It’s Bad Panda 2 day!

Swapna HaddowThe Bad Panda Club

Bad Panda: The Cake Escape is officially out in the world today! Lin the panda is on a mission to find her missing best friend, Fu – but has he been stolen by the boy who was looking to add to his sinister collection of stuffed animals? And can Lin and her zoo friends find him before it’s too late?

Illustrated by my pal Sheena Dempsey, illustrator of the Dave Pigeon and Bad Panda series, this book is one of my faves and I hope you love it too.

I’m thrilled to bits that it has already made Waterstones‘ radar and is in their round-up of Best Children’s Books to Look Out for in August.

I hope you all enjoy Lin’s latest adventure!

Children’s Writer in Residence: My last month!

Swapna HaddowChildren's Writer in Residence

It’s my last month of being the University of Otago College of Education Creative New Zealand Children’s Writer in Residence! I have had such a wonderful time and I can’t wait to hear who will be stepping into the role next. Here are my top editing tips for once you have finished that epic first draft:

My Children’s Book of the Month is: Aroha’s Way by Rebekah Lipp and Craig Phillips.

Thank you so much to everyone who came along to celebrate the Fellows at the Hocken. It was wonderful to share what I had been up to during my time as Children’s Writer in Residence and to say a huge thank you in person to everyone who has supported me during my time.

Photo courtesy of University of Otago

Workshopping with Otago Literacy Association

Swapna HaddowChildren's Writer in Residence, The Bad Panda Club

Today, I was invited to run two workshops with the Otago Literacy Association. First up were a group of Year 5 and 6 from lots of different primary schools across Dunedin. We created brand new Bad Panda plots and talked about reasons why you might fall in a canal.

Next, I got to speak to teachers from around Dunedin. We had a go at some of the writing tasks I set for pupils during my workshops in schools and the teachers brought their creative A-game. We heard about pandas taking a trip to the pub and evil caretakers called Karl.

Thank you to everyone who came along. I hope to hear all your pandareffic stories soon.

A double shortlisting!

Swapna HaddowScrapbook, The Bad Panda Club

I am thrilled to bits to see that Torn Apart has been shortlisted for the incredible Historical Association’s Young Quills Award!

This means the world to me as the partition of India rarely features in young historical fiction so I’m so thankful to see Torn Apart feature on this incredible platform. You can have a look at the full shortlist here.

And guess what? Bad Panda has made it on to the amazing Alligator’s Mouth Award shortlist!

Every book on this list is one of my favourites! This is Team Dave Pigeon’s second time on the shortlist so fingers, wings and paws crossed.