David O'Connell
@davidoconnell.bsky.social
Children's book writer & illustrator. Mostly on Instagram.
https://davidoconnell.carrd.co/
https://davidoconnell.carrd.co/
Pinned
BEASTIE BROS is out today, squishing everything I've learned about books & story making into something that's absorbing, informative & engaging, & visually dynamic too!
Huge thanks to Scholastic, particularly brilliant editor Julia Sanderson & fab designer Sarah Baldwin! shorturl.at/l2XBi #ukkidlit
Huge thanks to Scholastic, particularly brilliant editor Julia Sanderson & fab designer Sarah Baldwin! shorturl.at/l2XBi #ukkidlit
Woohoo!
Nosy Crow has acquired Koalas in Capes, a “highly illustrated and hilarious” chapter-book series from author Terrie Chilvers and award-winning illustrator David O’Connell 👇 #BookSky
Nosy Crow swoops for superhero koalas series from Terrie Chilvers and David O’Connell
ebx.sh
October 7, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Woohoo!
Reposted by David O'Connell
Turn your ideas into fully-fledged storybook texts for 2-6-year-olds with advice from children’s book author & illustrator @davidoconnell.bsky.social! 🖼️
Our six-week online course will teach you the fundamentals behind writing a picture book.
Course starts next Thurs:
Our six-week online course will teach you the fundamentals behind writing a picture book.
Course starts next Thurs:
Writing a Children's Picture Book course with Curtis Brown Creative
Turn your ideas into fully-fledged storybook texts for 2-6-year-olds with advice from children's author, David O'Connell.
www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk
October 6, 2025 at 10:37 AM
Turn your ideas into fully-fledged storybook texts for 2-6-year-olds with advice from children’s book author & illustrator @davidoconnell.bsky.social! 🖼️
Our six-week online course will teach you the fundamentals behind writing a picture book.
Course starts next Thurs:
Our six-week online course will teach you the fundamentals behind writing a picture book.
Course starts next Thurs:
Reposted by David O'Connell
⏰ Time is running out to join our Writing & Illustrating a Children’s Picture Book course!
You'll learn from prolific children’s book author-illustrators @sarahmcintyre.bsky.social and @davidoconnell.bsky.social as they share insights into their work.
Course starts next Thurs:
You'll learn from prolific children’s book author-illustrators @sarahmcintyre.bsky.social and @davidoconnell.bsky.social as they share insights into their work.
Course starts next Thurs:
Writing & Illustrating a Children's Picture Book with Curtis Brown Creative
Our 10-week writing and illustrating a picture book course helps you learn how to bring new worlds to life on the page as you create stories and characters that capture the imaginations and hearts of…
www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk
October 2, 2025 at 1:31 PM
⏰ Time is running out to join our Writing & Illustrating a Children’s Picture Book course!
You'll learn from prolific children’s book author-illustrators @sarahmcintyre.bsky.social and @davidoconnell.bsky.social as they share insights into their work.
Course starts next Thurs:
You'll learn from prolific children’s book author-illustrators @sarahmcintyre.bsky.social and @davidoconnell.bsky.social as they share insights into their work.
Course starts next Thurs:
Reposted by David O'Connell
Create brilliant stories for young readers! 📖🖌️
Our ten-week Writing & Illustrating a Children’s Picture Book course includes advice from children’s author-illustrators, @sarahmcintyre.bsky.social and @davidoconnell.bsky.social!
Course starts 9 Oct: www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/course/writi...
Our ten-week Writing & Illustrating a Children’s Picture Book course includes advice from children’s author-illustrators, @sarahmcintyre.bsky.social and @davidoconnell.bsky.social!
Course starts 9 Oct: www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/course/writi...
September 26, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Create brilliant stories for young readers! 📖🖌️
Our ten-week Writing & Illustrating a Children’s Picture Book course includes advice from children’s author-illustrators, @sarahmcintyre.bsky.social and @davidoconnell.bsky.social!
