Children's Book Reviewer, Writer,
HarperCollins Reading for Pleasure Award Winner 2024
Project Manager (Young Readers Programme, National Literacy Trust)
LATEST BOOK REVIEWS
Children's Publishing
From Messy Drafts to Published Books
Featuring... SF Said, Jasbinder Bilan, Elle McNicholls, Chris Vick, Tamsin Winter, Joseph Elliott, Jenni Spangler, Lucy Strange, Fleur Hitchcock, Joan Haig, Tom Huddleston, Louie Stowell, Chrissie Sains, Penny Chrimes, Anna Hoghton, Anneliese Avery, Alex Cotter, Dan Smith, Sinead O'Hart, Joanne O'Connell, Clare Weze and many more!
S.J. Wills
Q & A
Author of early-teen mystery-horror 'Bite Risk' in a Q&A.
My review of the book is here.
MY WRITING
I Almost Died Eating a Pea
A story about a girl with allergies to raise money and awareness for Anaphylaxis UK
Hi, I'm Susie Valentina and I have, like, loads of allergies. This is my story about navigating friendship, food and fear...
It's all to fundraise for Anaphylaxis UK, for the London Marathon 2024:
https://2024tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/chris-soul
THE ONCE AND FUTURE BOY
WORK IN PROGRESS WITH THE GOLDEN EGG ACADEMY, LONDON, 2023:
Middle Grade/ Fantasy- Adventure
The Storm Keeper's Island' meets 'The Dark is Rising'
Or 'Stranger Things' meets 'The Power of Now'
(Mental health for boys)
I'm currently being mentored by the fabulous Tilda Johnson of the Golden Egg Academy, hoping to be ready to submit to agents and publishers in 2023!! Watch this space for future news...
Illustrations and text © Chris Soul 2023
BIO
ABOUT ME
Children's Writer, Reviewer, Project Manager
Project Manager, Young Readers Programme, National Literacy Trust
HarperCollins Reading for Pleasure Experienced Teacher Award 2024
I am a Project Manager for the Young Readers Programme at the National Literacy Trust. I plan, design and attend fun reading events to encourage reading enjoyment and book ownership. I work with partners such as Hachette UK publishers, Bupa and the Moondance Foundation in Wales.
Previously, since 2010, I was a primary school teacher, having worked in schools from deprived areas of London to the Andes of Ecuador. I championed children's literature and reading for pleasure as an English Lead and OU UKLA Teachers' Reading Group (TRG) Lead for Hertfordshire/ Watford. In 2024 I won the HarperCollins Reading for Pleasure Award for leading my school on the national Storytime project.
I review the latest children's books and have been included in publicity campaigns for some of the major children's publishing houses in the UK. I am also a middle-grade writer and a mentee of the prestigious Golden Egg Academy. My latest work-in-progress is a middle-grade magical-realist adventue: 'The Book of Monsters (and other Heebeegees)'
Before becoming a teacher I worked for arts organisations, including setting up and running a community magazine. I also briefly worked as a freelance reporter and arts reviewer for a local newspaper.
Creativity is my thing - I love writing and reading books especially. I love championing the very best in children's literature. I am also a husband and father to two wonderful daughters.
Follow me on X, Instagram and LinkedIn
