Autumn 2025 News

What’s on offer this term, Autumn 2025

SPOTLIGHT ON MY DEBUT PICTURE BOOK “War Dog”
Introducing “The Fear” Book 1 in my new Underdogs series
Remembrance Day 2025 – film and virtual event
Christmas Book Giving – pupil nominations
Signed Books for Christmas with FREE exclusive Christmas Card
Christmas in fiction : Angel of Grasmere
Christmas in fiction : Resist
Christmas in fiction : Arctic Star

Advance notice
2026 Author visits in person / virtual
Tuesday 27 January 2026 – Holocaust Memorial Day resources
Thursday 5 March 2026 – World Book Day 2026

All year round – FREE Reader’s certificates

WAR DOG The True Story of Judy, hero of WW2

My debut picture book is the true story of one dog’s incredible bravery, set in the Second World War in the South–East Asian theatre of the Pacific War. After the fall of Singapore, Judy and her crew become prisoners of war.

Published by Scholastic
14 August 2025
ISBN 0702325945

“A brilliant book to explore with young children” Fiona Sharp

Souvenir Packs
Trailer
Watch Tom on BBC breakfast
Learn to draw Judy with Caroline Rabei
Cover prediction worksheet
Judy Colouring
Dickin Medal activity
Looking out for each other activity
Follow Judy’s journey from China to East Africa

Buy Signed copies here www.thethoughtfulspotbooks.com/tom-palmer-books

More info and FREE resources here tompalmer.co.uk/war-dog

Introducing “The Fear” Book 1 in my new Underdogs series

Kian has to face his fears of footballing failure in order to support a friend in this action-packed sports story.

Can Kian overcome the Fear?

Published by Barrington Stoke
Out Thursday, 11 September 2025

More here

Remembrance Day 2025

My annual Remembrance Day film – filmed from the National Working Military Dog’s Memorial

Tom speaks by the memorial to a pointer called Judy, hero of WW2 and his book War Dog.

“At the going down of the sun and in the morning , we will remember them.” Laurence Binyon

Link to be posted here shortly

Remembrance virtual event with Mr Dilly

Upper Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3

Booking link to be posted here shortly.

Christmas Book Giving

For over ten years I have asked teachers, TAs and librarians if they would be kind enough to nominate a child they think would benefit from the gift of a book for Christmas. My family and I would like to do the same for Christmas 2025. Closing Date Sunday 23rd November 2025

Find out how to and to nominate a pupil here

Signed Books for Christmas with FREE exclusive Christmas Card

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

And each order made through the Thoughtful Spot will come with a special Christmas Card and bookmark.

This year’s exclusive illustration will be designed by our good friend James Innerdale to mark the publication of War Dog.

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

Order now here.

More here

Christmas in Fiction : Angel of Grasmere

Discover how young Tarn Fothergill celebrated Christmas Day 1940 with her family, farmer’s boy Peter, evacuee Eric, and Land girls Margaret and Kathleen.

Christmas crafts, blackout poetry challenge, read the special Christmas chapter or watch Tom reading it all here.

More about Angel of Grasmere here

Christmas in Fiction : Resist

Audrey Hepburn’s childhood story of resistance in the Second World War against the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands inspired my children’s book Resist.

Silent Night is an extra special short story I have written about Audrey’s secret Christmas mission,

FREE to read or watch me read the story from here

More about Resist here

Christmas in fiction : Arctic Star

Discover how the young Royal Navy sailors celebrate Christmas Day 1943 aboard HMS Belfast in the Arctic Circle with dinner, carols and listening to the King’s Speech in my children’s book Arctic Star.

Use these resources based on the special ChristmasChapter 19 of Arctic Star.

Blackout poetry challenge
Flip book to read Chapter 19
Watch me reading chapter 19 aboard HMS Belfast

FREE to read, download or watch me read from here

More about Arctic Star here

2026 Author visits in person / virtual

I am available from January 2026 for historical fiction, football or rugby author events or linking to …

Holocaust Memorial Day (27 January 2025– 80^th anniversary of liberation of Auschwitz)
Six Nations (Rugby Reading Game) – Feb-March 2026

SPECIAL OFFER for virtual visits booked by October for a virtual visit in January 2026

More about my author visits here

Tuesday 27 January 2026 – Holocaust Memorial Day

Next year’s plans are already underway with a virtual event with the National Literacy Trust and Holocaust Memorial Day Trust and a new resource based on the real diary of a young girl leaving Germany to arrive in the UK by kindertransport.

More about Holocaust Memorial Day here

Thursday 5 March 2025 – World Book Day !

Watch this space!

All year round FREE certificates

I have FREE certificates I can sign for readers of all my books.

Football Academy
Foul Play
Roy and Rocky of the Rovers
My History Books

Tell me here if your pupils have read a whole series and you can receive a special signed certificate to present to them.

If you would like a poster pack please visit my poster order page here

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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.