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Read author Tom Palmer's World Book Day letter to editor

Posted Friday, 7 February 2025 Categories: News story
Tom Palmer, an older white man with short dark hair, looks directly at the camera. He is seated and holding a copy of his book 'After the War.' There are large lit garden lights and bushes in the background.

Children's author and RNIB creative writing competition judge, Tom Palmer.

Dear Editor,

The New Year is always an exciting time for book lovers as we can start looking forward to the Spring and to World Book Day - which this year takes place on Thursday 6 March.

This year I’m delighted that my book The Soccer Diaries; Rocky Takes The Lead, is featured as one of the World Book Day titles which pupils can buy with their free World Book Day tokens given out at schools.

Before I became a children’s author, one of my first ever jobs was working for the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), recording books for blind and partially sighted students.

I loved doing this and so, when I wrote Foul Play, I made the character of Danny’s dad blind. In the book I wanted Danny to read books with his dad who loves crime fiction and that’s how Danny knows so much about how crimes are solved!

My World Book Day title will be available in Braille and audio from RNIB’s online library so children with a vision impairment can read it in just the same way as their sighted friends.

I also have the brilliant job of judging an RNIB writing competition for children with a vision impairment – the lucky winner of which will receive a signed set of my books in their preferred format.

It can be a piece of creative writing in any form or style, centered around the theme of friendship – something that is very important in my books. It can be a poem, a story, an acrostic or any other piece of writing.

The competition is open to any child or young person between the ages of five to 12 years with a vision impairment in the UK. It runs to midnight on Friday 21 February 2025.

Please send in an original piece of writing of up to 500 words in a Word document, .brf file, MP3 audio or MP4 video via email. All email entries must have the subject of “WBD competition” and should be sent to [email protected].

Alternatively, you can send hard copy print or braille via post to World Book Day Competition, RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People), Grimaldi Building, 154A Pentonville Road, London, N1 9JE,

I can’t wait to read some of your submissions and wish you the very best of luck!

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Tom Palmer

Read more about World Book Day

Notes to editors

Competition rules:

  • The competition is open to any child or young person between the ages of 5-12 years with a vision impairment in the UK.
  • The competition runs from 9am on Saturday 4 January 2025 (World Braille Day) to midnight Friday 21 February 2024.
  • Send in an original piece of writing up to 500 words in a Word document, .brf file, MP3 audio or MP4 video via email.
  • All email entries must have the subject of “WBD competition”.
  • All email entries to be sent to [email protected].
  • Alternatively, send hardcopy print or braille via post to World Book Day Competition, RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) The Grimaldi Building, 154a Pentonville Road, London, N1 9JE. Please clearly mark that this is a World Book Day Competition entry on the envelope.
  • The piece of writing must be based on the theme “Friendship”.
  • Submissions must be in English or Welsh.
  • The use of AI, such as ChatGPT is not permitted.
  • One submission per author.
  • The top three entries will be sent to prize-winning author Tom Palmer, for him to choose the final winner.
  • All entries submitted will be read, shortlisted and judged anonymously to ensure a fair process.

This World Book Day®, young readers with vision impairments will also be able to read most of the World Book Day £1-£1.50 titles in braille or audio by vising the RNIB library at http://rniblibrary.com/iguana/www.main.cls?surl=a1

All media enquiries to the RNIB press office on [email protected] or 0207 391 2223. Or, for urgent enquiries out-of-hours, please call 07968 482812.

About RNIB

We are the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).

Every six minutes, someone in the UK begins to lose their sight. RNIB is taking a stand against exclusion, inequality and isolation to create a world without barriers where people with sight loss can lead full lives. A different world where society values blind and partially sighted people not for the disabilities they’ve overcome, but for the people they are.

RNIB. See differently.

Call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999or visit www.rnib.org.uk