Finding Violet Park

Jenny Valentine is an award-winning writer for Young Adults. Her first novel Finding Violet Park won the Guardian prize in 2007 and since then she has written six more, including Broken Soup and Fire Colour One, as well as Iggy and Me, a series for younger children. Her work has been published in 19 countries and Hello Now, her latest YA novel, was published in the UK and US in April 2020. In 2017 she was the Hay Festival International Fellow, spending the year meeting and learning from teenagers all over the world. She works to empower and give a voice to young people. She lives all over the place and has two daughters.

Praise for Finding Violet Park "A wonderful debut for many reasons ... What marks this book out is not just its charm, warmth and wit, but also the skill with which Valentine braids together the threads" The Guardian "No plot summary can do justice to the particular flavour of this book, both witty and with moments of genuine sweetness ... Excellent." Books for Keeps "Ultra-original and brilliantly written, this will have you laughing and crying too." Mizz Magazine For Broken Soup: "Rich in sympathetic, unconventional characters and precise observation, the book has a lightness of touch that belies its skill... it is most enjoyable: a life-affirming, witty, romantic read." Nicolette Jones, The Sunday Times "Without ever labouring points or sinking into sloppy schmaltz, Valentine injects an intensity of feeling in Broken Soup that blew me away ... It's completely gorgeous. I loved it." Jill Murphy, The Book Bag For The Ant Colony: "Completely gorgeous, utterly charming, funny, sweet, sad, and underneath it all, very, very real." Jill Murphy, The Book Bag "The Ant Colony has all the makings of another award-winner." The Sunday Times "a stirring plot that's by turns heartrending and sad but also laced with wit and humour and ultimately an uplifting ending. Quirky but cleverly woven and brilliantly written." LoveReading4Kids "Valentine has created another unusual and readable novel, in which friendship across generations and between children and teenagers is a major theme." The Guardian

Praise for Jenny Valentine:

'Valentine has the essential storyteller's gift of making you want to read on - and to know more even after the book is finished.' Guardian

'The award-winning Valentine has a keen eye for the idiosyncrasies of young children, and the rhythms of family life.' The Bookseller

'[Valentine] has a wonderful ability to take readers right into the hearts and souls of her central characters, and reading her is always a truly vicarious experience.' The Bookbag

Praise for Finding Violet Park:

"Finding Violet Park is a wonderful debut." Guardian

"Ultra-original and brilliantly written, this will have you laughing and crying, too." Mizz

"Clever and totally assured, it is hard to believe that this is a first novel from a new author... [an] ingenious novel from a writer who already has much to offer. *****" Nicholas Tucker, Books for Keeps

"Memorable and well-paced, this is a book to help young people grow in spite of adversity." Carousel

"This is terrific stuff and quite unlike anything else I've come across.... a powerful and compelling story." Inis

"First-time author Jenny Valentine has an original and exciting voice." Writing Magazine