Shorelines

Published by Little Island

Muireann is a mermaid – fierce, curious and proud of the body that keeps her warm beneath the waves. But life in the ocean is becoming impossible. The merfolk are at war with the human ramifications of climate change: food is scarce, and her twin sister has been killed in a mass-fishing net. With her mother lost in grief and her world falling apart, Muireann longs to escape to the surface to find some answers. But the human world isn’t the haven she hoped for. It’s colder, crueller – and here, her large body is seen not as strength, but as something to be ashamed of. In this novel in verse, Muireann must find her voice and fight for where she belongs.

This is Ruth’s debut novel (Feb 2026).

Suitable for 14+ years.

The Irish Writer’s Handbook

Published by Books Ireland. Edited by Ruth McKee

The Irish Writers Handbook 2025 focuses on the practicalities of the writing life like what a commissioning editor is looking for, how to work with your bookseller, and exactly how the Irish publishing process works. Whether you write fiction or non-fiction, illustrate books for young people or are an emerging poet, this book is your reliable guide.

Ruth’s essay Community in Children’s Literature: What Makes an Excellent Children’s Book? discusses what makes a great book for young readers, and key learnings from her time in the Irish children’s and young adult community.

Suitable for 18+ years.

I Am the Wind: Irish Poems for Children Everywhere

Published by Little Island. Edited by Lucinda Jacob and Sarah Webb. Illustrated by Ashwin Chacko.

Discover brilliant new poems and revisit old favourites in this joyously illustrated collection of children’s poems from Ireland. Winner of the An Post Irish Book Awards: Specsavers Children’s Book of the Year (Senior).

Ruth’s contribution Umbrella is a short piece of concrete poetry about turning things upside down to offer a new perspective.

Suitable for 8+ years.