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Joanne Owen - Editorial Expert

Joanne Owen is a writer, reviewer and workshop presenter whose lifelong love of books began when she was growing up in Pembrokeshire, Wales. An early passion for culture, story and folklore led her to read archaeology and anthropology at St John’s, Cambridge, after which she led the UK children’s book team for a major international retailer, going on to market books for Bloomsbury, Macmillan, Walker Books, Nosy Crow and Rough Guides. She now divides her time between writing, travel writing, reviewing and hosting writing workshops.

Joanne is the author of several books for children and young adults, among them the Martha Mayhem series, the Carnegie Medal-nominated Puppet Master, and You Can Write Awesome Stories, a how-to guide to creative writing. She’s also worked on a major community story project for the National Literacy Trust (Story Quest), and a number of travel guides, including The Rough Guide to Responsible Wales and guidebooks to the Caribbean region. In additional, she’s an occasional chair of LoveReading LitFest events, and judge for the 2023 Branford Boase Award.

Latest Features By Joanne Owen

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Latest Reviews By Joanne Owen

Vivi Conway and the Haunted Quest
Combining a magical adventure based on Welsh legends with compellingly authentic characters, Lizzie Huxley-Jones’s Vivi Conway and the Haunted Quest takes this series to thrilling heights as autistic narrator Vivi returns to Wales for more high-stakes magical action.   Picking up after Vivi Conway and the Sword of Legend, Vivi and co can’t find the portal to Annwn, and she’s decided to keep quiet about the weird, scary dreams she’s been having about King Arawn — the man they were supposed to prevent “taking more children ... View Full Review
Michael the Incredible Super-Sleuth Sausage Dog
Snapping at the hairy heels (paws?!) of Michael the Amazing Mind-Reading Sausage Dog, Terrie Chilvers’ Michael the Incredible Super-Sleuth Sausage Dog sees the marvellous mind- reading mutt add to his career portfolio. Merrily voiced by Michael himself, it’s a blast of barking mad humour and doggy detective adventure, with Tim Budgen’s illustrations oozing character and charm. Just as Michael’s life as a Holly-woof su-paw-star begins to go somewhat awry, a guest booked for his show — Susan the Chocolate Labrador — is dognapped. Seeing an opportunity to boost his poor ... View Full Review
Totally Chaotic History: Ancient Egypt Gets Unruly!
Ancient Egypt Gets Unruly! sees public historian and podcaster Greg Jenner present the first book in a fantastically funny non-fiction series — Totally Chaotic History. Taking its cue from Horrible Histories, but with more text and its own distinctive brand of breakneck delivery, it’s co-written with expert Egyptologist Dr Campbell Price, and well-pitched for 7+ year-olds who have a penchant for “did you know?” nuggets.   Underpinned by the child-pleasing premise that history is outrageously, appealingly, TOTALLY CHAOTIC, Rikin Parekh’s comic illustrations add an extra edge of oomph to a&... View Full Review
Ember Spark and the Thunder of Dragons
The first book in a charming new adventure series from Abi Elphinstone, Ember Spark and the Thunder of Dragons is suffused in the wonderful, classic notion that magic might be found all around us — hidden in plain sight, awaiting discovery by those who are so- attuned. That’s exactly the case with Ember Spark, an inquisitive ten-year-old who has “an unusual gift with animals”. While Ember lives in a sleepy village called Yawn, and has felt much unease and heartbreak since her dad left the family home, she finds thrills and inspiration through ... View Full Review
The Usborne Teen Survival Guide
100% honest, empathetic, informative and reassuring, Caroline Young’s The Usborne Teen Survival Guide presents a thoroughly modern take on age-old concerns around teenage- hood and puberty, along with issues that have only emerged in more recent years.   Covering everything from families and friendships, relationships and school, physical health and mental well-being, social media and money, it goes beyond many comparable guides for teenagers, not least because it’s underpinned by invaluable advice on how to be “the best you can be”, how to find happiness, and how to practice self-care.   The ... View Full Review
