We love to feature authors and illustrators in our newsletters. We have many living in and around Hounslow, who are keen to support the project by signing books, visiting schools and donating books to the children of Hounslow schools. We have also made links with authors slightly further afield.
You can read more about them in the following sections.
Zoe Antoniades
Zoe Antoniades was born in West London of Greek Cypriot parents. She is an English and Drama graduate of the University of Hull and a trained teacher. Zoe has taught in Lambeth and Hounslow working on a wide range of creative projects in partnership with the Southbank Centre, the Royal Albert Hall, the Young Vic and Polka Theatre, Music for Youth and Film Club.
Zoe writes collaboratively with young people and has published four anthologies of short stories called Invincible Voices. Zoe also works as a creative writing workshop leader providing interactive classes and author talks.
Now signed with Andersen Press, Zoe has been working on a brand new series about twins, Cally & Jimmy. This popular series is aimed at middle grade readers and especially appeals to children in years 2, 3 and 4. Cally and Jimmy Twins in Trouble has been shortlisted for 'Our Best Book' Awards 2022, an initiative run by Leicester council.
She has recently published her third book, Twins Together.
To find out more about Zoe's connection with Hounslow, click here.
Alison Heaslewood
Alison Heaslewood writes under the pen name Alison H Simpson. Now living in Berkshire, she was brought up in Heston where her mum still lives. In addition to writing, Alison worked for 17 years supporting vulnerable adults.
In 2018, she fell in love with a puppy, who had been rescued from the streets of Romania. She would sing to him to calm his nerves, eventually turning the song lyrics into a story. Bodhi the Pirate Dog is a social-emotional, rhyming and counting book, ideal for early readers. This is a story of a brave pirate dog who compares himself to others before realising how wonderfully talented and unique he is. This is a book about celebrating our differences, overcoming challenges and promoting kindness.
To read more about Alison or to contact her for an author visit, click here.
Josh Lacey
Josh Lacey is a London-born children's author. He has written about 30 books; his first published work was A Dog Called Grk. This series of eight books has been translated into 12 languages. He is also the writer of the popular Dragonsitter series for 6-9 year olds. Josh's most recent series is about Hope Jones, a 10 year girl who is very worried about climate change. Hope Jones Saves the World is the first book in the series and was shortlisted for the Little Rebels Award in 2021.
As a local author based in West London, Josh enjoys visiting schools to talk about his work. Josh has published his first picture book for Early Years, called The Pet Potato.
Lucy Noguera is a local children’s author, living in Ealing with her family. She was a primary school teacher and then a teacher of the deaf before starting her own small educational company.
Her first chapter book Swop The Satsuma-Sized Secret was finished during lockdown and published in July 2021. Her second book in the series – Swop The Daring Dinosaur Detective is due out early 2023.
Herman Needs a Home is Lucy's first picture book. It was published on World Ocean Day in June 2022.
Lucy's recent visits to a couple of Hounslow schools have been inspirational. She works with schools offering bespoke events from author talks, to writing workshops.
Jonny Walker is a mythology teacher and children’s writer based in East London.
He teaches poetry, creative writing and the Iliad Project in primary schools, and runs poetry retreats in the New Forest for Y5 children from Newham and Redbridge.
Jonny is the author of four children’s books in the Little Wandle Letters and Sounds scheme, including ‘Myths Don’t Frighten Me’ and ‘It Honked At Me, Ashwin’.
He has been a teacher and Assistant Head in Newham schools since 2011.
Jonny is delivered a Poetry Network for primary subject leaders in 2023/24.
Sophie Herxheimer
Sophie Herxheimer is an artist and poet. She’s held many residencies in the UK and internationally. Her work has been shown at her local allotments, Tate Modern and on a giant mural along the sea-front at Margate. She made a 300 metre tablecloth for the Thames Festival, a life-size concrete poem in the shape of Mrs Beeton, and devised the colour palette for hit Cbeebies show In the Night Garden. She has illustrated six collections of mythology and fairy tales, most recently The Mighty Goddess (The History Press, 2023.) with Sally Pomme Clayton. Her collection Velkom to Inklandt (Short Books, 2017) was a Sunday Times Book of the Year. Her book 60 Lovers to Make and Do, (Henningham Family Press, 2019) was a TLS Book of the Year. She has an ongoing project where she listens and draws stories live with members of the public. Her latest collection is INDEX (zimZalla, 2021) 78 poems made from found text, published as a tarot deck.
We were delighted to welcome Sophie to our conference in March 2024, where she delivered a keynote: Listening with imagination: Everyone’s a story collector!
Sophie is looking forward to leading our Poetry network for Primary Subject Leaders in 2024/25.
For further information please contact Nikola Standing – n.standing@hounsloweducationpartnership.co.uk
