Abigail Balfe
Children's Author/Illustrator
Biography
Abigail is a queer, autistic author/illustrator and Emmy Award-winning creative producer. Original storytelling has always been at the heart of Abigail’s career and she has spent a decade leading social media campaigns for some of the biggest TV & entertainment clients in the world. Abigail also used to perform stand-up comedy and won several tiny trophies for her onstage humour; which involved life-size illustrations, ridiculous songs and rambling stories about her family.
Abigail’s debut book, A Different Sort of Normal, was Puffin’s lead non-fiction launch of 2021 and was longlisted for the Blue Peter Book Awards.
This is Not the Diary of Izzy Dobson
IZZY DOBSONHAS A FEW PROBLEMS:
1) School is the WORST.
2) Making friends is HARD.
3) Her VERY TOP SECRET EMBARRASSING DIARY has gone MISSING!
Can Izzy retrace her steps before the diary falls into the wrong hands? Or has its fate already been sealed by a SINISTER DIARY THIEF?
Izzy records her investigation in this Very Normal Notebook. (Definitely NOT another diary!) Expect cat doodles, brilliant(ish) brainwaves and hilarious observations on life as Izzy searches not just for her diary, but also her place in this Very Confusing World.
A laugh-out-loud, big-hearted new fiction series by acclaimed author-illustrator Abigail Balfe.
Publications
In this warm, important and immensely moving book, writer and illustrator Abigail Balfe charts her experiences of growing up neurodivergent, offering candid and powerful insights into autism.
Shortlisted for The British Book Awards 2022 Children’s Non-Fiction Book of the Year
The beautiful true story of one girl’s journey growing up autistic – and the challenges she faced in the ‘normal’ world.
I’m not like the other children in my class… and that’s an actual scientific FACT.
Hi! My name is Abigail, and I’m autistic. But I didn’t know I was autistic until I was an adult-sort-of-person*.
This is my true story of growing up in the confusing ‘normal’ world, all the while missing some Very Important Information about myself.
There’ll be scary moments involving toilets and crowded trains, heart-warming tales of cats and pianos, and funny memories including my dad and a mysterious tub of ice cream. Along the way you’ll also find some Very Crucial Information about autism.
If you’ve ever felt different, out of place, like you don’t fit in… this book is for you.
*I’ve never really felt like an actual-adult-person, as you’ll soon discover in this book…
Told through the author’s remarkable words, and just as remarkable illustrations, this is the book for those who’ve never felt quite right in the ‘normal’ world. Very important, very funny and very informative – this is the book the world needs right now.
