Featuring some very special guests, our new Tall Tales podcast series is perfect for everyone who loves children’s books. Packed full of reading recommendations, ideas to help get your children reading, tips on writing for children … plus handy hints for all ages on how to get the creative juices flowing! Also featuring the new Laureate na nÓg, Áine Ní Ghlinn. Host Shane Hegarty is one of Ireland's most popular writers of children's fiction, creator of the best-selling Darkmouth series, and Boot, which is Dublin’s 2020 Citywide Read for children. 

All five chapters in the Tall Tales podcast series are now available to stream from MoLI's digital radio station, RadioMoLI, and on the ILFDublin website here.

Age 13+ and adults

Tall Tales Chapter 1. Runaway Robots & Other Adventures in Children’s Books with Frank Cottrell Boyce
Frank Cottrell Boyce is the author of Runaway Robot, Millions, Sputnik’s Guide to Life on Earth, Framed, Cosmic, The Astounding Broccoli Boy and the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang sequels. Frank’s first book, Millions, won the CILIP Carnegie Medal in 2004, and he also won the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize for The Unforgettable Coat. Frank is a highly successful screenwriter whose credits include The Railway Man, Millions, Goodbye Christopher Robin and the 2012 opening ceremony for the Olympics. He lives in Merseyside with his family. 

Tall Tales Chapter 2. On the Page: the Importance of Representation in Children’s Books with Adiba Jaigirdar, David Stevens and Sharna Jackson
Sure to be an engaging and insightful conversation, Shane and guests discuss representation in writing and publishing, and how to make books for every child. A Bangladeshi/Irish writer and teacher living in Dublin, Adiba Jaigirdar is a contributor for Bookriot. Her debut YA novel is The Henna Wars. Writer, curator and project director, Sharna Jackson has worked with BAFTA, Tate Kids, The Design Museum, and The Royal Collection Trust among others, and is the author of the bestselling High-Rise Mystery series. Sharna lives in the UK and The Netherlands. David Stevens is the co-founder of Knights Of, an independent, commercial, and inclusive children's books publisher based in London.

Tall Tales Chapter 3. Poems (and Books!) to Save the World with Chris Riddell
Shane talks to one of the most hardworking and inspirational illustrators and writers around, Chris Riddell. This autumn sees the publication of three books: Poems to Save the World With, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll’s classic, newly illustrated by Chris) and the paperback of The Cloud Horse Chronicles: Guardians of Magic. Chris Riddell is an accomplished artist and the political cartoonist for the Observer. His children’s books have won many major prizes, including the 2001, 2004 and 2016 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medals. Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse won the Costa Children's Book Award 2013. Chris was the UK Children's Laureate 2015–2017, and has been honoured with an OBE in recognition of his illustration and charity work. Tune in to hear what inspires Chris, and just how he manages to produce so many award-winning and acclaimed books!

Tall Tales Chapter 4. Leabhair, Léitheoireacht agus Cúrsaí Eile: Laureate na nÓg Áine Ní Ghlinn i gcomhrá le Manchán Magan
File agus scríbhneoir do pháistí í Laureate na nÓg, Áine Ní Ghlinn. Bhuaigh trí cinn dá húrscéalta (Daideo, Hata Zú Mhamó & Boscadán) Gradam Reics Carló (Leabhar Gaeilge na Bliana).  Bhuaigh Daideo Gradam Ficsin Leabhair Pháistí Éireann chomh maith le Gradam Leabhar na Bliana ó Chumann Léitheoireachta na hÉireann. Tá 26 leabhar do dhaoine óga foilsithe aici agus 5 chnuasach filíochta do dhaoine fásta. Údar agus craoltóir é Manchán Magan a bhfuil go leor cláir teilifíse déanta aige. Tá dhá úrscéal scríofa aige chomh maith le leabhair éagsúla faoi chúrsaí taistil. Scríobhann sé colún taistil don Irish Times agus bíonn sé le cloisteáil go minic ar an raidió. Is iomaí clár faisnéise atá curtha i láthair aige faoi chúrsaí taistil agus faoi chultúir idirnáisiúnta. Is é an leabhar is déanaí dá chuid ná Thirty Two Words for Field.  

Is togra de chuid na Comhairle Ealaíon é Laureate na nÓg a fhaigheann tacaíocht ón Aire Leanaí agus Gnóthaí Óige, Leabhair Pháistí Éireann, Éigse Éireann agus Comhairle Ealaíon Thuaisceart Éireann.

Books, Reading and Other Matters:  Laureate na nÓg Áine Ní Ghlinn in conversation with Manchán Magan
Áine Ní Ghlinn is a poet and children’s writer and is Laureate na nÓg 2020 – 2022. Three of her YA novels have won Gradam Reics Carló (Irish Language Book of the Year). Daideo also won a CBI fiction award and LAI Book of the Year. To date, she has published 5 collections of poetry and 26 books for children and young adults. Manchán Magan is a writer and documentary-maker. He has written numerous books on his travels and two novels. He writes occasionally for The Irish Times, reports on travel for various radio programmes, and has presented dozens of documentaries on issues of world culture. His latest book is Thirty-Two Words for Field.

Laureate na nÓg is an initiative of the Arts Council, managed on the Council’s behalf by Children’s Books Ireland, with the support of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and Poetry Ireland. 

Tall Tales Chapter 5. Once Upon a Reader! Raising a Child Who Loves Books
Children’s and YA book experts, Lorraine Levis and David O’Callaghan chat with Shane about choosing brilliant books for your children of all ages. They discuss reluctant readers, and why it’s so important to find books that children love and really connect with. Lorraine Levis works with Penguin Random House Children's Books and is an Irish Times columnist. A children's book expert, her primary focus is on helping children (and their grown-ups!) find the perfect stories, no matter what their interest or ability. Her book Once Upon a Reader is a roadmap for anyone who wants to help a new generation - from prenatal babies to young adults - foster a love of reading. David O’Callaghan is Children’s and YA Book Category Manager at Eason. He also runs Dept Con, Ireland’s biggest Young Adult convention.

The Gutter Bookshop is sad they can’t be at the festival in person this year but you can browse (and purchase!) books by the featured authors at the special ILFDublin festival shop - CLICK HERE. And remember that there’s no postage to pay in Ireland if you spend over €30 or if you choose to collect your books from either of our bookshops. Just choose the ‘Free Shipping’ or ‘Click & Collect’ options at checkout!