A brand new collection of gripping, thought-provoking short stories from The Edge . . .

From the perils of online chat rooms, doping in sport, racism and terrorism, to gender and self-esteem issues, love, life and death—Stories from The Edge isn't afraid to ask some big questions.

Sometimes frightening, often funny, always brutally honest, these stories will take you to where the shadows are darkest and the ground drops away.

The question is . . . are you prepared to look over the edge?

Out now in paperback and eBook.

For educational & library sales, please click here to buy a copy.

“The short story is a very powerful weapon in the hands of a librarian or teacher . . . I guarantee that these stories will leave readers gasping for more. But most importantly they will get teen readers thinking and talking.” — Joy Court, Chair: CILIP Carnegie & Kate Greenaway Medals; Reviews Editor: The School Librarian

Discussion Guides for exploring each of the stories with students are available as a FREE PDF downloads.
Click the links below to download the guides.

FACE2FACE by Bryony Pearce

A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD by Paula Rawsthorne

MAGPIE SOUP by Dave Cousins

NIGHTLIGHT by Sara Grant

TRICK OR TWEET? by Katie Dale

ALADDIN'S LAMP by Savita Kalhan

NEXT STOP, THE EIFFEL TOWER by Miriam Halahmy

THE DAY I TOLD THE TRUTH by Keren David

If you have any problems downloading the files, please email: edgewriters(AT)yahoo.co.uk

We hope you enjoy our Stories from The Edge!

Love Football, Loathe Reading? Premier League Reading Stars Can Help.

Edge author Dave Cousins explains how a love of ‘the beautiful game’ can inspire an interest in reading for reluctant readers.

Premier League Reading Stars is an innovative programme run by the National Literacy Trust in partnership with the Premier League. The scheme is designed for schools to use with target groups of children aged 9-13 years who “love football but lack motivation to engage with and achieve in literacy.” Building on evidence that footballers can influence the way young people view reading, PLRS offers a range of resources for schools that tap into children’s passion for football. Results show that participation in the project can have a significant impact on attainment and attitudes to reading and writing, particularly among boys and those on free school meals.

Here's a short video about the scheme.

Since kicking off its inaugural season three years ago, thousands of children have enjoyed taking part in Premier League Reading Stars. A 2014 evaluation reported that three out of four children taking part made at least six months’ reading progress during the ten week scheme, with one child in three making a year’s worth of progress! 

“On average, the reading progress of participating pupils was 50% higher than peers not taking part in the programme.”

A third of participants go on to join their local library, and the number of children who develop a daily reading habit as a result of the course is more than double. Nearly two thirds of the children involved say that seeing Premier League footballers read, made them want to read more. One of the participating school’s Ofsted report stated: “Both their reading and writing scores rose considerably as a result of their involvement in this initiative.”

The closing date for enrolling your school is Wednesday 30th September 2015. 

The new enhanced programme for 2015-16 includes a wealth of resources and benefits, including:

—1 year membership to the National Literacy Trust Network. 

—Author events with a range of venues, dates and authors.

—New season resource pack (for 20 children) including teacher’s manual, children’s activity books, certificates, stickers and posters. 

—recommended reading list for 2015-16, including the best of football-related reading online. 

—staff training sessions, held regularly across England and Wales, (September to November). 

—NEW mixed box of 20 books specially chosen to appeal to reluctant readers .

—NEW access to our updated website, with interactive challenges, competitions and quizzes, plus entry to the National PLRS Competition with the chance for pupils to win tickets to Premier League matches.

Visit the National Literacy Trust Premier League Reading Stars website for more information.

Charlie Merrick’s Misfits in Fouls, Friends and Football, written and illustrated by Dave Cousins is out now, published by Oxford University Press.

Top Ten Best Book Covers by Edge Author Dave Cousins

There is a saying that you should never judge a book by its cover, but I suspect it's something we all do. What's on the jacket has a huge impact on how many potential readers will pick a book off the shelf, (or click for more information). While I own many books with artwork I don't particularly like, I'm fairly certain I would never have picked them up, had I not already been a fan of the author. It makes me wonder how many great stories I've ignored because the cover didn't grab me.

I've spoken to school librarians who offer students "book blind dates"—covering the jackets with brown paper, so the reader has no preconceptions or prejudice against what might be inside. It sounds like a great idea, and places focus back on the content, rather than the smoke and mirrors of packaging and marketing hype! 

