Thomas Taylor

After the storm… I hope everyone is okay?

My review of what I know is many middle grade readers’ most-anticipated book of 2027, #TheLanternAndTheLabyrinth by @thomastaylor.bsky.social Out 08/04 from @puffinbooksuk.bsky.social #KidlitUK #UKKidlit worldssmallestlibrary.wordpress.com/2026/09/15/t...

Careful everyone; it’s getting muffwumpish out there.

Contemplating my relationship with Sredni, the squirrel who lives above my studio, I can’t decide if he’s thinking “that human leaves nuts out for me. Maybe he’s nice,” or “I know where that human hides his nuts. What an idiot!”. Actually, who am I kidding… 😐

My love of #Malamander is legendary and I cannot articulate just how excited and grateful I am that I have a proof copy of @thomastaylor.bsky.social’s new title The Lantern and the Labyrinth to read. Out 08/04/27 for middle grade readers, my enormous thanks go to Thomas. @puffinbooksuk.bsky.social

The seaside today. For anyone who needs to see the seaside today.

I watched the eclipse on the back of an envelope. You?

My latest newsletter is all about my obsession with building book props, my patchy record on making them work, and how I have failed to learn any of the lessons. And also where you can see my newest one go live😎 open.substack.com/pub/thomasta...

I’m excited to be appearing at the 2nd edition of the fabulous ✨Ipswich Book Festival✨ this October, bringing Eerie-on-Sea back to town, but also introducing my next book — The Lantern & the Labyrinth — by attempting to summon an actual fairy creature into being, right there, live in the library🧚🏽‍♂️😬😉

I wasn’t sure how to wrap my stepfather’s birthday present, so I dressed it in a hat and tie instead.

Latest newsletter, in which I share some actual news for a change. substack.com/@thomashtayl...

My marmalade sandwich and I helped dance up the sun on the clifftops in Hastings this morning, so now it’s summer. You’re welcome.

My latest newsletter, where I add my own mouse’s roar to the general angsting about AI in writing.

I usually start with Malamander but with moving to P5, I thought I was best waiting until Term 4. Started it today and as soon as I finished ‘oh, read a bit more!’ @thomastaylor.bsky.social

Thank you @fireflypress.bsky.social and Eloise Williams for this proof. I’m excited to head back to 1970s Wales, because I was actually there!

You know you are visiting a seaside school when there’s a free exhibition of seagull bottoms in the foyer.

“The Changeling Child is a great sequel, with heart, and marvels galore — moth magic! — which leaves more treasures to come as the series develops. This one body can’t wait.” Thank you @thomastaylor.bsky.social ! 💚🧚💙 Find out more: linktr.ee/hsnorup 🧚 @pushkinchildrens.bsky.social

I’ll be making a rare 2025 public appearance on the 3rd of October, as part of the Ipswich Book Festival. There will be scribbling, story creation, live drawing, and book signing if you like. Dancing optional. Maybe see you there!

Tamsin Rosewell is an British artist, historian and broadcaster with a background in politics. As an an illustrator she uses various techniques to tell stories in her work, such as mathematics and geometry for composition, and color and silhouette figures to convey emotions and stories.

119. The Seamaiden's Odyssey by @berliedoherty.bsky.social, illustrated by @hobslantern.bsky.social An enchanting tale of the deep sea with utterly gorgeous illustrations!

Always a joy to celebrate a new book by @pennychrimes.bsky.social - and what a lovely launch for Hero, The Highway Girl! New from @fireflypress.bsky.social - Hero is a fast-paced adventure in the wildnerness of C18th London. It has wolves, secret caves, gargoyles, chandeliers and great outfits.

I had a fun time at the launch of @pennychrimes.bsky.social ‘s fabulous new book last. And I even got to try on the hat! Congratulations Penny✨

Hurray! Thank you @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social for sending me The Poisoned King by Katharine Rundell. I loved ‘Impossible Creatures’ (of course!), so I can’t wait to go back to the Archipelago. I’m delighted to be getting there early😎 #poisonedking

Thank you, once again, for inviting me on your brilliant podcast.