Course starts 9 Oct: www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/course/writi...
Our ten-week Writing & Illustrating a Children’s Picture Book course includes advice from children’s author-illustrators, @sarahmcintyre.bsky.social and @davidoconnell.bsky.social!
Course starts 9 Oct: www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/course/writi...
Reposted by David O'Connell
The Royal Literary Fund are offering grants to writers facing financial difficulties. If you're currently experiencing difficulties, such as an illness or unexpected bill, you might be eligible to receive support.
Grants for writers facing financial difficulty
As our research into authors’ incomes demonstrates, a career in writing is often financially precarious. If you’re currently facing financial difficulties, whether that be due to an unexpected bill or...
www.alcs.co.uk
September 11, 2025 at 1:28 PM
The Royal Literary Fund are offering grants to writers facing financial difficulties. If you're currently experiencing difficulties, such as an illness or unexpected bill, you might be eligible to receive support.
Reposted by David O'Connell
As we work our way into autumn, transport yourself to sunnier weather by checking out our book recommendations from over August! We had quite the reading haul last month, so there really is something for everyone 👀
www.libraries4schools.com/2025/09/05/b...
#BookSky #ChildrensBooks #BookReview
www.libraries4schools.com/2025/09/05/b...
#BookSky #ChildrensBooks #BookReview
Monthly Book Recommendations: August 2025 | Libraries 4 Schools
Book Recommendations: August 2025 | With fiction, non-fiction and picture books galore, check out what we were reading last month!
www.libraries4schools.com
September 5, 2025 at 11:58 AM
As we work our way into autumn, transport yourself to sunnier weather by checking out our book recommendations from over August! We had quite the reading haul last month, so there really is something for everyone 👀
www.libraries4schools.com/2025/09/05/b...
#BookSky #ChildrensBooks #BookReview
www.libraries4schools.com/2025/09/05/b...
#BookSky #ChildrensBooks #BookReview
A brilliantly bonkers story of a hunt for a precious gemstone #BeastieBrosDungeonsandDragonflies @davidoconnell.bsky.social @scholasticuk.bsky.social is #RedReadingHub’s #fiction book of the day reviewed on the blog wp.me/p11DI5-dnA
Beastie Bros: Dungeons and Dragonflies
Beastie Bros: Dungeons and DragonfliesDavid O’ConnellScholastic Set in Bugtown, this second adventure of best friends Dribble the snail and Dash the firefly sees the two attempt to recover a pricel…
redreadinghub.blog
August 20, 2025 at 9:40 AM
Reposted by David O'Connell
BEASTIE BROS: DUNGEONS AND DRAGONFLIES is out today!
Dash and Dribble are back and they're heading to the local ant nest. But someone's stolen the queen ant's crown jewels... and they're the prime suspects!
Don't miss the next hilarious instalment from @davidoconnell.bsky.social – out now.
Dash and Dribble are back and they're heading to the local ant nest. But someone's stolen the queen ant's crown jewels... and they're the prime suspects!
Don't miss the next hilarious instalment from @davidoconnell.bsky.social – out now.
August 14, 2025 at 10:29 AM
BEASTIE BROS: DUNGEONS AND DRAGONFLIES is out today!
Dash and Dribble are back and they're heading to the local ant nest. But someone's stolen the queen ant's crown jewels... and they're the prime suspects!
Don't miss the next hilarious instalment from @davidoconnell.bsky.social – out now.
Dash and Dribble are back and they're heading to the local ant nest. But someone's stolen the queen ant's crown jewels... and they're the prime suspects!
Don't miss the next hilarious instalment from @davidoconnell.bsky.social – out now.
Happy publication day to Beastie Bros: Dungeons & Dragonflies!
Thank you to the team at @scholasticuk.bsky.social for making the creation of this so much fun!
