The Book of Hopes is shortlisted for the Waterstones Book of the Year

Swapna HaddowScrapbook

I’m so thrilled to announce that The Book of Hopes has been shortlisted for the Waterstones Book of the Year 2020.

This book has gone further than any of us could ever have imagined and I never tire of seeing children’s wonderful work inspired by my poem ‘Me’ in the book. Thank you so much for your love and support and hugest congratulation to the many authors, illustrators, members of Team Bloomsbury, Team National Literacy Trust and Katherine Rundell on such an incredible feat.

Check out the incredible shortlist for the Book of the Year here.

Thank you, Waterstones!

The Book of Hopes out now!

Swapna HaddowScrapbook

I’m so thrilled that The Book of Hopes is now available to purchase in bookshops and online, with proceeds from sales going to NHS Charities.

It was a real honour to be asked to contribute to this beautiful collection and I’m so proud that Bloomsbury in partnership with Twinkl have produced an activity pack to help children find their voice and build confidence through poetry based on my poem ‘Me’. You can find all downloadable resources based on The Book of Hopes here.

Dave Pigeon at East Taieri School

Swapna HaddowHalfway Round the World with the Haddows, Roosting With Dave

Today I visited East Taieri School with ReadNZ’s Writers in Schools programme. It was my first school visit since lockdown and I was worried I might be a bit rusty but the staff and pupils at East Taieri were so kind and welcoming that I soon got back in the swing of things.

We created brand new stories for Mean Cat inspired by Dave Pigeon and I loved hearing how Mean Cat demolished a city, landed in a pool of baked beans and tripped over the world’s smallest worm amongst many, many other brilliant ideas.

Thank you so much to the staff and pupils at East Taieri for being so pigeontastic.

Happy Ballet Bunnies Day!

Swapna HaddowBallet Class in Session

Today is the official publication day of Ballet Bunnies. Beautifully illustrated by Binny Talib and written by me, as Swapna Reddy, this new series from Oxford University Press follows Millie and her four bunny friends on their ballet adventures.

I hope you enjoy this series and if you do there are more to come next year! If you spot a Ballet Bunnies book in your local bookshop or library do let me know because I would love to know where they have hopped off to around the world.

Love, Swapna 🙂