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

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 Summer 2025

March 2025 Angel of Grasmere wins York Book award
27 March 2025 NEW Soccer Diaries 3: Rocky Goes for Goal here
1 May Book Clubs in Schools Day Sign up here
8 May VE Day 2025 – NEW resources here
12 May 2025 virtual with Dorothy Wordsworth Trust Book here
19 May 2025 virtual with Anne Frank Trust Book here
12 June 2025 Empathy day more
16-22 June 2025 Refugee week resource and my books more
July 2025 onwards Summer Reading Challenge – more here
July Women’s Euro’s virtual event with Mr Dilly – more info to come
7 Aug NEW Liverpool’s Greatest Moments non-fiction more here
September 2025 onwards – author visit availability – in person or virtual. KS1 , KS2, KS3 options. Teacher training options more here

All year round FREE historical & football fiction resources – posters and certificates

Read my Summer 2025 newsletter here.

NEW Writing

I have several new books coming out in 2025 …

25 Feb – Rocky Takes the Lead – a new Rocky story for World Book Day more here
27 March – Soccer Diaries Book 3: Rocky Goes for Goal more here
7 Aug – Liverpool’s Greatest Moments more here
11 Sept – The Fear Book 1 of The Underdogs, a new sporting trilogy more here
11 Sept – War Dog – a WW2 non-fiction picture book more here
8 Jan 2026 – Front Foot – Book 2 The Underdogs Out
May 26 – a new WW2 trilogy set in the South West of England more here

And I’ve been making a video diary of my writing journey from idea to the finished book on You Tube here

Getting a book deal
Reading other books
Researching
Planning
Writing my first draft
Finishing the first draft
Editing
Responding to feedback
The news is out

80th anniversaries of VE Day Thursday 8 May 2025 and VJ Day Friday 15 August 2025

Join in the many ways to mark the occasion both nationally and locally. And you can mark them at home and in the classroom using my books:

After the War – VE Day
War Dog – VJ Day

Special VE Day resources here

Thursday 12 June 2025 is Empathy Day!

I am thrilled that Angel of Grasmere is part of this year’s @EmpathyLabUK collection.

Empathy Lab is a great idea.

I’m pretty sure reading books has given me a bit more empathy than I had before. empathylab.uk/RFE

Register for the Empathy Day resources here

Watch my 2025 film for Empathy lab here

July 2025 onwards Summer Reading Challenge

I am delighted that Angel of Grasmere has been chosen as one of the official books linked to this year’s Summer Reading Challenge.

Watch my film and more resources here

2025 Author visits in person / virtual

I am available from Autumn 2025 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.

Signed and dedicated copies of my books make a special gift.

They are available personalised to order from my local independent children’s bookshop “The Thoughtful Spot” here.

And each order made through the Thoughtful Spot can come with a special card and bookmark.

Books can be simply signed by me or using their website you can specify a message like “To Nadiya, xxx” for me to add by hand.

Order now here.

More here

LATEST Historical Fiction

“Angel of Grasmere” is my new children’s historical fiction adventure, set in the English Lakes at the start of the Second World War.

In the darkest of days, that’s when the miracles begin…

More about researching and writing and free literacy resources to accompany Angel of Grasmere here .

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

Angel of Grasmere has been nominated for the 2025 Carnegie Medal for Writing and winner of the 2025 York Book Award. Thank you!

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

AWARDS latest

Exciting news! Angel of Grasmere has been nominated for the 2025 Carnegie Medal for Writing and winner of the 2025 York Book Award and shortlisted for the Dudley Children’s Book Award.

My last children’s book Resist won the

2024 Grampian Grampian Children’s Book Award!
2023 Historical Association Young Quills award
the North East Book Award 2023
the Berkshire Book Award 2023,
the Cheshire Schools’ Book Award 2023
and was nominated for the Carnegie Medal.

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

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.