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
I am the author of fifty three children’s books including three Puffin football series, Football Academy, Foul Play and The Squad and 15 books for Barrington Stoke. Foul Play was short listed for the 2009 Blue Peter Book Award. “An excellent fast-paced detective novel” The Times. More awards here.
“Tom Palmer is definitely in the premier league of children’s authors with an impressive back catalogue of soccer stories.” Mumsnet
LATEST BOOK: Arctic Star
Winter 1943. Teenagers Frank, Joseph and Stephen are Royal Navy recruits on their first Arctic Convoy mission at sea during the Second World War.
Signed and dedicated copies are available to order from my local bookshop here.
More here
COMING SOON : Sudden Death
The next book in the Roy of the Rovers series, “Sudden Death” is out September 2021.
A new start means new challenges for Roy, Rocky, their family, and their teammates, and with their Dad’s condition getting worse, things aren’t about to get any easier both on and off the field…
Pre-order a signed and dedicated copy of Sudden Death now from my local independent bookshop here.
Meet Me
Wednesday 3 November 2021 Zoom from 16:00 – 17:00
Join UCL Centre for Holocaust Education for this live online event to discuss my book and model how the Centre’s lesson materials can support you in exploring some of the issues it raises with your students. FREE Book Now here. More events here
Availability : Autumn Virtual & In Person Author Visits
I am delighted to be still going into schools this term for in-person author visits and have availability throughout the Autumn, more 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 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
- writing-history-with-the-imperial-war-museum
“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
Read on about my school author visits here.
Latest Awards
After the War has just been shortlisted for the @historicalassociation 10-13 yrs Young Quills shortlist. I am so happy!
I was so happy the D-Day Dog was voted the overall winner at the 2020 Children’s Book Awards, run by the wonderful Federation of Children’s Book Groups. The fact that over 100,000 children nominate, longlist, shortlist and choose the winners makes it all the more brilliant. Thank you 100,000 times over.
I was thrilled to be awarded the Ruth Rendell Award for Services to Literacy by the National Literacy Trust in association with the ALCS.
More awards news here
ICONIC: Rocky of the Rovers
A struggling student and brilliant footballer, Rocky Race is many things, but to most people she’s just Roy Race’s little sister. It’s not much fun – especially as Melchester Rovers head to the League Cup Final.
Rocky’s sick of everyone knowing her through Roy, she’s had enough of school, and she’s even started having panic attacks.
Now it’s up to Rocky to find her own way – as a person and a player – and she’s going to need all her grit and determination to do it…
‘I LOVED this book! I love how the story turns from one stage to another. I would definitely recommend it to any girl who enjoys football! I love that Rocky has real determination and passion for the game.’ Jess, Year 5.
“Tom Palmer’s love and knowledge of football is evident in the writing yet he also includes themes of family, anxiety and teenage worries. This is the sort of book that could turn a football fan into a reader and a reader into a football fan. “ A Library Lady
“The master of football fiction!” Matt Oldfield
“One of the best football writers of our time” The Guardian
More here
FREE Kindle books
Free to Kindle Unlimited Subscribers, RRP 99p.
Foul Play : The Danger Academy
Get the books here
Signed Books
Signed and dedicated copies of Arctic Star are available to order from my local independent bookshop The Book Corner at The Piece Hall here.
Please use their contact page to order signed and dedicated copies of my other books here.
Buy Books
Schools bumper book pack and class set offers here.
Visit my 
bookshop or support your local bookshop HIVE
Overseas : FREE Delivery worldwide from The Book Depository.
Australia: Boomerang
Canada: Amazon Canada
New Zealand: Wheelers
USA : Indigo books
Email me here for more information or use my contact form here to ask me a question.
Thank you.
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