March – Malachy 
Doyle
Today in our local bookshop, ‘The Great Oak Bookshop’ in Llanidloes, Malachy Doyle was reading out his new book-Collywobble.
Magdalena and me loved the book, so we bought it, and he signed it for Magdalena!
After he had read Collywobble, he read another book he’d written: Owen And The Mountain.I loved that book, and it reminded me of where we live, so I got that one for me, and he signed it!
H also read us his book that is coming out later this year ‘The snuggle sandwich’, which is really lovely. About snuggling up to the people you love.
I have read his books ‘The bold boy’, ‘Swap’, ‘Tales from old Ireland’ , ‘The happy book’, ‘The dancing tiger’ (he also read that one to us, and it is now out of print). I can’t think what else at the moment. Now I am older, I read them to Magdalena (except Swap, which is for an older age group). Magdalena’s favourite book I read to her is The Bold Boy, it is about a boy and one pea, it always makes her laugh out loud, and she always joins in with the line: ”And off he jolly well toddled”. I like his stories because he has a good choice of words, sing song words, a clever, sometimes unexpected story line, & he always has a good moral to the story. I always feel satisfied at the end of the book, and left with a warm feeling. And he chooses really good illustrators.
It’s really exciting to hear a author read their own book, and I thought when he was reading ‘That’s him. I can’t actually believe it is him-Malachy Doyle’, when he reads it makes you feel really happy, and you loose yourself in the story, the hour went really quick, I enjoyed it so much! He has a sing song voice, which matches his sing song words! And he has a kind face.
Click on his name here to go to his website: MalachyDoyle.
My favourite illustrators at the moment are Christan Birmingham as he has such a ‘soft’ touch to his drawings and paintings. I also came across this illustrator, I love her unique style, click here to view her website & drawings.
Magdalena’s favourites are: Petra Brown (who illustrates ‘Collywobble’ and ‘Hush little baby’ & Birte Muller, Birte Muller’s paintings look like it is fresh paint. She illustrates two extraordinarily magical interactive books for ipad called ‘Teddys Day’ and ‘Teddys night’.
Me and Magdalena both love Lauren Child, & Magdalena is obsessed with Charlie & Lola, and we have every single book and DVD episode ever made and an audio CD! When they are on, she says what Lola says, when Lola talks, she memorises them, and ask her any episode and she’ll tell you! When I was six, we went to Lauren Child’s exhibition. Which was fabulous, and it had Charlie and Lola play houses, huge magnetic walls where you can dress up charlie and Lola. She had also made real miniature 3D little sets, and showed her sketchbooks, it was amazing, and if it was on again, I’d really like to take Magdalena now she’s older! She’d love it.
My favorite authors are Michael Morpurgo, (I also heard Michael Murpogo read his book ‘The Mozart Question’ with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, it was so moving. My big sister was given free tickets and she took me) and Malachy Doyle. Click on the authors and illustrators names to go to their websites. I like these authors because they think about what good or bad words can do and know the power of a good book. Because books change the way people think I respect authors who want to use words to make the world a better, kinder place.
Please tell me your favourite authors and illustrators and if you have ever heard them read from their own books below…
Great review Agnieszka!
I’ve taught preschool for many years and I also have 8 grandchildren. My favorite Malachy Doyle books are “Sleepy Pendoodle” and “Una and the Sea Cloak” (although Collywobble is on its way to me, so that may be a new favorite!).
Malachy was very kind and wrote some very nice things for the back of my children’s book “Top O’ the Mornin’ Mini Minnie!” which is being printed soon.
Happy reading!
Connie Mace
I forgot to link to my picture book character’s website instead. The book is still in the printing process and is for preschoolers who have a big sister or brother who can read to them
https://www.miniminnie.com/
Thank you, Agnieszka, for coming to see me in Llanidloes and particularly for the lovely things you say about me and my books. This is a wonderfully thoughtful piece about the importance of children’s books and the joy they can bring. I hope lots of people get to see it.
Say hello to Magdalena from me.
Absolutely lovely reviews, Agnieszka! You are a girl with vision and joy and spunk. I can’t wait to meet you some day in person. At last, I am mailing my book to you and Magdalena! Thank you for your patience.
Hi Agnieszka,
What a marvellous piece on Malachy Doyle, who I have to confess I’d not heard of, as my children are grown up, but I can see the appeal from a quick look at his website.
I think that children’s authors are the most important in our lives and we remember their books even when we’re quite old. I still have my favourite books from when I was a child -several Enid Blyton like so many of my generation!- and my bestest favourite being ‘Target Island’ by Richard Carpenter. But when our children were small we discovered Janet and Allan Ahlberg who illustrated and wrote several marvellous ‘baby’ books, our favourites being ‘Each Peach Pear Plum’ and ‘Peepo’: the poetry and the illustrations are exquisite. Sadly Janet (who illustrated) died some years ago.
Thank you for reminding me of these precious memories.
Wendy
Well-written article! I can feel your excitement about the books. I love reading, too. Some of my favorite children’s books are the Betsy-Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace, Anne of Green Gables books by Lucy Maud Montgomery, and Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I have read and re-read them countless times, which is a mark of a good book, in my opinion.
I like the illustrations of Eric Carle. (The Very Hungry Caterpillar.) I also love the illustrations by Linda Saport in All The Pretty Little Horses. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/all-the-pretty-little-horses-linda-saport/1100303833
It is one of my favorite books to sing to Emily, (and Anna when she was younger.)
Thank you for introducing us to Malchy Doyle, I’ve not heard of him before but I’m going to ask our library to see if they have any we can borrow. I’d really like to read Owen and the Mountain to my daughter who is 6 and her little sister who is 2 (and also happens to have Down Syndrome). We want to come up to north Wales for our holidays this summer so maybe I could read the book when we get tot he top of Cadiar Idris.
We have now got the following Malachy Doyle books which me and Magdalena really love; ‘Cow’ because Magdalena’s favourite animal is a cow, ‘Horse’ because I love horses! ‘The Castle Of Marshmangle’ for both of us, it’s hilarious. ‘Lake Of Shadows’ which is a welsh legend, about a place that is close to us. ‘One, Two, Three O’ Leary’ which has lots of funny rhymes in it, my mum really likes this one because she used to sing bits of the rhymes in the playground when she was little, playing skipping and clapping games. And her mum (my grandma) used to play a game where she’d throw a ball against a wall and every time the song came to “O’ Leary!” she’d throw it under her leg. I recommend all these books.
Well Done Agnieszka,
I liked your reviews and it was very well written. I have not heared of Malachy Doyle,
but I shall certainly look him up now. He sounds a really lovely person. It is a very nice bookshop you have got in Llanidloes. The Great Oak Bookshop! I would love to go there again with you.