Book Elves

Yesterday my article about the #bookelves17 featured on writing.ie Wondering what the Book Elves are? Read on..

Book Elves is the brainchild of writer and children's books expert Sarah Webb. Set up initially to boost coverage of books during The Late Late Toy Show. Sarah came up with an idea a few years ago to use the power of social media combined with the knowledge of enthusiastic children's booksellers, publishers, writers and librarians. So using the hashtag #bookelves Sarah and her book elf recruits made recommendations for children's books throughout the Late Late Toy Show. With an increased interest in children's books but a lack of reviews in the mainstream media the idea really took off.

The hashtag and the idea were so popular and so successful that Sarah decided to make the #bookelves active throughout the year. You can find book recommendations for children of all ages using #bookelves17 on twitter and facebook and the campaign involves children's book experts from all over Ireland and many in the UK . You can use the hashtag to search for recommendations or to ask questions. It's a fantastic initiative giving people instant access to a children's books expert and tailor made recommendations. Books make a fantastic gift for children at any time of year. Reading can help children to cope with anxiety and stress and offer a refuge from the pressures of social media and school. You can also make a list of books you might like to borrow from your local library. Your local library staff will also be happy to help you; they can order books from all over Ireland and help you with recommendations.

#bookelves provides a handy place for parents, teachers, aunts, uncles and grandparents to find the perfect books for the children in their lives. I've been a children's bookseller for many years and I've been part of the Book Elves team from the start and yet I have found so many new and wonderful book ideas for my own children from my Book Elves colleagues. So if you want to seek out books for children then I would absolutely encourage you to get involved.

In the meantime here are a few recommendations for this Christmas to get you started. For the under fives I have to begin by recommending The President's Glasses by Peter Donnelly (Gill Books) It's the hilarious story of our own beloved President and a helpful pigeon. It's beautifully illustrated and will undoubtedly be a huge hit with kids and adults alike. Here We Are by Oliver Jeffers (Harper Collins) is a wonderful exploration of our planet by the best selling Irish author and illustrator. Another fantastic addition to the bookshelf of any young child is A Sailor Went to Sea, Sea, Sea by Sarah Webb & Illustrated by Steve McCarthy which is full of traditional rhymes, poems and songs and includes work from classic Irish authors such as W. B. Yeats and Oscar Wilde (O'Brien Press) Malala's Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai & illustrated by Kerascoët (Puffin) is the story of the brave and determined young Malala and everything she has overcome. A truly inspirational story.

For independent readers; five to nine years old. I recommend The Clubhouse Mystery by Erika McGann (O'Brien Press) which is the first in a series of adventure stories perfect for budding spies and investigators. There's a Werewolf in my Tent by Pamela Butchart & illustrated by Thomas Flintham (Nosy Crow) is the hilarious tale of the imaginative Izzy and her school camping trip. For this age group Foclóiropedia by John & Fatti Burke (Gill Books) will have huge appeal. Following on the success of their hugely enjoyable Irelandopedia and Historopedia this is sure to be a hit with it's charming style and gorgeous illustrations.

For confident readers aged nine to twelve there are a wonderful array of choices including a fantastic debut A Place called Perfect by Kilkenny author Helena Duggan (Usborne) a fun fantasy tale reminiscent of Roald Dahl. Another hilarious tale for this age group is Who Let the Gods Out by Maz Evans (Chicken House) as young boy Elliot must team up with some Greek Gods to defeat the daemons. I also highly recommend Letters to the Lighthouse by Emma Carroll (Faber) a superb story of a London brother and sister evacuated to Devon, this is wonderful absorbing storytelling with an intriguing mystery. Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls by Elena Favilli & Francesca Cavallo (Particular Books) is a superb illustrated collection of 100 mini biographies of amazing women in science, the arts, sport and politics. Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend (Orion) is the first in a new fantasy adventure series that's tipped for the big screen and with the kind of magical storytelling that Harry Potter fans will adore.

For Teens and Young Adults I recommend Star by Star by Sheena Wilkinson (Little Island) a tale of a young suffragette arriving in Ireland as the Great War is coming to an end, the influenza epidemic has taken hold and the general election means many women will cast their vote for the first time. Tangleweed and Brine by Deirdre Sullivan (Little Island) is a collection of powerful feminist fairy tale retellings full of intrigue and enchantment. Thornhill by Pam Smy (David Fickling Books) is a fully illustrated dark ghost story with Gothic echoes of children's classics like The Secret Garden. Dave Rudden continues his Knights of the Borrowed Dark trilogy with The Forever Court (Puffin) with further thrills and spills for Denizen as he learns to control his new powers and new threats rise. This series is perfect for fans of Eoin Colfer, Shane Hegarty and Cornelia Funke. Finally A Skinful of Shadows (Pan Macmillan) is the latest release from the multi award winning Frances Hardinge which features a girl haunted by spirits sent to live with relatives against the backdrop of the English Civil War.

This is just a taste of the many wonderful books available to children and young adults in bookshops and libraries nationwide. For more recommendations don't be afraid to use the hashtag #bookelves17 and get involved.

Here is the original article at writing,ie

Lisa Redmond is a writer of fiction and non fiction, a bookseller and a head book elf. She writes a blog about books, writing and women in history.