Little Island Books are seeking poetry for children—for a collection which will reflect Ireland today
Little Island Books is to publish I Am the Wind: A Compendium of Irish Poems for Children, a collection ranging from medieval to modern poems in English and Irish, edited by Lucinda Jacob and Sarah Webb and illustrated by Ashwin Chacko.
Publisher Matthew Parkinson-Bennett acquired world rights directly from the editors and commissioned illustrations on behalf of Chacko with Angharad Kowal Stannus from the Kowal Stannus Agency.
The editors are seeking previously unpublished children’s poems by Irish poets, or poets based in Ireland, for inclusion in the collection. They hope to find poems which reflect the diverse society in Ireland today, and to give space to new poetic voices. A modest fee will be offered for poems chosen for the collection.
Guidelines
Poems should be aimed at children from seven to twelve years old, and can be based around any theme and in any style or form—but poems of over 16 lines may not be considered.
Poems in Irish with English translations are welcome.
Poems should be sent to submissions@littleisland.ie with “I Am the Wind submission” in the subject line, together with a short text about the author. Submissions will close on 17 March 2023.
Illustrator, Ashwin Chacko
Ashwin Chacko is an Indian author, illustrator and motivational speaker based in Ireland. He specialises in positively playful, visual storytelling to bring joy and encouragement. His mission is to champion creativity and empower people to find their inner spark through his art, books, talks & workshops.
He has authored and illustrated several books including: Keep At It, Little Optimist, Everybody Feels Fear, A little book about Justice, and What Wondrous Shapes We Are.
Read an interview with Ashwin Chacko, where Ruth Ennis asks him about playfulness, imagination—and not being afraid to fail.
Editors
Lucinda Jacob writes poetry and stories for children. Widely anthologised, her own books include Hopscotch in the Sky (Little Island, illus. Lauren O’Neill), Climate SOS! and Guzzler’s Party (Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland, illus. by Alan Nolan).
Sarah Webb is an award-winning Irish children’s writer. Her books include Blazing a Trail: Irish Women who Changed the World (illus. Lauren O’Neill) and A Sailor Went to Sea, Sea, Sea: Favourite Rhymes from an Irish Childhood (illus. Steve McCarthy), both winners of Irish Book Awards.
I Am the Wind: A Compendium of Irish Poems for Children will be published in October 2023.
