Geraldine’s snail pal poem chosen for kids’ anthology

Snail Pals, a poem by Galway writer Geraldine Mills has been included in Once upon a Place, a new anthology for children, edited by Laureate na nÓg Eoin Colfer, author of the bestselling Artemis Fowl series.

Telling the story of a visit to Oughterard’s Aughnanure castle by Lia and her BFF snail pal it’s one of six new works by Irish poets alongside stories from leading Irish children’s writers including former Laureate na nÓg Siobhán Parkinson. The anthology also includes first ever story for children by Academy Award nominee Jim Sheridan (director of My Left Foot, The Field and In America). Other authors whose work features are Pat Boran, Seamus Cashman, Eoin Colfer, John Connolly, Roddy Doyle, Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick, Mark Granier, Derek Landy, Paula Leyden, Oisín McGann, Jane Mitchell, Kate Newmann, Siobhán Parkinson, Sarah Webb and Enda Wyley.

Once upon a Place, published by Little Island, is aimed at 9 to 12-year-olds and it focuses on the special link between story and place in Ireland.

This reflects one of Eoin Colfer’s aims as Children’s Laureate, which is to connect “today’s screen-centric youngsters to the magic of the country they live in and its rich artistic heritage”.

The book features lavish black-and-white charcoal illustrations by award-winning artist and picture-book illustrator PJ Lynch.

It has been praised by The Irish Times which described it as “a significant publication, affording ample evidence of the high quality of the best of our current children’s literature”. The Sunday Independent, meanwhile, felt it was rare to “find such a rainbow of outstanding talent in one little book, one truly exceptional anthology”.

Royalties from the book will go towards the Laureate na nÓg project, which aims to raise the profile of children’s literature in Ireland and internationally and to introduce high-quality children’s books to new audiences.  It’s on sale at €15.99.