Patricia Forde – författare

A tale-of-truest friendship bookA fill-my-heart with love bookA read-again-and-again bookAn epic tale of love, loss, reunion and adventure on the high seas told through the friendship of a girl and her dog, Fidget.Written by debut picture-book author Trish Forde and illustrated by rising star Rachael Saunders, this is a book that combines humour and heart with a faultless read-aloud rhythm

A tale-of-truest friendship bookA fill-my-heart with love bookA read-again-and-again bookAn epic tale of love, loss, reunion and adventure on the high seas told through the friendship of a girl and her beloved dog, Fidget.Written by debut picture-book author Trish Forde and illustrated by rising star Rachael Saunders, this is a book that combines humour and heart with a faultless read-aloud rhythm.

An epic tale of volcanoes, dragons and wild storms, with themes drawn from Irish legend. Written by the current Irish Children's Laureate, this is a celebration of the magic of bees and the power we can all draw from the natural world.Nestled on a peaceful island, Orla and her grandmother live tending their beloved bees. But bubbling below is a monster waiting to surface – a dormant volcano – and when it wakes Orla and the rest of the island must flee in search of safety. Orla adventures across the wild sea, guided by her buzzing friends, to find a new home. But what will they find over the horizon?"The story has a wonderful legendary feel, a sparky central character, and an ecological message that resonates strongly with the contemporary moment." The Irish Times

An epic tale of volcanoes, dragons and wild storms, with themes drawn from Irish legend. Written by the current Irish Children's Laureate, this is a celebration of the magic of bees and the power we can all draw from the natural world.Nestled on a peaceful island, Orla and her grandmother live tending their beloved bees. But bubbling below is a monster waiting to surface – a dormant volcano – and when it wakes Orla and the rest of the island must flee in search of safety. Orla adventures across the wild sea, guided by her buzzing friends, to find a new home. But what will they find over the horizon?"The story has a wonderful legendary feel, a sparky central character, and an ecological message that resonates strongly with the contemporary moment." The Irish Times

**The funniest new picture book of the year, from the Irish Children's Laureate***Shortlisted for the 2026 Peters Children's Book of the Year Award***'The perfect night-time read' - Daily Mail****'Hilarious and delightful' - Paddy Donnelly****'Funny and ingenious' - Bookseller**It’s a dark and stormy night, and Sophie knows that there is a MONSTER hiding under her bed. So, like any sensible child, she decides to send him a letter.Dear Monster,I know you are hiding under my bed. I hear you breathing. This is your last warning. Leave now or I will call THE MONSTER POLICE. I have their number. Yours truly,SophieAs the letters fly back and forth, Sophie begins to wonder if Monster isn’t as scary as she thought. What if he’s the friend she’s been looking for all along?From Irish Children's Laureate Patricia Forde and award-winning illustrator Sarah Warburton comes an irresistible picture book that turns the idea of the monster-under-the-bed on its head!

**The funniest new picture book of the year, from the Irish Children''s Laureate****''The perfect night-time read'' - Daily Mail****''Hilarious and delightful'' - Paddy Donnelly****''Funny and ingenious'' - Bookseller**It''s a dark and stormy night, and Sophie knows that there is a MONSTER hiding under her bed. So, like any sensible child, she decides to send him a letter. Dear Monster,I know you are hiding under my bed. I hear you breathing. This is your last warning. Leave now or I will call THE MONSTER POLICE. I have their number. Yours truly,Sophie As the letters fly back and forth, Sophie begins to wonder if Monster isn''t as scary as she thought. What if he''s the friend she''s been looking for all along?From Irish Children''s Laureate Patricia Forde and award-winning illustrator Sarah Warburton comes an irresistible picture book that turns the idea of the monster-under-the-bed on its head!

