Eve McDonnell
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evemcdonnell.bsky.social
Eve McDonnell
@evemcdonnell.bsky.social
Children’s writer & artist 💫 Mama to best twins. Wonderlarker. ELSETIME 🪶 (2020), THE CHESTNUT ROASTER 🌰 (2022), THE LAST BOY 🧹 (2024)
Dear reviewer ‘Jasmine', I'm in my writing cave and sometimes that can feel tricky - especially when I'm wrangling with a hyperactive plot, diminishing motivation and all the self doubt that comes with it - so to come up for air to find your review made ALL the difference. THANK YOU! 🙏
April 9, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Our cuckoo surprised us today, coming home early - 4th April 2025 🤗😭 He has flown all the way from Africa to Wexford, Ireland to sing his song once more 💫🥰🪶 (video from 2023)
April 4, 2025 at 4:59 PM
As a parting gift they presented me with a little glass jar filled with descriptions of their own amazing abilities and gifts, all inspired by the chestnut roaster’s story. They might be young, but inside they are giants 🤩 I will treasure it forever! 3/3
March 27, 2025 at 8:19 PM
… the magnificent Anglophone Section of Fontainebleau’s International College whose teachers & children are rich with creativity. I spent two unforgettable days there chatting about The Chestnut Roaster - their class read, culminating in school trips to follow Piaf’s footsteps through Paris. 2/3
March 27, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Oh, Fontainebleau, I fell in love with you! No different to Piaf’s chestnut in The Chestnut Roaster, the city is hidden inside a protective shell of thick woodland, and is home to the true abode of kings, delicious cuisine, beautiful boutiques, kind people, and - best of all… 1/3
March 27, 2025 at 8:19 PM
I’ve had the time of my life in one of Wexford’s most creative schools, Kennedy Park NS, and it’s all thanks to @childrensbooksireland.ie’s Champion of Reading programme where authors are matched with schools to encourage reading for joy. We went Book Whispering - their creativity & energy was pure🥇
March 21, 2025 at 8:28 PM
I am the chosen one 🤩💫💜😄
#missingbiscuit
March 2, 2025 at 5:57 PM
It’s #IrelandReads Day and we shared stories with young readers in Blackrock & Gorey libraries, made Wishprint poems, went book whispering, found golden hares, played chess with pirates, ate stone donuts with diamond teeth… Clearly, we got lost in a book or two - hope you do too!
February 22, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Huge thanks to @martindoyle.bsky.social for including news of the upcoming unveiling of a blue plaque for George Brewster, the chimney sweep climbing boy who stars in #TheLastBoy, in his weekly round-up in the Irish Times. www.irishtimes.com/culture/book...
January 27, 2025 at 8:21 AM
My enormous thanks to Pet O’Connell for this stunning review of #TheLastBoy in today’s Irish Examiner 🎉💫🧹

@irishexaminer.bsky.social
@everywithwords.bsky.social
January 18, 2025 at 7:02 PM
… In Feb, a blue plaque will be unveiled on the 150th anniversary of his death in Fulbourn, Cambridge, and I will be there with tissues in hand and much admiration for historian, Joanna Hudson, who campaigned tirelessly to have a plaque mounted - the youngest person to have one. Go, George! 🙌 2/2
January 15, 2025 at 1:23 PM
This morning’s roll-in-the-mud ritual resulted in an exaggerated smoky eye for the holiday season. Of course I told her that her makeup looks beautiful today 😍🐶🐾
December 29, 2024 at 9:55 AM
Choo-choo! There’s a new book by @susanbrownrigg.bsky.social coming down the tracks! This historical mystery adventure thunders along with umpteen twists, triumphs & trials 🚂 Susan has packed so much history between the lines that thrill seekers will love it!
Out Jan @uclanpublishing.bsky.social 9+
December 22, 2024 at 7:48 PM
Another #BookElves2024 book recommendation for little ones is this one by Ashwin Chacko - positively perfect for reminding all of us that we can do it 💪 #LateLateToyShow
December 6, 2024 at 10:59 PM
There are roars galore on #TheLateLateShow 🦖 but none louder than the one your little one will make after reading this beauty by Olivia Hope and Fiona Woodcock! 🦁 Loved this! #BookElves2024
December 6, 2024 at 10:17 PM
Another fun animal book for the #LateLateToyShow! Paddy Donnelly is one of our most prolific illustrator authors and this one is soooo clever - there’s a golden hare hiding on each spread and it’s fun to see who will find it first! #BookElves2024
December 6, 2024 at 10:12 PM
It’s #LateLateToyShow night which means the #BookElves2024 are back, recommending great children's books 📚 🎉🤩 The toy show kicked off with pets - here’s one good doggo book for 7+ It’s a wild and happy adventure with plenty of laughs too 🐶 The Lost Dogs by Patricia Forde #DiscoverIrishKidsbooks
December 6, 2024 at 10:02 PM
The @thebookcentre.bsky.social Christmas Catalogue is now out! It’s chocoblock with fab book recommendations - thrilled to see #TheLastBoy there! Also, WHY DID NO ONE TELL ME THEY HAVE A WINE BAR IN THEIR WATERFORD STORE??!! 🎉😍

www.thebookcentre.ie

@everywithwords.bsky.social
December 3, 2024 at 7:56 PM
Woohoo! Thrilled to see this! 🎉🤩 Thank you so much, everyone at @booktrust.bsky.social 🙏 #TheLastBoy

BookTrust Book of the Day
BookTrust NI Book of the Month

@everywithwords.bsky.social
#MG #ChildrensBooks
December 3, 2024 at 9:24 AM
🎉 The Times Best Irish Children’s Books 2024 🎉 I jingle-belled all the way to the shop to get a copy! Pages and pages of book recs by booksellers, all collated by elf Ruth @childrensbooksireland.ie! Louisa in Blackrock’s fab @ravenbooks.bsky.social, chose #TheLastBoy 🙏
@everywithwords.bsky.social
December 1, 2024 at 6:32 PM
‘An extraordinary story based on the horror of child exploitation in Victorian times, but crammed with positivity, determination, hope and edge-of-seat drama. Anyone lucky enough to read it will not forget it for a very long time.’

Thank you, Booktrust!
#TheLastBoy🧹🔭💫 @everywithwords.bsky.social
November 30, 2024 at 8:46 AM
MAGNIFIQUE! #NotreDame lived inside my mind for months while I wrote #TheChestnutRoaster. What a glorious day to see it brought back to life. Illustration by Ewa Beniak Haremska. @everywithwords.bsky.social
November 29, 2024 at 11:40 AM
The Oliver Callan Show on @rteradio1.bsky.social dedicated today’s WHOLE SHOW to Irish Children’s Books! They gathered the best young readers to share their expert reviews of a brilliant selection of books curated by the wise owls at @childrensbooksireland.ie.
🧵 1/2
November 27, 2024 at 4:05 PM
Delighted to see #TheLastBoy has been chosen as one of @halfwayupbooks.bsky.social’s Books of the Year 9+ 🤩🥳🎉 Full list here:
halfwayupthestairs.ie/2024/11/21/o...
@everywithwords.bsky.social
November 26, 2024 at 6:58 PM
Volume up for top notch crunch! ❄️
November 22, 2024 at 7:51 AM