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Scottish Friendly Children's Book Tour with Danielle Jawando

Apply now to host a visit from multi-award-winning author Danielle Jawando at your secondary school in East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire, West Dunbartonshire or Glasgow.

Danielle Jawando is joining the Scottish Friendly Children's Book Tour in September with her third YA novel, If My Words Had Wings, a life-affirming story of rehabilitation and hope after prison. In addition to Danielle's multi-award-winning author career, she has also worked on Coronation Street as a storyline writer.

About If My Words Had Wings

When fifteen-year-old Tyrell Forrester gets caught up in a high-profile armed robbery, he's sentenced to two years in a young offenders’ prison. Now he’s getting out, and he’s determined to turn his life around. Despite his release, systemic discrimination makes it difficult for Ty to truly be free. Inspired by a visiting poet while inside, Ty discovers a whole new world through spoken word and is finally finding his voice. But will society ever see him as anything other than a criminal?

Danielle offers either a workshop for a classroom-size audience or a talk for an assembly-size audience. Please make your preference known in your application.

Workshop (25 pupils max)

Danielle will focus on 'If My Words Had Wings' and its themes of young people finding their voice, no matter how small it might seem, and the power of words. Danielle will discuss the inspiration behind the novel, give an insight into her writing process and share tips for any aspiring young authors. The workshop concludes with a Q&A.

Warning: this book contains themes that some readers may find upsetting, including suicide and self harm.

Talk (100+ pupils)

Danielle will talk about her journey to becoming an author, share her writing process and give an overview of her outstanding YA books:

i) And the Stars Were Burning Brightly. An extraordinary novel about loss, understanding and the importance of speaking up when all you want to do is shut down. Warning: this book contains themes that some readers may find upsetting, including suicide and intense bullying.

ii) When Our Worlds Collided. A powerful coming-of-age story about chance encounters, injustice and how the choices that we make can completely change our future.

iii) If My Words Had Wings. A life-affirming story of rehabilitation and hope after prison. Warning: this book contains themes that some readers may find upsetting, including suicide and self harm.

The talk will conclude with a Q&A.

When: 9–13 September 2024

Where: Your secondary school (East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire, West Dunbartonshire or Glasgow)

Audience: S2–6. 25 pupils for workshop, or 100+ approx. pupils for talk.

Deadline to apply: 12 noon, Friday 31 May 2024

Apply now

If you have any questions or comments, please contact fraser.napier@scottishbooktrust.com