Colin’s Grandma

The gloriously funny follow-up to the critically acclaimed Colin’s Castle, nominated for the Carnegie Medal for Illustration 2025!

The gloriously funny follow-up to the critically acclaimed Colin’s Castle, nominated for the Carnegie Medal for Illustration 2025!

Colin – and Duck – are back!

Colin and Duck are now friends. They’re happily sharing their castle – and they’re expecting a visitor.

Grandma’s brought lots of luggage – and her pet crocodile. Eek! Will she like Colin’s unconventional castle? Will she like his vegetarian cooking? And will she like … DUCK?!

The highly anticipated sequel to Colin’s Castle, with hilarious new characters and a brilliantly funny final twist.

Colin’s Castle is nominated for the Carnegie Medal for Illustration 2025

Praise for Colin’s Castle:

“Hilarious” – The Sunday Times

"[a] superbly humorous picture book” – V''s View from the Bookshelves blog

“Full of humour and beautifully illustrated, young readers will enjoy the duck''s antics and Colin’s attempts to live a bird-free life" – RTÉJr

“The illustrations of Colin and his duck are delightful and the details of the castle are brilliant! […] This is definitely a book to enjoy together in the autumn term.” – Scope for Imagination Blog

“Colin''s Castle is gentle and hilarious, and the illustrations are full of so many wondrous little details. Colin is a utter DELIGHT.” –LoveReading4Kids

"A perfect autumnal treat, Colin’s Castle is a story which will have children laughing hysterically before bedtime or in their classroom." – Check ‘Em Out Books blog

“With a fiendishly funny adventure to enjoy, two unlikely adversaries, and a whole castle full of laughs, you won’t want to duck out of this rollicking romp!” – Lancashire Evening Post

Holly Swain has always loved to draw, making up characters and their worlds, and she used to have a huge roll of paper under her bed that she constantly drew on. It gradually got smaller and smaller, by which time she was big enough to go to college. She studied illustration at UWE Bristol and then did an MA at University of Brighton. Holly lives with her family in Hove.

The perfect new illustrated children’s picture book for 2025

The perfect new illustrated children’s picture book for 2025

• Colin’s Castle was an instant bestseller in Autumn 2024 – this second adventure has all the perfect comic timing and hilarious characterisation of book 1!
• A seasonal treat for Halloween but will also appeal throughout the year
• Perfect for fans of bestselling picture books I Want My Hat Back
and I’m Sticking With You
• Holly Swain is an experienced author-illustrator with a strong events track record

Competition: funny bones;we’re going on a ghost hunt;the;witch’s cat;room on the broom;dinosaur that pooped;halloween;ten;little monsters;what’s in;the;witch’s kitchen;there;s a witch;wolf;in my book;pick a pumpkin. allan ahlberg;martha mumford;julia donaldson;axel scheffler;tom fletcher;david walliams