Dino Dad
Voiced by the effervescent Ruby Roo, Dino Dad — the children’s fiction debut by CBeebies star Andy Day — sets up a new series in entertaining style. Enhanced by animated, characterful illustrations by the ever-brilliant Steven Lenton, it’s a riot of family-centred adventure accompanied by dinosaur facts and page-turning energy. Ruby (“I’m six-and-a-little-bit years old, and I have long, wavy blonde hair. I love outdoor adventures, solving problems and learning new things”) comes from a long line of dinosaur experts. Not only does her dad own a “VERY popular local dinosaur ... View Full Review
Twice Upon a Time
Sizzling with strange powers, secrets and detection, Michelle Harrison’s Twice Upon a Time is an enthralling treat for fans of twisty mysteries. Boasting a cast of memorable characters, with gothic atmosphere coming courtesy of its rambling old house setting, it’s the kind of story that’ll keep readers guessing, perched on the very edge of their seats, until the very end.   Twins Merry and Spike aren’t best pleased when their art restorer mum starts a new project at Fox House over the school holidays. But their fears of boredom are ... View Full Review
Man Man and the Tree of Memories
Being confirmed admirers of Yaba Badoe’s fiction for older readers, we were thrilled to hear about her first work for younger children, with Joelle Avelino’s beautifully bright, dynamic illustrations promising the perfect feast of words and pictures. As expected, the result certainly lives up to its promise. Set in present-day Notting Hill, Man Man and the Tree of Memories is a bedazzlement of carnival magic, African-Caribbean culture and ancestral connections.   We meet young Man-man in Notting Hill as he’s practising his carnival dance steps, with his nan recently arrived ... View Full Review
Watch Out! There's a Monster Coming!
Ideal for reading over and over (and over!) again, Watch Out! There's A Monster Coming compels adults and toddlers alike to truly inhabit the story through acting it out, shouting it out, and joining a VERY hungry monster on a search for snacks! Written in the first person, Karl Newson has a joyous knack for delivering snappy, memorable lines that’ll have little ones rapt as Monster prowls the beach, streets, playground and YOUR HOUSE in search of something to eat. Through the journey, Monster threatens to “sprinkle you with chocolate chips” ... View Full Review
Where Sleeping Girls Lie : Signed Edition
Bravo to Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé for creating such a compelling dark academia mystery that’s also layered with such potent depth. Though just shy of a whopping 600 pages, the pace and plotting of Where Sleeping Girls Lie is chef’s-kiss superb, with tremendous page-turning power propelling a tale of surviving loss, trauma and abuses of power amidst the dark halls of an elite boarding school.   Shot-through with suspense and escalating menace, the story begins when new girl Sade encounters trouble ... View Full Review
Drowning in My Bedroom
Tingling with high-stakes danger during a typhoon in Manila, and revealing the disproportionate impact of global warming on developing nations, Steve Cole’s Drowning in My Bedroom sees two youngsters come to a state of empathy and understanding after first impressions lead them to make flash judgements. Junjun and Gayla were born into very different lives in Manila. Junjun is a beggar who lives in a shack, while more affluent Gayla has “mixed cerebral palsy. It means my muscles don’t fully understand what my brain’s trying to tell them.” &... View Full Review
Pride Power
With a special focus on the aims and achievements of the Pride movement, Pride Power: The Young Person's Guide to LGBTQ+ shines a radiant light on the rich diversity of LGBTQ+ history and culture, with clear explanations of terms and phrases, and fascinating biographies of inspirational trailblazers through time.    Add to that lucidly-explained detail on the likes of unconscious bias, the difference between gender and sex, and how to be a better ally to the LGBTQ+ community, and this amounts to a mighty tool for bringing about better understanding, and a better, more equal ... View Full Review