Sarah Webb
@sarahwebbwriter.bsky.social
Award-winning Irish children's author, children’s book reviewer, book events programmer and Events Manager at Halfway up the Stairs Children’s Bookshop
Founder of #DiscoverIrishKidsBooks
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/SarahWebbWriter
Founder of #DiscoverIrishKidsBooks
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/SarahWebbWriter
Good to hear it’s helping! 😀
November 28, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Good to hear it’s helping! 😀
I think the difference now is there are thousands of brilliant children’s, teen and YA books available, which was not the case in the past.
I read all kinds of adult books as a teenager but the books that meant the most to me were books with actual teens in them like some of Judy Blume’s books.
I read all kinds of adult books as a teenager but the books that meant the most to me were books with actual teens in them like some of Judy Blume’s books.
November 28, 2025 at 12:30 PM
I think the difference now is there are thousands of brilliant children’s, teen and YA books available, which was not the case in the past.
I read all kinds of adult books as a teenager but the books that meant the most to me were books with actual teens in them like some of Judy Blume’s books.
I read all kinds of adult books as a teenager but the books that meant the most to me were books with actual teens in them like some of Judy Blume’s books.
Ha! I’d love a badge like that too!
November 28, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Ha! I’d love a badge like that too!
If you’d like a recommendation for the young reader in your life ask away! I’m always happy to help if I can. I read over 300 children’s books every year and I love recommending great books! The #bookelves2025 kick off on 5th Dec too - a week of recommendations from the team.
November 28, 2025 at 10:52 AM
If you’d like a recommendation for the young reader in your life ask away! I’m always happy to help if I can. I read over 300 children’s books every year and I love recommending great books! The #bookelves2025 kick off on 5th Dec too - a week of recommendations from the team.
And well done to that mum for supporting his reading choices. The good news is that more and more parents are doing the same. They are thrilled to see their children tearing through comic books and are starting to embrace it. It warms my heart!
November 28, 2025 at 10:48 AM
And well done to that mum for supporting his reading choices. The good news is that more and more parents are doing the same. They are thrilled to see their children tearing through comic books and are starting to embrace it. It warms my heart!
Here are our comic books of the year @halfwayupbooks.bsky.social
A great mix of Irish and international titles for lots of different ages and some cracking Irish titles too!
We have a whole comic book section in the shop - do call in and check it out! We add new titles to it all the time.
A great mix of Irish and international titles for lots of different ages and some cracking Irish titles too!
We have a whole comic book section in the shop - do call in and check it out! We add new titles to it all the time.
November 28, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Here are our comic books of the year @halfwayupbooks.bsky.social
A great mix of Irish and international titles for lots of different ages and some cracking Irish titles too!
We have a whole comic book section in the shop - do call in and check it out! We add new titles to it all the time.
A great mix of Irish and international titles for lots of different ages and some cracking Irish titles too!
We have a whole comic book section in the shop - do call in and check it out! We add new titles to it all the time.
My favourite recent story from the bookshop - I told a comic loving boy that he could read comic books all his life. ‘I still read them,’ I told him.
His mum said I was right, that his auntie was a big comic book fan. The grin on his face when he realised it was true! It made my year.
His mum said I was right, that his auntie was a big comic book fan. The grin on his face when he realised it was true! It made my year.
November 28, 2025 at 10:38 AM
My favourite recent story from the bookshop - I told a comic loving boy that he could read comic books all his life. ‘I still read them,’ I told him.
His mum said I was right, that his auntie was a big comic book fan. The grin on his face when he realised it was true! It made my year.
His mum said I was right, that his auntie was a big comic book fan. The grin on his face when he realised it was true! It made my year.
Evil Duck by Chris Judge is so ‘Dublin’ it made me smile. From a monster in the Dublin sewers, to the ‘Ah here, lads’ in the dialogue, it must be so amazing for an Irish child to read a comic book set in their home town, with phrases they are v familiar with. It made this grown up kids very happy!
November 28, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Evil Duck by Chris Judge is so ‘Dublin’ it made me smile. From a monster in the Dublin sewers, to the ‘Ah here, lads’ in the dialogue, it must be so amazing for an Irish child to read a comic book set in their home town, with phrases they are v familiar with. It made this grown up kids very happy!
Graphic novels like When the Sky Falls are pieces of art, as well as cracking literature. Reading it was such an immersive experience. It’s an outstanding piece of work. Yes, it’s quicker to read than a novel, but I read it with such burning ferocity, it left me wanting to read more, more, more!
November 28, 2025 at 10:31 AM
Graphic novels like When the Sky Falls are pieces of art, as well as cracking literature. Reading it was such an immersive experience. It’s an outstanding piece of work. Yes, it’s quicker to read than a novel, but I read it with such burning ferocity, it left me wanting to read more, more, more!