I'm spending the morning at Bag of Books in Lewes, doing a window painting, if you'd like to come along & say hello! #ukkidlit #kidlituk
Thank you to the team at @scholasticuk.bsky.social for making the creation of this so much fun!
I'm spending the morning at Bag of Books in Lewes, doing a window painting, if you'd like to come along & say hello! #ukkidlit #kidlituk
August 14, 2025 at 6:30 AM
Happy publication day to Beastie Bros: Dungeons & Dragonflies!
Thank you to the team at @scholasticuk.bsky.social for making the creation of this so much fun!
I'm spending the morning at Bag of Books in Lewes, doing a window painting, if you'd like to come along & say hello! #ukkidlit #kidlituk
Thank you to the team at @scholasticuk.bsky.social for making the creation of this so much fun!
I'm spending the morning at Bag of Books in Lewes, doing a window painting, if you'd like to come along & say hello! #ukkidlit #kidlituk
Beastie Bros: Dungeons and Dragonflies is out this week! It has daring deeds, a choose-your-own-adventure chapter, maggots, a sword called Jennifer Richards, and open mic poetry! I had a heap of fun making it with lovely @scholasticuk.bsky.social. #kidlituk ##ukkidlit
August 11, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Beastie Bros: Dungeons and Dragonflies is out this week! It has daring deeds, a choose-your-own-adventure chapter, maggots, a sword called Jennifer Richards, and open mic poetry! I had a heap of fun making it with lovely @scholasticuk.bsky.social. #kidlituk ##ukkidlit
Lovely review for Beastie Bros: Dungeons & Dragonflies! Out on August 15th. 🐌🐉#kidlituk
A bonkers, highly illustrated chapter book, perfect for newly confident readers, minibeast adventure Beastie Bros: Dungeons and Dragonflies by @davidoconnell.bsky.social publishes 14/08 🐌
@scholasticuk.bsky.social
#KidlitUK #UKKidlit
worldssmallestlibrary.wordpress.com/2025/08/02/b...
@scholasticuk.bsky.social
#KidlitUK #UKKidlit
worldssmallestlibrary.wordpress.com/2025/08/02/b...
Beastie Bros: Dungeons and Dragonflies (Beastie Bros 2) by David O’Connell
Cover illustration © David O’Connell, 2025 I’m not sure at what age most of us lose our love of minibeasts, but for small children creepy crawlies are an endless source of fascination a…
worldssmallestlibrary.wordpress.com
August 2, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Lovely review for Beastie Bros: Dungeons & Dragonflies! Out on August 15th. 🐌🐉#kidlituk
Cool!
The most popular book read by children this month on Pageticker is...
🥁Beastie Bros The Cabbage Juice Crime🥁 by @davidoconnell.bsky.social 📚
#KidLitUK #EduSkyPrimary
🥁Beastie Bros The Cabbage Juice Crime🥁 by @davidoconnell.bsky.social 📚
#KidLitUK #EduSkyPrimary
August 1, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Cool!
This has crept up quickly! New Beastie Bros out in August.
Dribble and Dash are heading down under – to the local ant's nest! With missing crown jewels, termites vs ants, and the dastardly dung beetles, there's never a dull moment in Bugtown...
Just 3 weeks to go until BEASTIE BROS: DUNGEONS AND DRAGONFLIES is out!
@davidoconnell.bsky.social
Just 3 weeks to go until BEASTIE BROS: DUNGEONS AND DRAGONFLIES is out!
@davidoconnell.bsky.social
July 23, 2025 at 3:42 PM
This has crept up quickly! New Beastie Bros out in August.
Reposted by David O'Connell
Start the new school year by inspiring reading in your class!
From 15th – 19th September, we're hosting a full week of exciting author events to help you promote reading for pleasure, including story-times, draw-alongs and Q&As with beloved authors and illustrators.
From 15th – 19th September, we're hosting a full week of exciting author events to help you promote reading for pleasure, including story-times, draw-alongs and Q&As with beloved authors and illustrators.
