Tom Palmer

Welcome! I hope this website will help readers, parents, teachers and librarians find out more about me and my children’s books. And you can subscribe to my termly e-newsletter here or email to ask me something particular here or use my contact form here.

“Tom Palmer is a true reading hero and has been responsible for motivating many thousands of young people to get into books” Booktrust

The One Show

Exciting news! I have been nominated for the 2026 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. I am the author of over sixty children’s books. 16 books for Barrington Stoke including 6 award-winning historical fiction titles and three Puffin football series including Football Academy and Foul Play.

Foul Play was short listed for the 2009 Blue Peter Book Award. Winner of over 30 UK book prizes. More awards here.

“An excellent fast-paced detective novel”
The Times.

Most of my stories are researched and set in real places. Discover the locations across the UK and all over the world on interactive maps here. Discover what I am currently writing here.

And here’s a timeline of my historical fiction set during the Second World War and the key historical events featured here.

Read my latest newsletter here.

“Tom Palmer is definitely in the premier league of children’s authors with an impressive back catalogue of soccer stories.” Mumsnet

What’s on offer this term, 2026

2026 National Year of Reading more here
Tuesday 27 January 2026 – Holocaust Memorial Day event & resources
World Book Day 2026 – Prerecorded in the hot seat films
Spring Term 2026 Author visits

Read my latest news here

2026 National Year of Reading

The National Year of Reading in 2026 has a theme of Go All In. That means finding a way to go all in to what you love doing by reading about it.

“Absolutely brilliant critically-acclaimed books”, Clare McDonnell BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick off your national year of reading and meet me with a special FREE Live Lesson 21st Jan 2026 together with the SLA. Book now

My 2026 National Year of Reading :

Month	Theme	Books I’ll be exploring
JANUARY	Holocaust Memorial Day	After the War from Auschwitz to Ambleside

Find out more about how I’ll be supporting the National Year of Reading here.

NEW Writing 2026

Jan 26 – new 5 part FREE Kindertransport story for National Literacy Trust to mark Holocaust Memorial Day more here
May 26 – If the Invader Comes, the first in a new WW2 trilogy set in the South West of England more here

7 May 2026 England’s Heroes
Published by Ultimate Football Heroes. More here

2026 Front Foot – Underdogs
Published by Barrington Stoke. More about Underdogs series here

Meet me! – virtual events & in person

9.15-10 am Wednesday 21st Jan 2026
Kick off your national year of reading and meet me with a special FREE Live Lesson together with the SLA. Book now

w.c. 26 January 2026 tbc
Holocaust Memorial Day live assembly with the National Literacy Trust more here

More chances to meet me here

2026 Author visits in person / virtual

I am available from Spring 2026 for historical fiction, football or rugby author events or linking to any of my books!

More about my author visits here

“The impact of last year’s visit was massive and has really helped us develop reading with our current year 6 group. In reading surveys and discussions your books always get a mention and are still read by a lot of the year group.” Green Lane Primary School

And discover the choice of bespoke virtual workshops learning options I am still offering to schools here.

virtual visits
my Football Reading Game
my Rugby Reading Game
talks about Fair Trade
a focus on Historical Fiction
writing workshops
assemblies
presentations
workshops
teacher training
writing-history-with-the-imperial-war-museum
careers talks

“The work of this author is making a valuable contribution to improving pupils’ writing.”Ofsted

“There is no doubt that Tom Palmer has a Growth Mindset!” Reigate St Mary’s

“Many thanks for a great morning with our school. Everybody had a fantastic time and the children are very keen to read the books now. The teachers are very impressed with all the resources that you put together as well.” Thomas’s London Day Schools

“Every single child in the hall, of all ages and stages, absolutely loved what he said and did and I had teachers staying voluntarily (when they had free time, reports to write and other things to do!) and so many of them came to see me afterwards to say how much they had enjoyed listening to him and watching the way in which he engaged with all of our children, from Year 3 to Year 8. We really enjoyed having Tom visit Edgeborough again.” Edgeborough School

More about my school author visits here.

AWARDS latest

Exciting news! I have been nominated for the 2026 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.

My latest children’s book Angel of Grasmere has been

selected for the 2025 Summer Reading Challenge,
chosen for the @booksfortopics 2025-2026 Year 6 Recommended Reads list
won the 2025 York Book Award
nominated for the 2025 Carnegie Medal for Writing
shortlisted for the Spark Book Award, the Dudley Children’s Book Award and the Windsor Academy Trust Book Award

Thank you readers!

I was thrilled to have been awarded the Ruth Rendell Award for Services to Literacy by the National Literacy Trust in association with the ALCS.

More awards news here

Find out more what I am writing about now here

For parents – letters I wish I could send to inspire parents today

Dear Mum

Dear Dad

Buy Books

Signed and dedicated copies of all my books are available personalised to order from my local independent children’s bookshop “The Thoughtful Spot” here.