Kirsten Allen (@kidsstoryworld)
@kidsstoryworld.bsky.social
writer
children’s book reviewer
freelance publishing assistant
fanatic about reading for pleasure
and all things kidlit 📚💕
SCBWI
children’s book reviewer
freelance publishing assistant
fanatic about reading for pleasure
and all things kidlit 📚💕
SCBWI
Pinned
Looking for young writers aged 5–11 to publish in Jan’s Your Words! feature.
Write a story or poem in 100 words or less. Theme: New Beginnings.
3 selected entries will be published on Kids’ Storyworld blog & as part of the Jan blog launch, they’ll receive a £10 @nationalbooktokens.bsky.social
👇
Write a story or poem in 100 words or less. Theme: New Beginnings.
3 selected entries will be published on Kids’ Storyworld blog & as part of the Jan blog launch, they’ll receive a £10 @nationalbooktokens.bsky.social
👇
My son was reading Barking for Bagels by @michaelrosenyes.bsky.social … and nearly fell out of bed! “Look! The author started a sentence with And! And he can’t do that!” 🤯
I reminded my son that writing for pleasure doesn’t have to follow every rule. And some rules are made to be broken…😜
I reminded my son that writing for pleasure doesn’t have to follow every rule. And some rules are made to be broken…😜
December 7, 2025 at 4:05 PM
My son was reading Barking for Bagels by @michaelrosenyes.bsky.social … and nearly fell out of bed! “Look! The author started a sentence with And! And he can’t do that!” 🤯
I reminded my son that writing for pleasure doesn’t have to follow every rule. And some rules are made to be broken…😜
I reminded my son that writing for pleasure doesn’t have to follow every rule. And some rules are made to be broken…😜
Reposted by Kirsten Allen (@kidsstoryworld)
It's that time again - just updated my WEBSITE, where you will find FREE poems, resources, randomness, and penguins. Go on, have a look: www.joshuaseigal.co.uk Sending big love to all #BookSky #EduSky #poetrycommunity
Joshua Seigal | Official Website
Website of award-winning poet, author, performer and educator Joshua Seigal. Contains free poetry, and lots of information.
www.joshuaseigal.co.uk
December 6, 2025 at 1:23 PM
It's that time again - just updated my WEBSITE, where you will find FREE poems, resources, randomness, and penguins. Go on, have a look: www.joshuaseigal.co.uk Sending big love to all #BookSky #EduSky #poetrycommunity
It’s live!!!
Please share the socks off it!
Anyone who has been a part of the schools programme knows what a difference it makes to kids.
This year my emotional moment was @robbiddulph.bsky.social Follow The Fox performance. Not a dry eye in the house! 🥹
#BCLF
www.jumblebee.co.uk/christmas202...
Please share the socks off it!
Anyone who has been a part of the schools programme knows what a difference it makes to kids.
This year my emotional moment was @robbiddulph.bsky.social Follow The Fox performance. Not a dry eye in the house! 🥹
#BCLF
www.jumblebee.co.uk/christmas202...
December 6, 2025 at 9:54 AM
It’s live!!!
Please share the socks off it!
Anyone who has been a part of the schools programme knows what a difference it makes to kids.
This year my emotional moment was @robbiddulph.bsky.social Follow The Fox performance. Not a dry eye in the house! 🥹
#BCLF
www.jumblebee.co.uk/christmas202...
Please share the socks off it!
Anyone who has been a part of the schools programme knows what a difference it makes to kids.
This year my emotional moment was @robbiddulph.bsky.social Follow The Fox performance. Not a dry eye in the house! 🥹
#BCLF
www.jumblebee.co.uk/christmas202...
Reposted by Kirsten Allen (@kidsstoryworld)
The #Creatives4Sudan auction closes TODAY (saturday 6th) at midnight! Your last chance to bid on incredible things approaches. Like this one-to-one hour of comics mentoring by UK comics supremo Woodrow Phoenix aka @mrphoenix.bsky.social app.galabid.com/creatives4su...
Sorry, GalaBid took too long to load. Please check your internet speed or try again.
app.galabid.com
December 6, 2025 at 7:01 AM
The #Creatives4Sudan auction closes TODAY (saturday 6th) at midnight! Your last chance to bid on incredible things approaches. Like this one-to-one hour of comics mentoring by UK comics supremo Woodrow Phoenix aka @mrphoenix.bsky.social app.galabid.com/creatives4su...