July 8, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Start the new school year by inspiring reading in your class!
From 15th – 19th September, we're hosting a full week of exciting author events to help you promote reading for pleasure, including story-times, draw-alongs and Q&As with beloved authors and illustrators.
From 15th – 19th September, we're hosting a full week of exciting author events to help you promote reading for pleasure, including story-times, draw-alongs and Q&As with beloved authors and illustrators.
Hello! BEASTIE BROS: DUNGEONS & DRAGONFLIES is out in August! Dribble & Dash are on a quest to find the Gumdrop of Destiny, but perils await in the maze of tunnels beneath the ant hill...
Fantasy fun featuring fake beards, custard lakes & a trusty sword called Jennifer Richards! #ukkidlit #kidlituk
Fantasy fun featuring fake beards, custard lakes & a trusty sword called Jennifer Richards! #ukkidlit #kidlituk
June 16, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Last call for our picture book-making course!
Are you interested in writing and illustrating your own picture book?
Join the @cbcreative.bsky.social video course starting this week(!) with @davidoconnell.bsky.social and me!
Browse all the courses here: www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/creative-wri... ✍️
Join the @cbcreative.bsky.social video course starting this week(!) with @davidoconnell.bsky.social and me!
Browse all the courses here: www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/creative-wri... ✍️
May 14, 2025 at 10:26 AM
Last call for our picture book-making course!
Reposted by David O'Connell
Want to illustrate picture books? 🖍️
Children's author-illustrators @sarahmcintyre.bsky.social & @davidoconnell.bsky.social will help you to bring your stories for children to life on our six-week Writing & Illustrating a Children's Picture Book course!
📆 Course starts 15 May, enrol now:
Children's author-illustrators @sarahmcintyre.bsky.social & @davidoconnell.bsky.social will help you to bring your stories for children to life on our six-week Writing & Illustrating a Children's Picture Book course!
📆 Course starts 15 May, enrol now:
Writing & Illustrating a Children's Picture Book with Curtis Brown Creative
Our 10-week writing and illustrating a picture book course helps you learn how to bring new worlds to life on the page as you create stories and characters that capture the imaginations and hearts of…
www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk
May 7, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Want to illustrate picture books? 🖍️
Children's author-illustrators @sarahmcintyre.bsky.social & @davidoconnell.bsky.social will help you to bring your stories for children to life on our six-week Writing & Illustrating a Children's Picture Book course!
📆 Course starts 15 May, enrol now:
Children's author-illustrators @sarahmcintyre.bsky.social & @davidoconnell.bsky.social will help you to bring your stories for children to life on our six-week Writing & Illustrating a Children's Picture Book course!
📆 Course starts 15 May, enrol now:
Reposted by David O'Connell
Create brilliant stories for young readers! 📖🖌️
Our ten-week online Writing & Illustrating a Children’s Picture Book course includes expert advice from children’s author-illustrators, @sarahmcintyre.bsky.social and @davidoconnell.bsky.social
Course starts 15 May:
Our ten-week online Writing & Illustrating a Children’s Picture Book course includes expert advice from children’s author-illustrators, @sarahmcintyre.bsky.social and @davidoconnell.bsky.social
Course starts 15 May:
Writing & Illustrating a Children's Picture Book with Curtis Brown Creative
Our 10-week writing and illustrating a picture book course helps you learn how to bring new worlds to life on the page as you create stories and characters that capture the imaginations and hearts of…
www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk
April 30, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Create brilliant stories for young readers! 📖🖌️
Our ten-week online Writing & Illustrating a Children’s Picture Book course includes expert advice from children’s author-illustrators, @sarahmcintyre.bsky.social and @davidoconnell.bsky.social
Course starts 15 May:
Our ten-week online Writing & Illustrating a Children’s Picture Book course includes expert advice from children’s author-illustrators, @sarahmcintyre.bsky.social and @davidoconnell.bsky.social
Course starts 15 May:
Turn your ideas into fully-fledged storybook texts for 2-6-year-olds with advice from children’s book author & illustrator, @davidoconnell.bsky.social
Our six-week online course will teach you the fundamentals behind writing a picture book 🖼️
Course starts 15 May:
Our six-week online course will teach you the fundamentals behind writing a picture book 🖼️
Course starts 15 May:
Writing a Children's Picture Book course with Curtis Brown Creative
Turn your ideas into fully-fledged storybook texts for 2-6-year-olds with advice from children's author, David O'Connell.
