One County, One Book - 2023

For the third year in a row, we are back with our One County, One book programme, an initiative to introduce young people in County Cork to Irish authors. One County, One Book is a programme by Cork County Council Library and Arts Service and is supported by Creative Ireland. The title for 2023 is ‘Run For Your Life’ by Jane Mitchell.

Jane Mitchell is an award-winning writer of books for young people who lives in Dublin. As well as her writing, Jane works in a charity for people with disabilities, plays the flute, and travels all over the world. She writes the kind of books she wanted to read as a child. Her last three novels have been endorsed by Amnesty International as contributing to a better understanding of human rights.

'Run For Your Life' is about a young teen who arrives in Ireland as an asylum seeker. It was shortlisted for the 2023 KPMG Children's Books Ireland Awards, the UK Badger Book Award 2023, and the UK Redbridge Children's Book Award 2023. It was also selected as one of the books in the Empathy Lab's 2023 Read for Empathy collection.

In 2022, Jane was nominated for the 2023 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, which is among the most prestigious awards in the world for a children's author.

Jane has given numerous talks, presentations and workshops to children and adults. She is delighted to be involved with Cork County Council’s One County One Book initiative to introduce young people in County Cork to Irish authors and is excited about meeting young readers in Cork.

Copies of ‘Run For Your Life’ will be available in all branch and mobile libraries across the county from September 2023.  The project is funded by Cork County Council Library along with Creative Ireland.