**'HUGELY hilarious' - Paddy Donnelly****A laugh-out loud book about a very unlikely friendship, by the Irish Children's Laureate**Sophie can’t wait for her birthday party. But when one of her invitations is accidentally picked up by a GIANT, she finds herself in a bit of a pickle. What if he turns up and eats all the guests?But Harry the Hairy Giant is determined to come to her party, no matter how many letters Sophie writes to dissuade him. After all, he’s had a glorious purple suit made specially, and he’s been practising his dancing! As the letters fly back and forth, Sophie begins to wonder if Harry isn’t as bad as she thought. What if he’s the perfect party guest after all?

**'HUGELY hilarious' - Paddy Donnelly****A laugh-out loud book about a very unlikely friendship, by the Irish Children's Laureate**Sophie can’t wait for her birthday party. But when one of her invitations is accidentally picked up by a GIANT, she finds herself in a bit of a pickle. What if he turns up and eats all the guests?But Harry the Hairy Giant is determined to come to her party, no matter how many letters Sophie writes to dissuade him. After all, he’s had a glorious purple suit made specially, and he’s been practising his dancing! As the letters fly back and forth, Sophie begins to wonder if Harry isn’t as bad as she thought. What if he’s the perfect party guest after all?

**'HUGELY hilarious' - Paddy Donnelly****A laugh-out loud book about a very unlikely friendship, by the Irish Children's Laureate**Sophie can't wait for her birthday party. But when one of her invitations is accidentally picked up by a GIANT, she finds herself in a bit of a pickle. What if he turns up and eats all the guests?But Harry the Hairy Giant is determined to come to her party, no matter how many letters Sophie writes to dissuade him. After all, he's had a glorious purple suit made specially, and he's been practising his dancing! As the letters fly back and forth, Sophie begins to wonder if Harry isn't as bad as she thought. What if he's the perfect party guest after all?

After global warming came the Melting. Then came Ark. The new dictator of Ark wants to silence speech for ever. But Letta is the wordsmith, tasked with keeping words alive. Out in the woods, she and the rebels secretly teach children language, music and art. Now there are rumours that babies are going missing. When Letta makes a horrifying discovery, she has to find a way to save the children of Ark – even if it is at the cost of her own life.

Aria lives on a well-ordered planet whose people have eradicated illness and even death. Earth is their ‘shadow planet’ which they populated with humans centuries ago so they could study them and learn from their experiences. Now the experiment is coming to an end and Aria must go to Earth with her scientist father to set off a train of events which will destroy its people. Brought up to believe that humans are inferior, Aria is shocked to discover that she is herself half human, and amazed to find that Earth-dwellers live life to the full and feel love for each other, even though they are mortal. But once she understands this, how can she save them, and herself, from destruction?

Written by the newly-appointed Laureate na nÓg (Ireland’s Children’s Literature Laureate)

A gripping high-concept speculative middle-grade novel from the award-winning author of Bumpfizzle, the Best on Planet Earth and The List

Aria lives on a well-ordered planet whose people have eradicated illness and even death. Earth is their ‘shadow planet’ which they populated with humans centuries ago so they could study them and learn from their experiences.

Now the experiment is coming to an end and Aria must go to Earth with her scientist father to set off a train of events which will destroy its people. Brought up to believe that humans are inferior, Aria is shocked to discover that she is herself half human, and amazed to find that Earth-dwellers live life to the full and feel love for each other, even though they are mortal.

But once she understands this, how can she save them, and herself, from destruction?

