Author of a number of humorous rhyming picture books suitable for children from Foundation to KS2. I live in Devon, England, and have been writing for children since 2009.
My books have been distributed across the globe from Australia to Singapore, and published in several languages.
Stuffed with fun wordplay, visual gags, melodic rhyme and memorable characters, my books have become firm favourites with children and adults alike.
"Rhymes that flow, illustrations that are clear, eye-catching and awesome,
and a general feel of quality."
"A sing-song tale that's a joy to read out loud."
I've worked with some very talented illustrators over the years, such as Joelle Driedemy (Frog on the Log, The Goat That Gloats), Christina Forshay (Toad's Road Code) and Stuart McGhee (The Great Reef Race, Which Witch Is Which?, The Unpleasant Tale of the Man-eating Christmas Pudding, The Magic Custard Factory).
"There's a heck of a lot to love here, from great rhymes that trip off the tongue
to some really nice artwork."
"A wonderful little story with beautiful pictures that is sure to be loved by children and adults alike."
I like to tackle moral and life issues in my stories in a safe and light-hearted way. For instance, Frog on the Log contains messages that it's okay to ask for help, and to not judge by appearances. Toad's Road Code is about road safety, and The Great Reef Race is about fair play, taking part and being a good sport.
My aim for my books is always that the story shines out above all else.
"In school, The Great Reef Race can help teachers explain good sportsmanship, cheating, putting friendships above the competition, and being a good loser."
"This is a beautifully illustrated picture book that features fantastic main characters; a diverse and interesting cast of supporting characters; a fun and whimsical story; solid rhyming and cadence; and, important life lessons for children."
I enjoy visiting schools and libraries, and talking to children and adults about writing. My visits can consist of anything from a short talk and "storytime" for Foundation-age children through to a writing workshop that takes place over several sessions.
Here are examples of just some of the workshops and creative resources I offer:
"Virtual Hilarity" New for 2021!
A single-session virtual author visit conducted over Google Meets, Teams, Skype or Zoom.
Includes author talk, story reading and Q&A.
Duration: 30 minutes
"Conjuring Characters"
A single-session workshop focussing on creating and developing unique characters.
"Ingenious Ideas"
"Stupendous Stories"
"S.O.C.K (Story Outline Construction Kit) in a Box"
Testimonials
"Leyland was aware of the need to follow safeguarding protocol and at no time was he anything other than professional. Leyland is a natural story teller and the children enjoyed finding out, first hand, about how to be an author and the creation of a new story from scratch. The talks were supported by powerpoint presentations and worksheet for follow up activities. I am happy to recommend a visit from Leyland to any school and wish him every success with his exciting stories."
- Beechwood Primary School, Devon UK.
"Leyland was an immediate hit with all of the children within our Key Stage One classes and they loved the story. As a school we invested in some of the books for our class library and they are still a favourite choice today. Whilst in the school he conducted himself brilliantly and had an excellent manner with the children. We cannot wait for him to visit again with his latest book."
- Ernesettle Community School, Devon UK.
"We were recently fortunate enough to have a visit by Leyland Perree, to our Foundation Class. Leyland arrived punctually and behaved professionally throughout, interacting in a friendly and appropriate manner. Leyland answered questions and responded to comments, making good use of ICT. The visit was a very positive experience for the class and we look forward to future visits."
- Yealmpstone Farm Primary School, Devon UK
"I am more than happy to recommend Leyland as a visiting author.
Leyland worked hard prior to his visit making sure that ourselves, visiting classes and he himself were happy with all the arrangements.
Throughout the day of Leyland’s visit we held 2 sessions with visiting classes from local schools, each session has approximately 60 children and lasted for 1 hour. We also held an after school session to which members of the public could attend.
As well as talking about his life as an author he used a PowerPoint presentation to run a fun quiz with the children based on ‘Which Witch is Which?’"
- Barnstaple Library, Devon UK