Liz is represented by Show Me The Rabbit Agency.
High-res photos on this page, please credit: Matt Radcliffe.
Photo by Matt Radcliffe
Photo by Matt Radcliffe
photo by Matt Radcliffe
rise of the shadow dragons
“A mesmerising sequel to Dragon Daughter about an outcast who becomes a hero on the magical island of Arcosi. This epic fantasy saga explores courage, acceptance and unity.”
The Bookseller Buyer’s Guide
“This book is every page a worthy successor to the first … a very special voice indeed in children’s fiction… thrilling multi-layered storytelling.”
Gordon Askew, full review here.
“{The} world-building is once again just so brilliant and atmospheric, her characters are beautifully observed and despite the fantasy setting, entirely believable and easy to identify with, possessing all the same strengths and frailties we all remember having as brash, outspoken youths!
"Legends of the Sky" is turning into one of the best fantasy series in middle grade / early YA fiction, and we cannot wait to find out what happens next.”
Read It Daddy, full review here.
“An outcast becomes a hero in the sequel to Dragon Daughter, which I enjoyed enormously, a terrifically visual fantasy adventure”
Fiona Noble, The Bookseller
“Courage, honour and volcanic wrath abounds in this fiery fantasy sequel… With the sweeping atmosphere of a classic hero story, Joe’s story is shot-through with themes of acceptance, making amends, courage and concord, against a backdrop of political - and volcanic - eruptions. What’s more, the author’s vibrant, visual storytelling paints a truly sensory picture of a world and its compelling cast of characters.” Read full review here.
Joanne Owen, LoveReading4Kids
“Harry Potter meets Eragon in Liz Flanagan's mesmerising fantasy saga of bravery, redemption and breathtaking dragons! Vividly atmospheric and rich in detail, Flanagan's storytelling and world building is remarkable.”
Bluebird Reviews, full review here
“A hugely engaging voice in children’s fiction at the moment.”
Angels and Urchins, full review here.
What people are saying about Liz’s books:
the wildsmith series
Kate Heap: “a delightful new fantasy series … younger middle-grade readers … will be completely swept away in adventure, magic and the most gorgeous baby dragons!” Read the full review here.
“Enchanting and magical, this new series is sure to delight young readers.” Read the full review on My Shelves Are Full blog here.
And huge thanks to V’s View From the Bookshelves for this detailed post here: “This fantasy story is a clever and satisfying blend of fairy tale and ecology. A short read with fast paced chapters and illustrated throughout, it is a perfect choice for children who are emerging as independent readers.”
Mary Rees has written a wonderful review here: “an enchanting, heart-warming treat for young readers of 7+ who will relish adventuring with Rowan as she fights to save the forest’s magical creatures.”
Jacqui Sydney’s blog highlights: “A gorgeous story, perfect for lower KS2, with a strong message of the importance of caring for both one another and the wider world.”
Eden Summer
Nominated for the Carnegie Medal
The Bookseller described Eden Summer as having 'a truly gripping plot ... combined with beautiful, emotionally rich writing'.
Editor's Pick, The Bookseller.
“Gripping ... a thriller deeply embedded in the West Yorkshire landscape… A breathless read.”
Guardian’s ‘best new children’s books’ round-up
“Readers will be hooked by this raw and emotional read”
The Sun
“A truly gripping plot ... beautiful, emotionally rich writing.”
The Bookseller
“Flanagan has a real ability to write from the heart, frankly and honestly, in a way that teens will love.”
Book Trust
"A top notch contemporary read... The lush, lyrical quality of [Flanagan's] writing reminded me of Jandy Nelson”
The Bookbag
"A powerful exploration of the extraordinary power of friendship, both truthful and intense. It's that rare and wonderful thing, a thriller of the heart, written from the heart, and it hits home straight to the heart."
Melvin Burgess
"Dazzling, gripping, leaves you gasping for air"
Brian Conaghan
"{an} impressively individual voice” Books for Keeps
“Very compelling”
Crime Review
“Liz Flanagan plays a blinder in this stunning debut ... a beautiful, heart-rending tale ... The rugged, awe-inspiring countryside of West Yorkshire plays a starring role in this tense, highly-charged journey through adolescent friendship, loss, betrayal, bullying, tragedy and self-discovery ... A powerful, gripping debut from a talented new author”
Lancashire Evening Post
“A really outstanding debut”
Teens on Moon Lane
“The perfect fast-paced mysterious book to round off your vacation ... Think ‘Pretty Little Liars’, full of flashbacks, tension, and confusion in the best possible way."
United by Pop
"Bound to stick around in the back of your mind for months”
Sugarscape
Blog reviews:
“An excellent thriller with vibrant, emotionally driven characters and a superbly written backdrop” - Words from Darran blog and YouTube video
"I was gripped from the beginning and didn't put it down until I finished” - The Reader’s Corner blog
"A story that I needed to follow to the end” - Luna’s Little Library blog
"An incredibly powerful book” - JazzyFizzle blog
“A bittersweet but uplifting novel about how to go on after your world has been irreversibly changed” - Young Writers North blog
“Exceptional… keeps you guessing to the end” - Calderdale Libraries YouTube review
"A perfect example of the brilliance of UKYA” - Overflowing Library blog
Dragon Daughter
Winner of the Leeds Book Award 2019
Winner of Calderdale Book of the Year Award 2019
The Bookseller highlighted Dragon Daughter as “one to watch”, describing it as “a thrilling fantasy quest”.
Children’s book expert Gordon Askew writes: “Dragon Daughter is an outstanding example of the power of story.”
Read the review here.
Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books calls Dragon Daughter:
“a fantastic middle-grade read full of rich detail ... an epic adventure that is thrilling, captivating.”
Read the full review here.
From Pam Norfolk at the Lancashire Post:
“Teeming with tension, danger, fast-paced action, fiery friendships and dragon riders, this is a thrilling middle grade epic full of heart, hope and themes of migration and tolerance which will strike a chord with youngsters.”
Read more here.
Madge Eekal Reviews:
“A magical middle-grade fantasy story filled with powerful political messages, tied up in a gripping and exciting plot.” Read more here.
Dragon Daughter was Book of the Day on the Booktrust website. Their reviewer wrote: “This is the first book in a new epic fantasy saga that takes readers on an unusual adventure, dealing with important themes of friendship, belonging, migration and difference, as well as the utter joy of dragons.”
Read the full review here.
Dragon Daughter is Chapter Book of the Week - “immaculate worldbuilding, glorious characters and wonderful creatures” - over on ReadItDaddy blog: click here to read the glowing review!
Meanwhile, bookseller extraordinaire Tamsin Rosewell at Kenilworth Books has done a wonderfully in-depth review of Dragon Daughter and calls it “an astonishing book; this is storytelling at its very best – exciting, political, poignant and utterly enchanting.”
Read the full review here.
Legends of The Sky reviews from American critics and bloggers:
“This is an excellent what's-next for fans of classic fantasy series like McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern or more contemporary fare like Cowell's How to Train Your Dragon.” Read more here.
“Adventure, tense fighting scenes, touching connections between both people and dragons, and a strong sense of right and wrong help create a story that pulls readers in to both enjoy and learn from the events. I found this a wonderful, uplifting novel.” Read more here.