www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk
April 29, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Reposted by David O'Connell
Hercules Braver presents his 3rd set of adventures diary form in #HerculesHerotoZero wherein he tries to get rich @storyandplot.bsky.social ills. @davidoconnell.bsky.social scholasticuk -it’s #RedReadingHub’s #fiction #kidlit book of the day reviewed on the blog wp.me/p11DI5-d8v
Hercules Hero to Zero
Hercules Hero to ZeroTom Vaughan, illustrated by David O’ConnellScholastic Hercules Braver returns for a third set of adventures presented in the usual diary form and taking place during the school…
redreadinghub.blog
April 26, 2025 at 9:13 AM
Hercules Braver presents his 3rd set of adventures diary form in #HerculesHerotoZero wherein he tries to get rich @storyandplot.bsky.social ills. @davidoconnell.bsky.social scholasticuk -it’s #RedReadingHub’s #fiction #kidlit book of the day reviewed on the blog wp.me/p11DI5-d8v
BEASTIE BROS is out today, squishing everything I've learned about books & story making into something that's absorbing, informative & engaging, & visually dynamic too!
Huge thanks to Scholastic, particularly brilliant editor Julia Sanderson & fab designer Sarah Baldwin! shorturl.at/l2XBi #ukkidlit
Huge thanks to Scholastic, particularly brilliant editor Julia Sanderson & fab designer Sarah Baldwin! shorturl.at/l2XBi #ukkidlit
February 13, 2025 at 10:44 AM
BEASTIE BROS is out today, squishing everything I've learned about books & story making into something that's absorbing, informative & engaging, & visually dynamic too!
Huge thanks to Scholastic, particularly brilliant editor Julia Sanderson & fab designer Sarah Baldwin! shorturl.at/l2XBi #ukkidlit
Huge thanks to Scholastic, particularly brilliant editor Julia Sanderson & fab designer Sarah Baldwin! shorturl.at/l2XBi #ukkidlit
I've created an activity pack to go with my Beastie Bros book (out on Thursday!). Including wordsearch, colouring sheet, and story-making ideas - might keep young ones busy for a bit during half-term. Download for free from here: shop.scholastic.co.uk/resources/48... ##ukkidlit #kidlituk
February 10, 2025 at 9:47 AM
I've created an activity pack to go with my Beastie Bros book (out on Thursday!). Including wordsearch, colouring sheet, and story-making ideas - might keep young ones busy for a bit during half-term. Download for free from here: shop.scholastic.co.uk/resources/48... ##ukkidlit #kidlituk
Reposted by David O'Connell
Lets have a comics sale. Till the end of the month I'm selling three different bundles of comics, as pictured below, £10 each, free postage. UK only sorry. Why not have a look? Cheers robjacksoncomics.blogspot.com/2025/02/febr...
February 9, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Lets have a comics sale. Till the end of the month I'm selling three different bundles of comics, as pictured below, £10 each, free postage. UK only sorry. Why not have a look? Cheers robjacksoncomics.blogspot.com/2025/02/febr...
Last one of these - I saved the best until last (debatable)!
February 8, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Last one of these - I saved the best until last (debatable)!
Possibly my favourite characters in Beastie Bros.
February 7, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Possibly my favourite characters in Beastie Bros.