Josh Lacey
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joshlacey.com
Josh Lacey
@joshlacey.com
Author of children's books: A Dog Called Grk, The Dragonsitter, The Pet Potato, Hope Jones, etc http://joshlacey.com
For the past three years, I’ve been a member of the CWIG committee of the Society of Authors - we’re the Children’s Writers and Illustrators Group - and we’ve been working on a campaign to come up with guidelines for publishers, agents, etc, for ghostwriters.
October 26, 2025 at 9:34 AM
Today the National Literacy Trust is running a lovely campaign, suggesting we all take 10 minutes to read for the sake of our mental health, because reading is relaxing and will boost my mood.

I’ve taken 10 minutes to read Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury...
October 10, 2025 at 1:10 PM
For anyone interested in creative writing:

I’m teaching this course at @citylit.bsky.social @citylitwriting.bsky.social - an 11 week introduction to creative writing - and there are still some places available

www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/ways...
Ways into creative writing
Want to have a go at creative writing in a supportive environment? Join one of these introductory courses. Guided exercises will give you the tools to explore language creatively and find your own wri...
www.citylit.ac.uk
September 21, 2025 at 7:21 AM
Don’t miss this fantastic exhibition, showcasing the work of students @citylit.bsky.social who have completed a course in children’s writing and/or illustration, and gone on to publish their own books

The Story Starts Here: the craft of children’s book writing and illustration at City Lit
September 17, 2025 at 11:45 AM
For any teachers who are teaching the Maya this year...

My publishers @andersenpress.bsky.social have produced some amazing free teaching notes connected to The Maya Sacrifice, full of infomation and ideas
September 11, 2025 at 5:25 PM
There’s a wonderful review of The Maya Sacrifice on @lovereading4kids.bsky.social by @reeceandrea.bsky.social

“the story sparkles, full of detail and incident as well as believable characters, and provides readers with a great sense of Maya daily life”

www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/book/24975/T...
Time Travel Twins: The Maya Sacrifice by Josh Lacey
Time Travel Twins: The Maya Sacrifice (ISBN: 9781839135583) A thrilling new adventure for the time-travelling twins in which we discover there was much more to the Maya than chocolate.
www.lovereading4kids.co.uk
May 15, 2025 at 4:12 PM
There are now 4 books in the Time Travel Twins series -
the Stone Age
the Maya
the Romans
the Vikings
- ideal for any primary school children learning about history
May 14, 2025 at 8:22 AM
There are still some spaces on this @citylit.bsky.social workshop on Monday evenings starting 12 May

For experienced children's writers, this workshop offers an opportunity to develop your work-in-progress with constructive feedback from tutor & classmates

www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/writ...
Writing for children: workshop
For experienced children's writers, this ongoing workshop offers an opportunity to develop your work-in-progress with constructive feedback from tutor and classmates.
www.citylit.ac.uk
May 9, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Reposted by Josh Lacey
If you're a #primaryschool staff member & you're looking for #cpd please have a look at @joshlacey.com , we're sure he would love to talk to you about teachers as writers or using fiction to teach history: authorsalouduk.co.uk/speaker/josh...
May 7, 2025 at 9:24 AM
Are you writing a children’s book?

Come and join this weekly workshop at City Lit, it’s a wonderful way to improve your work with constructive feedback from other people also writing for children

Monday evenings, starting 12 May @citylit.bsky.social

www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/writ...
Writing for children: workshop
For experienced children's writers, this ongoing workshop offers an opportunity to develop your work-in-progress with constructive feedback from tutor and classmates.
www.citylit.ac.uk
May 6, 2025 at 7:50 AM
The Maya Sacrifice is book of the month on Authorfy this month

I’ve recorded a short video about the book with a reading and some information about the Maya

I hope it’s useful for any classes studying the Maya

@andersenpress.bsky.social @authorfy.bsky.social

authorfy.com/books-of-the...
Books of the Month - authorfy
authorfy.com
May 3, 2025 at 7:56 AM
I've written about the Time Travel Twins for @theclpe.bsky.social explaining why I have written a history series showing historical events from 2 opposing perspectives