Not at all! 😀 I’ve seen punchy adult books on the 9+ shelves myself in some chain bookshops.
Children may be mechanically able to read a book but it doesn’t mean they are ready emotionally.
And there are so many great children’s books out there for them to enjoy!
Children may be mechanically able to read a book but it doesn’t mean they are ready emotionally.
And there are so many great children’s books out there for them to enjoy!
November 28, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Not at all! 😀 I’ve seen punchy adult books on the 9+ shelves myself in some chain bookshops.
Children may be mechanically able to read a book but it doesn’t mean they are ready emotionally.
And there are so many great children’s books out there for them to enjoy!
Children may be mechanically able to read a book but it doesn’t mean they are ready emotionally.
And there are so many great children’s books out there for them to enjoy!
You’d be so welcome! We are @halfwayupbooks.bsky.social and are based in Greystones, Co Wicklow, an hour from Dublin.
November 28, 2025 at 10:20 AM
You’d be so welcome! We are @halfwayupbooks.bsky.social and are based in Greystones, Co Wicklow, an hour from Dublin.
Being a children’s bookshop is something we take very seriously indeed. We respect our young readers so much and we try to find books that match their reading needs and their mood. Do they need a cosy Christmas Murder mystery to curl up with? A thrilling adventure? A funny comic book? A wise novel?
November 28, 2025 at 10:16 AM
Being a children’s bookshop is something we take very seriously indeed. We respect our young readers so much and we try to find books that match their reading needs and their mood. Do they need a cosy Christmas Murder mystery to curl up with? A thrilling adventure? A funny comic book? A wise novel?
Children are complex beings who go through different stages and need different books at each stage. And their age isn’t always a good guideline. There are ‘old’ six years olds and ‘young’ eleven year olds.
So we don’t put a cut off age on the shelving. We have age 6+, 8+ etc.
So we don’t put a cut off age on the shelving. We have age 6+, 8+ etc.
November 28, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Children are complex beings who go through different stages and need different books at each stage. And their age isn’t always a good guideline. There are ‘old’ six years olds and ‘young’ eleven year olds.
So we don’t put a cut off age on the shelving. We have age 6+, 8+ etc.
So we don’t put a cut off age on the shelving. We have age 6+, 8+ etc.
At our bookshop we read, research or look through every book that comes through the door. And then we carefully age range each one. We have a teen section and a separate YA section for books with more complex themes. As a small shop with highly dedicated children’s booksellers we can do that.
November 28, 2025 at 10:10 AM
At our bookshop we read, research or look through every book that comes through the door. And then we carefully age range each one. We have a teen section and a separate YA section for books with more complex themes. As a small shop with highly dedicated children’s booksellers we can do that.
Here are some I loved recently. Under the London Sky is brilliant and highly recommend for young teen history lovers. It’s about a group of teens who are thrown together during the London blitz. Age 13+ (due to kissing and emotional complexity).
November 28, 2025 at 9:48 AM
Here are some I loved recently. Under the London Sky is brilliant and highly recommend for young teen history lovers. It’s about a group of teens who are thrown together during the London blitz. Age 13+ (due to kissing and emotional complexity).
It really does!
November 19, 2025 at 10:50 AM
It really does!
My absolute favourite friendship book is Rabbit’s Bad Habits by Julian Gough and Jim Field. A modern classic.
November 15, 2025 at 6:59 AM
My absolute favourite friendship book is Rabbit’s Bad Habits by Julian Gough and Jim Field. A modern classic.
I’ve just finished this wonderful graphic novel version of Phil Earle’s When the Sky Falls and it’s such a powerful book. Friendship between a boy and an ape, as well as a boy and a girl - both beautifully examined. Adapted by Fred Fordham.
November 15, 2025 at 6:57 AM
I’ve just finished this wonderful graphic novel version of Phil Earle’s When the Sky Falls and it’s such a powerful book. Friendship between a boy and an ape, as well as a boy and a girl - both beautifully examined. Adapted by Fred Fordham.
One of the best non fiction titles I’ve read recently was The History of Information by Chris Haughton. It’s an incredible book and a really important one too as it talks about things like propaganda and machine learning. Highly recommend for all ages from 9+. A must for adults too!
November 7, 2025 at 9:31 AM
One of the best non fiction titles I’ve read recently was The History of Information by Chris Haughton. It’s an incredible book and a really important one too as it talks about things like propaganda and machine learning. Highly recommend for all ages from 9+. A must for adults too!
It’s one of my favourite verse novels - so good! 😀
October 24, 2025 at 7:42 PM
It’s one of my favourite verse novels - so good! 😀