I loved this too. And the Joan Aiken comparison is well made.

This was was glorious. A heart-filled pistol-flash of an adventure, filled with daring deeds, odious villains, and amazing hats. A wronged girl with her vengeful wolf meets an outlaw boy with a stallion only he can ride? Yes please! Thank you @fireflypress.bsky.social and @pennychrimes.bsky.social

I had to disguise some boxed-in wiring in my new bookshelves. Eagle-eyed readers of my Eerie-on-Series might spot how I did that…😉✨

Another beautiful book from ⁦‪@ManderleyPress

Book post! Penny’s new book looks wonderful. I might wear my tricorn hat to read it. Out in September — definitely one to look out for. Thank you @fireflypress.bsky.social for the proof. @pennychrimes.bsky.social ✨

The vet appointment is in ten minutes😑

I’m delighted to have been sent an advance copy of ‘The Changeling Child’, sequel to the brilliant ‘Into the Faery Hill’ by ⁦‪H S Norup‬⁩. I only opened it to take a look and I’m on Chapter 8 already. Thank you ⁦‪@PushkinPress‬⁩ ✨🧚

Well, that was wonderful. My slow read thru of Joan Aiken’s brilliant ‘Wolves Chronicles’ has reached Book 3: ‘Nightbirds on Nantucket’. And now I know why Dido Twite is such a beloved character. A joy to read, and perfectly illustrated by Pat Marriott in these Jonathan Cape editions.

In which I make a new feline friend, and discover that his name is Bigfoot.

@thomastaylor.bsky.social Just wanted to share this with you! Since reading the fabulous Malamander to my Year 6 class, so many of them have got hold of their own copies of Gargantis! I count 9 copies and 3 Shadowghasts! I've got boys reading it in their lunch break! Thank you!! 😀🤜🤛

Thanks for including Malamander, Tom🧜🏻✨☺️

A great evening at the Cartoon Museum yesterday, hearing Berlie Doherty and @hobslantern.bsky.social talk about their collaboration on ‘Seamaiden’s Odyssey’. It was wonderful to hear Berlie’s thoughts on the changes she’s seen in publishing. Makes me want to travel back and be a writer in the 80s!

It’s weird to reach my vast old age and discover a new favourite Diana Wynne Jones, but this book! ‘Fire and Hemlock’ is one of the most maddening and slippery stories I’ve read in a long time, but I loved every wonderful page of it, and will read it again this year, I think. Have you read it?

Nothing ridiculous going on here. Nothing ridiculous at all.

I was privileged to take part in the pilot session of this workshop, and it’s brilliant!

I’ve been dog sitting, and to mark the end of my time with the little darlings I’ve made dachshund lasagne…

Someone should write a book about all the crackpot theories that have ever been proposed about Stonehenge, and title it 'Unhenged'

I’m reading Patrick Harpur’s ‘Daimonic Reality’ (1994) and I wish I’d known about this book when studying for my Philosophy degree at Cambridge; it would have enraged my lecturers delightfully

Reader, I bought her.

I finally read The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken, for the first time. A joy, but also a little baffling until I discovered, half way through, that it was written as a Dickensian parody. Once in on the joke, I enjoyed it all the more, and will certainly be reading the rest of the series.

Interesting little curio shop in town, which is new, but which also looks like it has been there forever. Shall I go in and ask about this boat?

Look, all I’m saying is: Dry August would be easier. #draugust

Great to see Malamander in such fine company. Thank you, ✨Tom✨

This jigsaw has one piece too many.

Each of the buildings represented in the repeat pattern of these endpapers (and matching gift wrap) were of relevance to Mary Shelley’s brief but influential time living in Bath. We’ve created a book all about it and artist Eleanor Macnair has brought it to life beautifully! tinyurl.com/ykn2scn3 💙📚