It's the 2026 James Reckitt Hull Children’s Book Award: Picture Book Shortlist, and we're thrilled to be part of the celebrations, sharing little snippets here on socials while the full films are being enjoyed by children in schools across Hull and East Yorks.
Next up…
👞 Tiny McToot
✍️ & 🎨 by @barryfalls
📖 published by @farshorebooks
Tiny may be the smallest giant in the land, but what he lacks in size, he more than makes up for in heart 💛
When a HUGE troll appears, it’s Tiny’s bravery (and brilliant problem-solving) that proves being small doesn’t mean being insignificant at all.
A beautiful rhyming story about being seen, heard and accepted, however small you may feel, packed with humour, warmth and bold, expressive illustrations.
🎬 Snippets shared here
📚 Full read-alouds being watched in local schools
🗳️ Votes are being counted, with the winner announced this week!
Happy reading ✨
Produced by @blueauroramedia , in partnership with @hullschoolslibraryservice@hull.libraries #JamesReckittLibraryTrust
#StorytimeWithHannahAndPatrick #JamesReckittHullChildrensBookAward #PictureBookShortlist #TinyMcToot #ReadAloud #HullReads #ReadingTogether #ReadingForPleasure #LibrariesAndSchools
I enjoyed reading this one out loud to my toddler SO MUCH! So much in fact that I was so distracted by getting into the flow of the rhymes that I didn't notice my youngest grab and then rip a book 😭
Anyway, that's how good it is 😂
This book tells the story of a wild bird, the HooBoo, whose magical song can grant wishes (if your heart is good and true)
The selfish King who is obsessed with power, captures the HooBoo and orders everyone and everything to obey him.
Of course, things don't go quite to plan, because kindness, and true courage can't be caged.
The rhyming text flows beautifully and adds a lyrical feel (as evidenced by the page ripping debacle of 2025)
The illustrations pop out of the pages, and those endpapers are perfection, if not a little psychedelic
This is a great book for encouraging conversations about what makes someone's heart 'good and true'.
5 stars for sure, I am tempted to take a star off for the page ripping, but that's probably (definitely) my own fault.
@andersenpress@barryfalls
Gifted
Have you ever gotten so immersed in a picture book that you forgot about the world around you?
OUT TODAY! My new book The Wild Hooboo publishes today with @andersenpress - it's a classic fairy tale about freedom, with some mayhem and tyranny thrown in for good measure. Buy it now wherever you get your books!
'In My Room' was an artwork I created a couple of years ago as part of a @heart_agency promotional piece, (in collaboration with @stuart_patience who provided the excellent portrait of me). It was a response to the Beach Boy's song 'In My Room' and features in the background a portrait of the late Brian Wilson, whose music I've loved for a long time
Here is the incredibly beautiful cover for a brand-new Wild Child title from phenomenal young naturalist @dara_mcanulty with illustrations from the entirely brilliant @barryfalls - A Wild Child’s Guide to Nature at Night - packed full of 🦊🦇🦡🦉is out on the 18th of September
We’re excited to present the stunning cover of @dara_mcanulty ’s newest book, brilliantly illustrated by @barryfalls 🌿
Discover the enchanting world of Britain’s and Ireland’s nighttime wildlife!
🇬🇧UK readers, head over to @waterstones to get your copy.
🇮🇪Irish readers, support your local indie bookstore.
Pre-order now, links in bio!
#DaraMcAnulty #NatureAtNight #BookCoverReveal
We are excited to share that our next in-depth conversation is with the one and only @barryfalls . Barry is an award winning illustrator and author. He has worked with a plethora of amazing brands like The New Yorker, Netflix, the Guardian and more. He has also authored and illustrated several children’s books. A big thank you to our event partners @theaoi and @theamericanbarsailortown for making this event possible. We look forward to seeing you at the American Bar on May 8th and 7:00pm. Head to the link in our bio to grab your ticket! All proceeds of the ticket go to paying the Speaker. #illustration #event
Tiny McToot: A Delightful Tale for Kids
🎺💨 Get ready for giggles and glee! Tiny McToot is the hilarious and heartwarming new picture book from the Waterstones Children’s Prize shortlisted creator of Alone! Perfect for young readers, this charming tale is filled with fun, laughter, and a whole lot of heart. Whether it’s bedtime or story time, Tiny McToot is sure to be a favorite on your child’s bookshelf.
📚 Available now at Midland Book Shop
#TinyMcToot #ChildrensBooks #IllustratedBooks #KidsFavorites #WaterstonesPrize #MidlandBookShop #BooksForKids #BedtimeStories #LaughterAndLearning #StorytimeFun #ReadAndRiseBooks
Out today! My brand new picture book, published by @farshorebooks is published in the UK and Ireland today. Tiny McToot is the story of a giant who is... well... not so giant. It's my most colourful book yet, and contains some ludicrously silly-goose-time shenanigans. Follow our wee hero Tiny as he sets out to save his friend Percival (a pig in a wig, naturally) from the great big rotter of a Troll who terrorises the land of the giants. It's a story about bravery, friendship, and the importance of, umm, pepper. Buy it in all good bookshops now!
I'm really pleased to be able to share the cover artwork for a very special book I've been working on. 'The Great Irish Biodiversity Book' will be released on 24 October, and published by @gillbooks - it's written by the fantastic Éanna Ní Lamhna and contains loads and loads of information on the amazing biodiversity that we enjoy here in Ireland. It's nearly 100 pages of fully illustrated natural wonder, and was a real labour of love. You can pre-order a copy now at the following link: https://linktr.ee/greatirishbiodiversity
New work!
I’m so pleased to reveal my cover for the amazing @katyabalen 's upcoming novel FOXLIGHT, publishing 28 Sep with @KidsBloomsbury
I was really moved by this book - gorgeous prose, vivid images and so so much heart made it a joy to create artwork for. As well as the cover I worked on some black and white internal artwork so please check it out if you get the chance.
A heart-breaking & heart-warming story about sisterhood, found family and accepting love in the most unusual and unknown places
Curl up and rewild yourself … 🍂🦊🌳
We are very pleased to reveal the cover for #KatyaBalen ’s upcoming novel FOXLIGHT, publishing 28th September 2023 🍂🦊🌳
This wild and beautiful cover was illustrated by the talented @barryfalls
From the author of October, October, winner of the Yoto Carnegie Medal, comes a heart-breaking and heart-warming story about sisterhood, found family and accepting love in the most unusual and unknown places.
The beautiful hardback and also the exclusive Independent Bookshop Edition (with a bonus short story) of FOXLIGHT are available to pre-order now, online and at all good bookshops! 🍂🦊🌳
#foxlight #katyabalen #middlegradebooks