Updated to include my new book The Maya Sacrifice

clpe.org.uk/blog/time-tr...
The Time Travel Twins: A Blog by Josh Lacey | Centre for Literacy in Primary Education
Revised 17 March 2025There are two sides to every story.That’s obvious, isn’t it? A truism.And yet when we study history, we often see things from only one ...
clpe.org.uk
May 2, 2025 at 6:28 AM
The Maya Sacrifice arrives in bookshops this week - with brilliant illustrations by Garry Parsons

This is the 4th book in the Time Travel Twins series, following the Stone Age, the Romans, and the Vikings

All published by @andersenpress.bsky.social
April 14, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Reposted by Josh Lacey
Free to download PDF reading list for Year 2 – perfect for promoting #ReadingForPleasure or holiday reading challenges. Includes titles by Joseph Coelho, Atinuke, Michael Rosen & more.

📥 Download here: buff.ly/O4Fqsqv
March 18, 2025 at 10:51 AM
The cover for my new book, coming in May
Full of delicious hot chocolate and human sacrifice

THE MAYA SACRIFICE - illustrated by Garry Parsons and published by @andersenpress.bsky.social
January 30, 2025 at 8:07 AM
Are you interested in writing for children?
I’ll be teaching a one day short course at City Lit @citylit.bsky.social on Saturday 1 Feb.
This course is fun, engaging, and full of useful exercises and advice for anyone thinking about writing a children’s book.
www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/writ...
Writing for children: getting started
Develop your ideas for children's stories in this practical and interactive short course. Topics will include plot, characterisation and viewpoint, and how to approach the children's publishing indust...
www.citylit.ac.uk
January 16, 2025 at 4:36 PM
In the bleak midwinter, I wonder how I would have fared in the Stone Age, huddling around a fire with my family, wearing animal skins for warmth, dreaming of the summer…
January 12, 2025 at 9:25 AM
To anyone contemplating a New Year social media detox, I recommend reading The Machine Stops by EM Forster.

“We created the Machine, to do our will, but we cannot make it do our will now.”
January 6, 2025 at 7:35 AM
If you’re searching for the perfect gift for a young child, I recommend a potato
December 13, 2024 at 11:13 AM
This is highly recommended for any primary schools studying the Egyptians.....
December is almost here and as a festive treat you watch Stephen Davies' Caboodle Classroom completely FREE!

Stephen shares top tips for writing stories and will help your #KS2 class write their own #AncientEgypt Sleepover story

Visit bit.ly/Crimboodle to watch now!

#Edusky #kidlit
December 10, 2024 at 12:15 PM
Last night Andersen Press threw a wonderful 90th birthday party for the magnificent Klaus Flugge with moving, heartfelt, witty speeches from his son, Charlie Sheppard, Julia Eccleshare, and Chris Riddell.
December 6, 2024 at 2:12 PM
The Northern Children’s Book Festival has been running for forty-two years, which is an extraordinarily impressive pedigree.

Every year, the fortnight-long festival brings writers and illustrators to schools and libraries in the North-East.
November 29, 2024 at 6:09 PM
Yesterday I had a fascinating and inspiring day at the Shropshire Bookfest Conference & CPD training day for primary school teachers
November 27, 2024 at 6:08 PM
A day full of inspiration, creativity and discussion!

For any primary school teachers in Shropshire (or nearby) - this should be very interesting - next week

Organised by Shropshire Bookfest

With @emcarrollauthor.bsky.social @evawongnava.bsky.social Sam Sedgman & me
November 20, 2024 at 10:30 AM
Reading Alison Lurie, who was such a brilliant critic of children’s books - funny, fierce, surprising, loving, sensitive, knowledgeable. Is there anyone like her writing about children’s literature today?
November 19, 2024 at 5:43 PM