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Halfway up the Stairs is named An Post Bookshop of the Year!

On Wednesday 22nd November, at the annual An Post Book Awards, we were named Bookshop of the Year! We are so happy and so proud of this achievement, especially considering how brilliant the other five bookshops on the shortlist are. Congratulations to Bridge Books, Bridge Street Books, Liber, Maynooth Bookshop and O’Mahony’s.

Here are some pictures from the night (taken by Ger Holland, for writing.ie)

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Our Books of the Year 2023

There were so many wonderful books published in 2023, it was very difficult to choose our Books of the Year!

Our team of children’s booksellers carefully selected their favourite books of the year in each category. We added together all these and came up with our overall selection. And from these books we chose our unanimous overall winner:

We are delighted to announce our overall Book of the Year is The Girl Who Fell to Earth by our Laureate na nÓg, Patricia Forde! A thought provoking, sci-fi adventure, perfect for age 11+.

Our Picture Books of the Year

The Mermaid Moon by Briony May Smith (age 4+). Order here

Kevin’s in a Mood by Sarah Bowie (age 3+). Order here

It’s Too Dark Puffling by Erika McGann & Gerry Daly (age 3+) . Order here

Little Wolf by Peter Donnelly (age 4+). Order here

Age Six Plus Books of the Year

The Wishkeeper’s Apprentice by Rachel Chivers Khoo (age 7+). Order here

Bear and Bird by Jarvis (age 6+). Order here

Adventuremice: Mice on the Ice by Philip Reeve & Sarah McIntyre (age 6+). Order here

Age Nine Plus Books of the Year

The Rescue of Ravenwood by Natasha Farrant (age 9+). Order here

Tyger by SF Said (age 11+). Order here

Milly McCarthy is a Complete Catastrophe by Leona Forde, illustrated by Karen Harte (age 8+). Order here

The Girl Who Fell to Earth by Patricia Forde (age 11+). Order here

The Final Year by Matt Goodfellow, illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton (age 11+). Order here

Teen Books of the Year

A Game of Life or Death by Triona Campbell (age 13+). Order here

Freya Harte is not a Puzzle by Méabh Collins (age 13+). Order here

Young Adult Books of the Year

Catfish Rolling by Clara Kumagai (age 15+). Order here

Murder on a School Night by Kate Weston (age 15+). Order here

Wise Creatures by Deirdre Sullivan (age 15+). Order here

Gift Books of the Year

Gods Don’t Cry by Ellen Ryan, illustrated by Conor Merriman (age 8+). Order here

I Am The Wind, edited by Lucinda Jacob & Sarah Webb, illustrated by Ashwin Chacko (age 8+). Order here

The Swing by Britta Teckentrup. Order here

Irish Language Books of the Year

Dogman Scaoilte Amach (Unleashed) by Dav Pilkey (age 8+). Order here

Gealach agus Grian by Muireann Ní Chíobháin, illustrated by Brian Fitzgerald (age 2+). Order here

Graphic Novels of the Year

Bumble & Snug and the Shy Ghost by Mark Bradley (age 6+). Order here

Mexikid by Pedro Martín (age 11+). Order here

Some more favourites from 2023!

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Best Independent Bookshop in Ireland!

We are absolutely thrilled and honoured to have been named Best Independent Bookshop in Ireland, 2022, as well as being shortlisted for Children’s Bookseller of the Year!

We are so proud of this achievement! There are so many wonderful indie bookshops in Ireland, especially our fellow nominee, Little Acorn Books in Derry, and it is a real honour to receive this accolade, especially as a dedicated Children’s Bookshop.We have a wonderful team of dedicated children’s booksellers – Trish, Amanda, Meriel, Kathleen and our Events Manager, author Sarah Webb. We work hard to get the best books into children’s hands and we are lucky there are so many wonderful children’s books out there!

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Books of the Year 2022

All five of us at Halfway up the Stairs cast our votes for our favourite books published in 2022. There were two books that were unanimously chosen as our Top Books of the Year and we chose a selection of our top 20 books across all categories that we loved! You can follow the links below to find out more about the books.

Picture Book and Novel of the Year

Be Wild Little One by Olivia Hope, illustrated by Daniel Egn̩us РPicture Book of the Year

The Light in Everything by Katya Balen, cover art by Sydney Smith – Novel of the Year

Picture Books

A Dress with Pockets by Lily Murray, illustrated by Jenny Lovlie

Amuigh Faoin Spéir by Sadhbh Devlin, illustrated by Brian Fitzgerald

Be Wild Little One by Olivia Hope, illustrated by Daniel Egn̩us РPicture Book of the Year

Fox & Son Tailers by Paddy Donnelly

The Wilderness by Steve McCarthy

Well Done, Mummy Penguin by Chris Haughton

Six plus

Bumble & Snug and the Excited Unicorn by Mark Bradley

Loki by Louie Stowell

The Shop of Impossible Ice Creams by Shane Hegarty

Nine Plus

Frankie’s World by Aoife Dooley

The Chestnut Roaster by Eve McDonnell

The Light in Everything by Katya Balen – Novel of the Year

The Lost Whale by Hannah Gold

The Sackville Street Caper by Alan Nolan

While the Storm Rages by Phil Earle

Teen/ Young Adult

Big Bad Me by Aislinn O’Loughlin

My Heart and Other Breakables by Alex Barclay

Twin Crowns by Catherine Doyle & Katherine Webber

Truth Be Told by Sue Divin

Reference/ Gift Books

Be Inspired by Sarah Webb, illustrated by Graham Corcoran

Girls Who Slay Monsters by Ellen Ryan, illustrated by Shona Shirley Macdonald

Some more of our favourites:

Click into the bottom of the image to see more information

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A picture of hope and friendship

You can download this picture of hope and friendship (designed by Alan Nolan) to show support for the children of Ukraine and children from all over the world who have been affected by war or had to leave their countries. (Or email us at info@halfwayupthestairs.ie and we will send it to you). You can decorate it with your own pictures and messages. Drop it back to us or email a photo to info@halfwayupthestairs.ie. We will display them in the window and online.