Ten-Word Tiny Tales of Love

Is it possible to spin a tale of love using just ten words? It most certainly is!

In this unique and magnificent compendium designed to spark the imagination, Joseph Coelho brings us cherished moments between siblings, worlds where nature blooms and heals, and touching tales of beloved pets ... all in just ten words! Each tale has been paired with one of the finest illustrators working today – and, together, the words and pictures will create a space for creativity as young readers imagine how the story might unravel. They might even be inspired to pen a ten-word tiny tale of their own!

Written by former Waterstones Children's Laureate and winner of the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing, Joseph Coelho, and with two creative writing challenges at the back, this is the perfect gift for all those ready to unleash their imaginations.

These touching 10-word stories of sibling bonds, beloved pets and the healing power of the natural world are each illustrated by a different artist, and should encourage 4+ storytellers to try creating their own. The Guardian
[W]ith ten-word stories by the former children’s laureate Joseph Coelho, illustrated by 21 artists, in which the love is for creatures, magic, nature, objects, grandparents and siblings. The image that speaks most powerfully of love is Sydney Smith’s beautifully observed picture of a boy teaching his little brother to tie his shoelaces. The book is also a creative springboard for readers to pour out their hearts in ten words. The Sunday Times
a remarkable collection that showcases the art of brevity, distilling the essence of love into powerful, evocative micro-stories [...] Each story is a masterpiece of precision, leaving space for the reader’s imagination to fill in the gaps. Whether poignant, whimsical, or bittersweet, the tales resonate deeply, demonstrating that love can be both universal and deeply personal. Ten-Word Tiny Tales of Love is a testament to the power of storytelling, proving that sometimes, less truly is more. It is a must-read for anyone who appreciates the beauty of language and the enduring allure of love. PA Media Children’s Book of the Week
Featured, January Children’s Previews The Bookseller
There is much to glean from Coelho’s second collection of Ten-Word Tiny Tales; the power a short story can have to grab your attention; the transformative affect illustrations can have upon the words of an author and how love can come in many forms. The Irish Examiner

Joseph Coelho was the Waterstones Children’s Laureate 2022–2024, and is an award-winning poet, playwright and writer. In 2024 he won the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing for The Boy Lost in the Maze and was awarded an OBE for his services to the arts, to children’s reading and to literature. His first poetry collection, Werewolf Club Rules!, , won the CLPE Children's Poetry Award in 2015, and he has been writing and performing ever since. His picture books include If All the World Were... illustrated by Allison Colpoys and the Luna Loves... series illustrated by Fiona Lumbers. His poetry books for children include Overheard in a Tower Block illustrated by Kate Milner, A Year of Nature Poems illustrated by Kelly Louise Judd, and his novel in verse, The Girl Who Became a Tree. Originally from London, he now lives in Edinburgh. Follow him on X as @JosephACoelho and on Instagram as @josephcoelhoauthor.

With artwork from: Baljinder Kaur, Beth Suzanna, Bob Graham, Diane Ewen, Fiona Lumbers, Fruzsina Czech, Heather Kilgour, Jarvis, Jim Field, Jon Klassen, Katherine Child, Katie May Green, Ken Wilson-Max, Mark Janssen, Mini Grey, Myo Yim, Natalia Shaloshvili, Rikin Parekh, Steve McCarthy, Sydney Smith and Victoria Turnbull.

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