Please do share! Entries that feature on the Jan book will receive £10 in @nationalbooktokens.bsky.social 📘✏️
Looking for young writers aged 5–11 to publish in Jan’s Your Words! feature.
Write a story or poem in 100 words or less. Theme: New Beginnings.
3 selected entries will be published on Kids’ Storyworld blog & as part of the Jan blog launch, they’ll receive a £10 @nationalbooktokens.bsky.social
👇
Write a story or poem in 100 words or less. Theme: New Beginnings.
3 selected entries will be published on Kids’ Storyworld blog & as part of the Jan blog launch, they’ll receive a £10 @nationalbooktokens.bsky.social
👇
December 5, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Please do share! Entries that feature on the Jan book will receive £10 in @nationalbooktokens.bsky.social 📘✏️
Reposted by Kirsten Allen (@kidsstoryworld)
The first of my four #Christmas #DrawWithRob episodes drops tomorrow (Saturday) at 10am, and in it I'll be showing you how to draw a very mischievous Elf-on-the-Shelf. So grab your pencils and a mince pie or two, and settle in for a month of merry creativity... 🎄
December 5, 2025 at 5:35 PM
The first of my four #Christmas #DrawWithRob episodes drops tomorrow (Saturday) at 10am, and in it I'll be showing you how to draw a very mischievous Elf-on-the-Shelf. So grab your pencils and a mince pie or two, and settle in for a month of merry creativity... 🎄
Looking for young writers aged 5–11 to publish in Jan’s Your Words! feature.
Write a story or poem in 100 words or less. Theme: New Beginnings.
3 selected entries will be published on Kids’ Storyworld blog & as part of the Jan blog launch, they’ll receive a £10 @nationalbooktokens.bsky.social
👇
Write a story or poem in 100 words or less. Theme: New Beginnings.
3 selected entries will be published on Kids’ Storyworld blog & as part of the Jan blog launch, they’ll receive a £10 @nationalbooktokens.bsky.social
👇
December 5, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Looking for young writers aged 5–11 to publish in Jan’s Your Words! feature.
Write a story or poem in 100 words or less. Theme: New Beginnings.
3 selected entries will be published on Kids’ Storyworld blog & as part of the Jan blog launch, they’ll receive a £10 @nationalbooktokens.bsky.social
👇
Write a story or poem in 100 words or less. Theme: New Beginnings.
3 selected entries will be published on Kids’ Storyworld blog & as part of the Jan blog launch, they’ll receive a £10 @nationalbooktokens.bsky.social
👇
Looking for young writers aged 5–11 to publish in Jan’s Your Words! feature.
Write a story or poem in 100 words or less. Theme: New Beginnings.
3 selected entries will be published on Kids’ Storyworld blog & as part of the Jan blog launch, they’ll receive a £10 @nationalbooktokens.bsky.social
👇
Write a story or poem in 100 words or less. Theme: New Beginnings.
3 selected entries will be published on Kids’ Storyworld blog & as part of the Jan blog launch, they’ll receive a £10 @nationalbooktokens.bsky.social
👇
December 5, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Looking for young writers aged 5–11 to publish in Jan’s Your Words! feature.
Write a story or poem in 100 words or less. Theme: New Beginnings.
3 selected entries will be published on Kids’ Storyworld blog & as part of the Jan blog launch, they’ll receive a £10 @nationalbooktokens.bsky.social
👇
Write a story or poem in 100 words or less. Theme: New Beginnings.
3 selected entries will be published on Kids’ Storyworld blog & as part of the Jan blog launch, they’ll receive a £10 @nationalbooktokens.bsky.social
👇
Reposted by Kirsten Allen (@kidsstoryworld)
If someone bids over £300 on my Loki item, I will unlock a new benefit - an annotated copy of LOKI: A BAD GOD'S GUIDE TO CAUSING CHAOS, with additional doodles, messages from Loki and insights into my writing and plotting process. Even spoilers... #Creatives4Sudan app.galabid.com/creatives4su...
Sorry, GalaBid took too long to load. Please check your internet speed or try again.
app.galabid.com
December 5, 2025 at 8:01 AM
If someone bids over £300 on my Loki item, I will unlock a new benefit - an annotated copy of LOKI: A BAD GOD'S GUIDE TO CAUSING CHAOS, with additional doodles, messages from Loki and insights into my writing and plotting process. Even spoilers... #Creatives4Sudan app.galabid.com/creatives4su...
