Banned Books Week
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For my statement on Banned Books, click here.
For more background information and my attempt to understand why this little girl is banned,
click here.
For more background information and my attempt to understand why this little girl is banned,
click here.
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Both Zeki Goes to the Market AND Lulu Moves Home are in Children's Books Ireland Best irish Books of 2025 List - YAY!!
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Some lovely new reviews are in for new Lulu:
"McQuinn captures the small but significant emotions of a child’s experience of change beautifully honouring their fears, resilience, and curiosity throughout the story." – Children's Books Ireland Full review here "I strongly recommend this positive picture book which will be a great resource to use in the classroom when talking about different kinds of homes and the impact of change. Hopefully it will encourage children to reflect on their own experiences of moving home and the imminent arrival of a new baby in a family." – Karen Argent, The Letterpress Project Full review here |
NEW!!! Read my blog to see the journey that inspired the story and see here for Tips on moving home.
Click on the cover to read more.
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"With the ideal amount of repetition and inviting, warmly illustrated characters, Zeki Goes to the Market is an ideal story for a young child, particularly ones who are endlessly curious about the world around them."
– Children's Books Ireland Full review here Warm, cosy and inclusive, the Zeki books are one of my favourite picture book series for the very young"
– Charlotte Eyre Children's Previewer, The Bookseller |
Zeki Goes to the Market is published in the UK & Ireland by Alanna Max!
To read my BLOG about the book, click here. And for activities to try out, click here..
To read my BLOG about the book, click here. And for activities to try out, click here..
To buy my books
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Please support independent bookshops and buy my books from them whever you can.
Local bookshops employ local people and pay taxes. If the title you want is not on the shelves, most bookshops can order the book for you. They can look it up on their system. Some of the titles are available in hardcover and paperback and some (for little kids) are printed on card or board. If you have the title and format you want in advance, that will speed up the process. All the details are on the Publishers' websites. Find your local bookshop here. If you are struggling to find the books locally, you can still order from an independent bookshop in the UK here Support an independent bookshop here. |
Guess who made it on to the Essence 50 Must-Read Black Children's Books of the Past 50 Years!
Yes, it's our girl Lola! Look at what amazing company she's in! Just wow!
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About me...I feel lucky to have a life 100% dedicated to books -
I write and edit books for little kids and their families. I'm best known as the author of the Lulu/Lola books, though I've written over 65 picture books. 
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My mediaClick to follow me on Twitter
Click to visit my Facebook page Click to visit my Goodreads page Click to visit my Instagram page Click on the Articles tab above or here to read more about writing inclusively, or for specific pieces about my books, or for add-on activities for carers and educators. Click here for the blog. As well as writing, I'm editor-at-large for Alanna Max (see below); I have been a mentor for the Jericho Prize for the past two years; and with Creative Access numerous times in the past. |
PublishersIn the UK and Ireland, the Lulu and Zeki books are books are published by Alanna Max.
In the US and Canada, Lola and Leo books are published by Charlesbridge Publishing. The Lulu & Zeki books are also published in Denmark by Forlaget Arvids, Netherlands by School Support, Brazil by Pallas, Sweden by EPIX, and Soma, Korea by Glburri and Froebel China by ICP. My books are also published by Barefoot Books, Chicken-House/Scholastic, Little Tiger, Annick Press and O'Brien Press. |
committed to diversity |
As well as writing, I am Editor-at-Large at Alanna Max
For more, click here. We were extremely proud to be shortlisted for the inaugural Independent Publishers Guild's The Alison Morrison Diversity Award Judges' comments "Alanna Books* receives its first ever shortlist place at the IPG Independent Publishing Awards this year. Set up in 2006, it is committed to diversity in the characters and storylines of its books for children and parents. Judges admired its efforts to make its books commercial as well as critical successes, and liked its imaginative partnerships and events. Alanna Books is small but perfectly formed, and committed to diversity in everything it does”. *Alanna Max was originally called Alanna Books |