Discover Irish Children’s Books
Writing a first blog is something sure to strike fear of God into any writer. I feel like I’m setting a tone and a precedent of what is of interest to me, and how I grandstand on such things.
I have been lucky enough to be part of a community of writers, illustrators, booksellers, librarians and publishers who are clever, kind and (sometimes a bit naughty) between Ireland and the UK. Often discussions centre around publishing, invariably books sold and if there’s a magic button that you can press to make a book sell well. (There isn’t sadly. I tried looking for it. We all have!) However, what has been evident in Ireland is the disparity between adult fiction bestsellers and children’s fiction.
Sarah Webb, a stalwart writer, bookseller and cornerstone of the children’s book community in Ireland, began making notes of how many Irish writers featured in the adult fiction bestselling list and how many Irish writers and illustrators featured in the children’s fiction list. The results were shocking.
Some of the Discover Irish Children’s Books team at the CBI conference 2023 Back L-R Me, Patricia Forde, Sarah Webb, Trish Hennessy. Front - Anne Murtagh, SJ O’Hart, Eve McDonnell, Alan Nolan
‘From March to the start of August 2023 – twenty weeks – only ten books by Irish children’s authors or illustrators charted in the top ten children’s books (compiled using data from Nielsen Book Scan, which records every book sale through a bookshop till in Ireland). There were 123 Irish authors in the adult original fiction chart in the corresponding twenty weeks. During May, June, July and early August there were no Irish children’s books in the Irish children’s top ten and Shane Hegarty is the only Irish children’s author in the top ten children’s fiction borrowed from Dublin City Libraries so far in 2023’ Sarah Webb
A champion of children’s books, Sarah Webb has increasingly realised that the Irish children’s top ten bestseller list rarely features ANY Irish books. Ireland is a country that produces some of the best writers in the world and we have some incredible children’s writers and illustrators living on this island.
In creating the Discover Irish Children’s Books campaign, Sarah hopes to fix this situation by bringing Irish children’s books and their authors and illustrators to the attention of young readers and their grown ups. She has brought together a crack team of children’s book experts to help - including me!
For more information of how we can all help support Discover Irish Children’s Books and increase the presence of Irish writers, illustrators and publishers on bookshelves go to their site here, check out top ten recommendations by Irish bookshops and fantastic Irish alternatives to big international names with ‘If you like, you’ll love… posters.
There are no losers in this campaign - our young readers get great stories where they can see themselves and the whole world through the eyes of Irish creatives and our own local creatives get such a boost!