Reposted by Kirsten Allen (@kidsstoryworld)
It's Friday! Time for the good news thread. What's YOUR good news? In lieu of a pic of what I'm watching, I'm sharing the #Creatives4Sudan auction again. My good news is we've raised over 13k now but we can do more. Please consider a bid to make my news even better! app.galabid.com/creatives4su...
Sorry, GalaBid took too long to load. Please check your internet speed or try again.
app.galabid.com
December 5, 2025 at 7:59 AM
It's Friday! Time for the good news thread. What's YOUR good news? In lieu of a pic of what I'm watching, I'm sharing the #Creatives4Sudan auction again. My good news is we've raised over 13k now but we can do more. Please consider a bid to make my news even better! app.galabid.com/creatives4su...
Reposted by Kirsten Allen (@kidsstoryworld)
Wow just look at this fabulous display at Drake - The Bookshop
Huge thanks to Mel and Richard for all their wonderful support!
I'll be sending them some signed bookplates if you want to order a signed copy.
#AChristmasDelivery
#shoplocal
#indiebookshops
Huge thanks to Mel and Richard for all their wonderful support!
I'll be sending them some signed bookplates if you want to order a signed copy.
#AChristmasDelivery
#shoplocal
#indiebookshops
December 4, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Wow just look at this fabulous display at Drake - The Bookshop
Huge thanks to Mel and Richard for all their wonderful support!
I'll be sending them some signed bookplates if you want to order a signed copy.
#AChristmasDelivery
#shoplocal
#indiebookshops
Huge thanks to Mel and Richard for all their wonderful support!
I'll be sending them some signed bookplates if you want to order a signed copy.
#AChristmasDelivery
#shoplocal
#indiebookshops
Reposted by Kirsten Allen (@kidsstoryworld)
I don’t want to use the word lightly, but Squid Bits is GENIUS. Your kids will love it 💖 AND YOU WILL TOO.
It's happening!! In June 2026, Squid Bits: That's a Nice Hat will be coming out! This book is a collection of some of the Squid Bits comics I've been working on since 2014 for The Phoenix and it's so exciting to finally see it in book form! There're some vintage SB strips in there too!
December 4, 2025 at 12:19 PM
I don’t want to use the word lightly, but Squid Bits is GENIUS. Your kids will love it 💖 AND YOU WILL TOO.
Reposted by Kirsten Allen (@kidsstoryworld)
Absolutely bursting to reveal everything about the new blog and fab authors & illustrators coming up. But for now, it’ll have to stay under wraps…
To keep my overexcited brain distracted, if anyone has KidLit books out in 2026, please shout about them in the comments below! 📚✨
To keep my overexcited brain distracted, if anyone has KidLit books out in 2026, please shout about them in the comments below! 📚✨
a woman in a colorful sweater has her arms in the air
ALT: a woman in a colorful sweater has her arms in the air
media.tenor.com
December 4, 2025 at 7:50 AM
Absolutely bursting to reveal everything about the new blog and fab authors & illustrators coming up. But for now, it’ll have to stay under wraps…
To keep my overexcited brain distracted, if anyone has KidLit books out in 2026, please shout about them in the comments below! 📚✨
To keep my overexcited brain distracted, if anyone has KidLit books out in 2026, please shout about them in the comments below! 📚✨
Reposted by Kirsten Allen (@kidsstoryworld)
Comedy pals! I have family staying in feb and we wanna go and see some stand up comedy. Who's on in London in early feb? Not massive venue stuff, more Soho theatre and smaller. Pubs too. Have Angel comedy club on my list already.
December 4, 2025 at 7:03 AM
Comedy pals! I have family staying in feb and we wanna go and see some stand up comedy. Who's on in London in early feb? Not massive venue stuff, more Soho theatre and smaller. Pubs too. Have Angel comedy club on my list already.
Beautiful 💕
December 3, 2025 at 11:16 AM
Beautiful 💕
Reposted by Kirsten Allen (@kidsstoryworld)
Go classic with:
Where the Wild Things Are
Not Now, Bernard.
Each Peach Pear Plum
Don’t Forget the Bacon
Little Rabbit Foo Foo
Any (all) Jill Murphy
Where the Wild Things Are
Not Now, Bernard.
Each Peach Pear Plum
Don’t Forget the Bacon
Little Rabbit Foo Foo
Any (all) Jill Murphy
November 30, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Go classic with:
Where the Wild Things Are
Not Now, Bernard.
