St John's primary pupils Kilkenny star at Keepsake launch

The pupils from St John's School, Michael Street, Kilkenny were the stars of the launch of Paula Leyden's new bookat Stonehouse books on Kieran Street last week.

They read pasages from Keepsake, a new novel for readers aged 8+ from the multi award-winning author.

Launched by Siobhan Parkinson commissioning editor of Little Island Books, she spoke of the quality of Paula Leyden's writing and her abaility to connect with children through her work. Paula Leyden is the author of two other books Butterfly Heart and The Sleeping Baobab Tree.

, follows the story of Ella and Johnny, who are distraught when Johnny’s horse Storm disappears from his field.

Johnny knows that he has been taken by ‘the pound man’, but his horse was well looked after and kept safely in his field.

Ella, Johnny and Ella’s granny aren’t going to let Storm go that easily. Together they set off on a desperate chase across Ireland to get Storm back.

​A recent review from Mary Esther Judy, children's book buyer in Charlie Byrne's Bookshop, Galway, said that Keepsake tackles the issue of animal rights, particularly the treatment of horses and the Traveller community in Ireland with its misunderstandings and stigma. Beautifully written, it demonstrates real passion and offers an adventure with much heart and courage.