‘The fantasy book of the year’ — Eoin ColferHow many words do you need to survive? “Love”, “hope”, “freedom” – in the dystopian future of Ark, after climate change disaster, these words are being banned. One girl takes stand against this loss of language – she is the Wordsmith.Winner of a White Raven Award from the International Youth Library and shortlisted for the Children’s Books Ireland Book of the Year, The Wordsmith is a beautiful and gripping dystopian story of how words make us who we are.‘This book targets the dangers of global warming and the power of communication, love and expression.’ — The Guardian‘A novel that truly stands apart for its originality and relevance.’ — The Irish Times‘Forde’s exploration of language as both weapon and saviour is a noble one, and environmental undertones bolster its power. Pair with Patrick Ness’s The Knife of Never Letting Go.’ —Booklist‘A tremendous pageturner; I hope this won’t be the last we hear of Letta, a brave and spirited heroine.’ — School Library Association

The third title featuring Lola, the little sister who’s larger than life! Perfect for children learning to read. Poor Natalie’s broken her leg and is stuck up in her bedroom all alone.But Lola has a plan to keep Natalie from getting bored. It involves a walkie-talkie, her new imaginary friend Mrs Beasly, a puppy called Pebbles, a pig, an elephant and a witch. Oh, and Natalie’s brand new birthday bike that she only got to ride once…The Reading Ladder series helps children to enjoy learning to read. It features well-loved authors, classic characters and favourite topics, so that children will find something to excite and engage them in every title they pick up. It’s the first step towards a lasting love of reading. Level 2 Reading Ladder titles are perfect for readers who are growing in confidence and are beginning to enjoy longer stories. • Clear type • Up to 8 lines per page • Bright, appealing pictures for added interest • A variety of sentence structures • A wider range of vocabulary • Strong themes and characters to discuss All Reading Ladder titles are developed with a leading literacy consultant, making them perfect for use in schools and for parents keen to support their children’s reading.Book band: Purple The third title featuring Lola, the little sister who’s larger than life! Perfect for children learning to read. Poor Natalie’s broken her leg and is stuck up in her bedroom all alone.But Lola has a plan to keep Natalie from getting bored. It involves a walkie-talkie, her new imaginary friend Mrs Beasly, a puppy called Pebbles, a pig, an elephant and a witch. Oh, and Natalie’s brand new birthday bike that she only got to ride once…The Reading Ladder series helps children to enjoy learning to read. It features well-loved authors, classic characters and favourite topics, so that children will find something to excite and engage them in every title they pick up. It’s the first step towards a lasting love of reading. Level 2 Reading Ladder titles are perfect for readers who are growing in confidence and are beginning to enjoy longer stories. • Clear type • Up to 8 lines per page • Bright, appealing pictures for added interest • A variety of sentence structures • A wider range of vocabulary • Strong themes and characters to discuss All Reading Ladder titles are developed with a leading literacy consultant, making them perfect for use in schools and for parents keen to support their children’s reading.Book band: Purple

**The funniest new picture book of the year, from the Irish Children's Laureate***Shortlisted for the 2026 Peters Children's Book of the Year Award***'The perfect night-time read' - Daily Mail****'Hilarious and delightful' - Paddy Donnelly****'Funny and ingenious' - Bookseller**It’s a dark and stormy night, and Sophie knows that there is a MONSTER hiding under her bed. So, like any sensible child, she decides to send him a letter.Dear Monster,I know you are hiding under my bed. I hear you breathing. This is your last warning. Leave now or I will call THE MONSTER POLICE. I have their number. Yours truly,SophieAs the letters fly back and forth, Sophie begins to wonder if Monster isn’t as scary as she thought. What if he’s the friend she’s been looking for all along?From Irish Children's Laureate Patricia Forde and award-winning illustrator Sarah Warburton comes an irresistible picture book that turns the idea of the monster-under-the-bed on its head!

Fia looks out her window and across the bay. She longs to see the mysterious island, which appears and disappears in the water.One night a moonbeam reaches across the bay and leads her to the island. She walks with magical creatures, dances with a host of girls and boys, and visits the bottom of the sea and the stars in space.Lyrical text with gorgeous colour illustrations, from a multi-award-winning Irish author. Based on the mythical Irish island of Hy Brasil, which lies off the west coast of Galway.

Fia longs to visit the mysterious island. One night a moonbeam reaches across the bay and leads her there.