Each Peach Pear Plum
Don’t Forget the Bacon
Little Rabbit Foo Foo
Any (all) Jill Murphy
Where the Wild Things Are
Not Now, Bernard.
Each Peach Pear Plum
Don’t Forget the Bacon
Little Rabbit Foo Foo
Any (all) Jill Murphy
Reposted by Kirsten Allen (@kidsstoryworld)
#EduSky #UKKidLit #KidLit Help! Recommendations of books for a book obsessed 3 year old! Already has/can repeat from memory all Julia Donaldsons, Oi book series, lots of Beatrix Potter, most the Kelpies imprint picturebooks 🏴 & various others. I want to put together a monthly book gift for 2026 🙏
November 30, 2025 at 10:48 AM
#EduSky #UKKidLit #KidLit Help! Recommendations of books for a book obsessed 3 year old! Already has/can repeat from memory all Julia Donaldsons, Oi book series, lots of Beatrix Potter, most the Kelpies imprint picturebooks 🏴 & various others. I want to put together a monthly book gift for 2026 🙏
Reposted by Kirsten Allen (@kidsstoryworld)
Join us for a festival signing session on Satuday in Crystal Palace! Preorders now closed but you can buy Lokis on the day too!
After the sudden death of Jonathan Main at @booksellercrow.bsky.social, some local authors decided to organise a Christmas signing to help the bookshop make some much-needed ££. If you'd like to help, come on down! And preorder books! booksellercrow.co.uk/shop-tag/lou... I'm on at 2pm!
December 3, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Join us for a festival signing session on Satuday in Crystal Palace! Preorders now closed but you can buy Lokis on the day too!
Reposted by Kirsten Allen (@kidsstoryworld)
This year's Christmas song
December 3, 2025 at 9:46 AM
This year's Christmas song
It’s happening…the ducks are being lined up in a row! 💕🥳
December 2, 2025 at 1:16 PM
It’s happening…the ducks are being lined up in a row! 💕🥳
Reposted by Kirsten Allen (@kidsstoryworld)
We are into the last 5 days of the #Creatives4Sudan auction. There are some INCREDIBLE lots on there. Please consider a cheeky little bid. EG on creative mentoring from @rashmiwriting.bsky.social #KeepEyesOnSudan app.galabid.com/creatives4su...
Sorry, GalaBid took too long to load. Please check your internet speed or try again.
app.galabid.com
December 2, 2025 at 9:03 AM
We are into the last 5 days of the #Creatives4Sudan auction. There are some INCREDIBLE lots on there. Please consider a cheeky little bid. EG on creative mentoring from @rashmiwriting.bsky.social #KeepEyesOnSudan app.galabid.com/creatives4su...
Reposted by Kirsten Allen (@kidsstoryworld)
My final gig of 2025 is this Thursday at King’s Hall in Herne Bay, again with the brilliant Catenary Wires.
This time, we’re also joined by young, up and coming indie popsters, Swansea Sound.
WARNING: may contain the occasional Christmas poem and song.
Tickets here: brianbilston.com/events/
This time, we’re also joined by young, up and coming indie popsters, Swansea Sound.
WARNING: may contain the occasional Christmas poem and song.
Tickets here: brianbilston.com/events/
December 1, 2025 at 12:30 PM
My final gig of 2025 is this Thursday at King’s Hall in Herne Bay, again with the brilliant Catenary Wires.
This time, we’re also joined by young, up and coming indie popsters, Swansea Sound.
WARNING: may contain the occasional Christmas poem and song.
Tickets here: brianbilston.com/events/
This time, we’re also joined by young, up and coming indie popsters, Swansea Sound.
WARNING: may contain the occasional Christmas poem and song.
Tickets here: brianbilston.com/events/
Reposted by Kirsten Allen (@kidsstoryworld)
This item is VERY special - a one to one with my amazing agent, Molly Ker Hawn. Ask her anything about publishing, esp about children's and YA! app.galabid.com/creatives4su... Bid bid bid! Let's get this auction to ten grand by the end of the day! #Creatives4Sudan
December 1, 2025 at 12:35 PM
This item is VERY special - a one to one with my amazing agent, Molly Ker Hawn. Ask her anything about publishing, esp about children's and YA! app.galabid.com/creatives4su... Bid bid bid! Let's get this auction to ten grand by the end of the day! #Creatives4Sudan