books for children
Joanne O’Connell – author.
I’m the author of Stitched Up, and Beauty and the Bin. I love writing school-based stories about friendship, fashion, and finding your place. I’m also a journalist. I’ve written for most major newspapers, including the Guardian, the Times, the Telegraph and various glossy magazines. I occasionally appear on television and radio.
Stitched Up – out now!
Stitched Up is the heartwarming and fashion-forward novel from author and journalist Joanne O’Connell, perfect for readers of Elle McNicoll and younger fans of Geek Girl.
Cassie has a passion for fashion so when the opportunity to redesign her school uniform comes up Cassie is thrilled. The only problem? She’s stuck between eco-conscious Fern and label-loving Azra.
As the competition heats up, Cassie joins The KnitWits – a local knitting group that immediately makes Cassie feel at home, especially once she sees that it’s secretly attended by the coolest girl at school.
As Cassie’s skills grow, she has to learn to balance Azra’s obsession with trends with her own love of sustainable fashion. But will the pressure cause the ultimate bestie break-up?
“Engaging, inspiring and enlightening, I loved it” – Jen Carney, author of The Accidental Diary of B.U.G.
“A super fun, feel good story with a sustainable heart.” Hannah Gold, author of The Last Bear
Beauty and the bin
Laurie’s home-made beauty recipes are no secret. The secret is that her eco-warrior family get their ingredients from the bin.
Laurie loves her family and she wants to join them in making the world a better place. But right now, she doesn’t want to be fishing her food out the bin. She just wants to go for a hot chocolate with her friends after school and be a normal kid.
So when an emtrepreneur competition comes to Silverdale High, and the most popular girl in school, wants to team up to sell Laurie’s lips scrubs and bath bombs, she can hardly believe her luck. But can she find success and popularity without losing sight of her true self?
“Funny, warm, and just so refreshing. Laurie is a winning protagonist, with brilliant eco ideas. Truly, I loved this sparkling debut. ” Carlie Sorosiak, bestselling author of I, Cosmo
The Homemade Vegan
Dairy-free diets are now in vogue. Supermarkets sell soya yoghurts, almond milks and tofu sausages. There are vegan options on restaurant menus and there’s no end of media coverage about celebrities cutting their milk intake. It wasn’t always like this…
This book is a collection of recipes from the 1970s and ’80s along with the memories and stories that go with them, and it gives the vegan recipes a proper context, referring to the communities and households who created them and what it was like back when there wasn’t an oat milk frappuccino or a vegan sausage roll in sight.
A charming slice of social history, which recalls the experiences and recipes of those who cooked with such ingredients as tofu and cashew cream long before they were fashionable.’
The Guardian.
SCHOOL, teacher, LIBRARIAN, AND MEDIA ENQUIRIES
Get in touch
Reviews
Cassie’s passion and enthusiasm for history just bounce off the page! Stitched Up is a gorgeous introduction to fashion history.
Eleri Lynn
fashion and textiles historian, curator and author of Tudor Fashion.
Beauty and the Bin is full of humour, competition and genuine friendship. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend it, both as an enjoyable and fun read for adults, and as a brilliant read for middle grade readers too.
Meg
Book Blogger
Stitched Up is a heartwarming novel about a girl called Cassie who loves vintage fashion. Despite this being set in high school, it is absolutely suitable and aimed towards a younger reader.
Deborah M
Netgalley
Beauty and the Bin is a funny and poignant book about values and friendship; about learning to be yourself while navigating the needs of the world around you and about deciding what matters.
Helen Mulligan
Former deputy head and reviewer at JustImagine.co.uk