I recently received the cover roughs for my next young adult novel (due out next year). I was delighted—the artwork perfectly captured the mood of the story, and had the right balance of intrigue and information. I'm afraid I can't share it with you just yet—the book itself is still in progress! Instead, I thought I'd put together a top ten of favourite covers from my bookshelves. 

Simple eye-catching design that
captures the essence of the story.

Humans are drawn to faces. The eyes in this
seek you out across the bookshop. Brilliant.

The spoof diary cover has been popular.
I think this one works really well.

The book is filled with atmosphere and
a great sense of time and location.
This cover captures it perfectly.

Dated by the furniture perhaps, but I like the way the
kids look like real kids, unlike the airbrushed models
appearing on many current young adult novels.

Another retro cover, but one of
my favourites. Eye-catching, and sums
up the mood and subject of the story.

A classic cover for a classic adventure story.

Great piece of design this, plus there's something
about maps and pins that screams adventure!

A great cover for a brilliant book.
The point where all the elements meet
and cut the lizard in two draws your eye.

I love the simplicity of this.
Exactly the right shade of yellow too.

It would be interesting to hear your thoughts, so please do leave a comment below.

Dave Cousins writes books for children and young adults. For more information, you can find him on the web at www.davecousins.net

World Book Day and Beyond! by Edge author Dave Cousins.

Books are important—they teach us empathy, make us think and question, help us navigate our way through life—they’re also a lot of fun, which is why I'm a big supporter of World Book Day.

Last week on the roads and railways, you could hardly move for authors, illustrators, poets and storytellers on their way to schools for World Book Day events—David Walliams even took to the air to avoid the congestion! 

My own World Book Day tour started on Monday with a 5am start. Seven days and nineteen presentations to over 1500 young people later, I'll admit I’m a wee bit tired and my voice is a little more croaky than usual, but it was worth it.

Some wonderful displays in the library at Montsaye Academy!
(Thanks to Lisa Shaw)

With schools being increasingly forced to focus on exam results and league tables, I worry that reading for pleasure will be marginalised, despite the important role it plays in a young person's development. The perilous state of our library service, both public and in schools, is a worrying indication of the low value attributed to books by those currently in power. In this climate, World Book Day feels like a festival of defiance—an excited, noisy, costumed parade—a demonstration of just how important stories are. Visiting schools this week, seeing the work staff have put into World Book Day celebrations and the enthusiasm of the students, proves that not everything of value can be tested and entered onto a balance sheet. 

But don’t take my word for it, here are a few photos and some feedback about World Book Day that I received from staff and students at the schools I visited:

Acting out a story at Bishop Stopford School
(photo: Hilary Sutton)

“Seeing 200 faces rapt, involved and amused … was a joy. Introducing them to new books in such a lively manner will undoubtedly lead to more reading enjoyment.” —Hilary Sutton, Librarian, Bishop Stopford School

“I’m so excited I could burst!” — Year 7 student, Bishop Stopford School (I have to admit, that one is my favourite!)

Discussing comics and graphic novels with students at Parmiter's School
(Thanks to Angus for the photo)

“World Book Day is an incredibly important time for school libraries, as it's the perfect opportunity to promote everything that's great about books and reading for pleasure. At Parmiter's we embrace it wholeheartedly by putting on a week's worth of activities for all year groups. From author talks and signings to books sales and competitions, the world is your oyster! We look forward to planning something new every year.” — Nicola Davison, LRC Assistant, Parmiter’s School

Developing ideas during a writing workshop at Skinners' Academy
(Thanks to Skinners' Academy for the photo)

"They were so inspired that we sold out of books and have had to buy many more copies for the library." —Susannah Phillips, Librarian, Skinners’ Academy

I would like to thank all of the staff and students at Holloway School, Parmiter's School, Bishop Stopford School, Skinners’ Academy, Littleover Community School, Ashcroft Academy and Montsaye Academy for their hospitality, enthusiasm and inspiration! Thanks also to booksellers Brenda and Terrie, with help from Zoe and Mia at Parmiter's, and Stuart Cleaver from Quinn's Bookshop at Montsaye. 

Finally, if you haven't already done so, please check out the World Book Day Teen Fest website which has loads of exclusive author videos, playlists and blog posts to keep the festival going!

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Dave Cousins is the author of a number of award-winning books for children and young adults. Visit www.davecousins.net for more information.