First laureate for Irish children's literature named

Parkinson is a children’s writer over 20 books include Amelia, Call of the Whales and Four Kids, Three Cats, Two Cows, One Witch (maybe).

Making the announcement at the weekend, President Mary McAleese said that besides her talents as a writer Parkinson also brought to the role her experience as a publisher, academic and commentator.

“Over the years, she has been an eloquent and passionate advocate for greater recognition of children's literature. So it's hardly surprising that the decision to appoint her as the inaugural Laureate na n-Óg was a unanimous one. The next two years as she lives the role of Laureate will in lots of different ways break new ground and set the bar high,” the President said.

“I am thrilled and honoured to be chosen as the first Laureate na nÓg. I believe that children’s literature lays the foundations of the imaginative life of a people, and that every child deserves to have access to a reading haven — a well-stocked and well-run library in their school and in their community,” Parkinson said.

The process of creating a laureate for Irish children's literature was begun a little over a year ago by the Arts Council and Children's Books Ireland, along with Poetry Ireland and the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.

The honour has been established to engage young people with high-quality children’s literature and to underline the importance of children’s literature in Ireland’s cultural and imaginative life.

Parkinson has been shortlisted nine times for the Bisto Book of the Year Award, which she won on one occasion for Sisters ... No way!. She has also received Bisto Merit and Honour awards four times and has been included on the international Ibby Honour list twice, as well as having received several White Raven awards.

Most recently she won an Oireachtas award for Dialann Sár-Rúnda Amy Ní Chonchúir, her first book in Irish. She has also translated several titles from German and is commissioning editor at Little Island, a new Irish imprint.

Parkinson lives in Dublin with her husband, the woodturner Roger Bennett.