairy knights, bears and tree gods is under threat from a sinister robot army. The many stories of the library are locked in eternal war, and the children’s only hope is to find their creator – a magician who has been lost for centuries.

Sarah Lambert, editorial director for HCG, secured UK & Commonwealth rights in a three book deal from Clare Conville at C + W.

“Piers Torday is without doubt a master storyteller for children, and we couldn’t be more delighted to launch his eagerly awaited new series,” said Lambert. “Thrilling adventure, unforgettable characters and Piers’ trademark humour are wrapped up in a rich, exciting world. We can’t wait for readers to step through the library door and discover what lies beyond.

The Lost Magician will be published in hardback in September 2018, with two more titles to follow at a later date.

I can now also reveal the spectacular and magic artwork for the cover by the super talented Ben Mantle – more to come soon…