Join us for a celebration of St David’s Day and World Book Day!

Don’t miss your chance to meet two incredible Welsh children’s authors; Lesley Parr (When the War Came Home), will be in conversation with Lauren Ace (The Girls)!

It’s the perfect event for readers of any age, as well as for budding children’s authors.

Lesley Parr grew up in South Wales, at the bottom of a valley and quite near a seaside steelworks. Now she lives in the middle of England (almost as far from the sea as it’s possible to get) with her husband. Lesley shares her time between writing stories and teaching at a primary school.

When The War Came Home

‘A heartfelt, hopeful tale of the human spirit’s incredible ability to recover’ – Emma Carroll

‘This wonderful second novel firmly establishes Lesley as one of our finest writers of historical fiction. We should talk about her in the same way we talk about Hilary McKay, Emma Carroll & Tom Palmer… I hope it reaches the wide audience that it truly deserves’ – Phil Earle

‘With echoes of Carrie’s War and Goodnight Mister Tom, Parr brings her own fresh voice to what already feels like a wartime classic. This story is quietly brutal and brilliantly heartfelt. I absolutely adored it’ – Emma Carroll, author of Letters from the Lighthouse

Lauren Ace is from south Wales, studied Drama at the University of Exeter and now lives between Swansea and London. She has worked in publishing for over a decade, formerly as an award-winning publicist, and latterly as an editorial director. She is the author of Waterstones Children’s Book Prize winner The Girls, and its companion title, The Boys, both illustrated by Jenny Løvlie (and she used to work right here, in Waterstones Swansea).

The Girls

‘A simple but gorgeous picture book about four little girls who play in an apple tree and the women they grow into. Clear, direct and warm, it’s a celebration of kindness and scraped knees, illustrated with charm by Jenny Lovlie.’ – The Guardian