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About Paper Lanterns
Paper Lanterns is a new literary journal, founded in 2020 by Grace Kelley, Ruth Ennis, and Amy O’Sullivan, to be published four times a year. Acting as a platform to promote the voices of young people in Ireland and across the world, this journal provides new and exciting content for a teen and young adult audience. It is also perfect for enthusiasts of teen and YA literature, from teachers and librarians, to parents and youth workers. The journal is divided into three sections. Our literature, from teachers and librarians, to parents and youth workers.
The journal is divided into three sections. Our Creative Writing section showcases work from talented teens, as well as work from adult writers of teen and YA literature, tied in with beautiful artwork and photography. The talented teens, as well as work from adult writers of teen and YA literature, tied in with beautiful artwork and photography. The Features and Articles section includes unique essays on trends in the YA literary scene and inspiring observations from our younger contributors on the world around them. You can also expect some exciting interviews from authors and literature enthusiasts. Our on trends in the YA literary scene and inspiring observations from our younger contributors on the world around them. You can also expect some exciting interviews from authors and literature enthusiasts. Our Reviews sections offers an insight into the latest books for teens and young adults, from readers younger and older, with a helpful guide to aid in navigating suitable content. You will also find details of our seasonal book club, with and young adults, from readers younger and older, with a helpful guide to aid in navigating suitable content. You will also find details of our seasonal book club, with Flying Tips for Flightless Birds for younger teens and Queen of Coin and Whispers for older teens.
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Artwork by Agata Tryhubczak Design by Fiachra Johnston |
Some of my thoughts
All the pieces in this issue were spectacular, especially the creative writing ones — evocative & emotionally charged throughout, there is clearly so much potential within these young writers and their work; many of these texts play with expectations and ease you into something you think you'll know, only to pull it from underneath you at the end and surprise you with their reveals. I loved seeing the way they all explored such different themes, approached their pieces with very different tones and voices, as well as the way they played with form (I thought Evangeline Henry's Pink Rink was a standout at this). Some of the creative writing felt so new and unique, while other pieces were reminiscent of more well established writers, breathing new life into familiar stories (Daniel Fergus Tamulonis's Verona ... After in particular was a fascinating take on the Shakespearean classic, while Sadbh Kellett's Deirdre felt like a legend of a time long gone brought into the modern world), each voice so unique to the writer.
I loved the way these authors' stories walked that unclear line between our known reality and something outside of it, often leaving you quite uncertain where one ended and the other began. This featured such an ecclectic, yet organic mix of stories and it truly speaks to the way Paper Lanterns aim to highlight the different types of talent young creatives may posses.
Allow me to highlight some of the pieces that stood out to me (although it is hard to narrow it down since they're all so stunning).
- Nkemdilim Okonjo's Nature speaks to me on a deeper level than I had expected; I adore anything that explores human emotion and nature alike, so this poem stroke a cord with me and I found myself rereading it again and again because of how striking it was.
- Hanna-Rose Sullivan's The Red Thread Of Fate could easily become a full length novel, so interesting is the promise and so engaging her writing style. The twist at the end got me so good that I was quite honestly overcome by the desire to applaud the writer. Truly would love to see the authors expand on the idea one day if they so desire, as I can easily see the potential to become a YA sensation one day.
- Bea Rea's What do you see? and Lauren Simone Blanchard's The Polar Bear Painting are eerie, haunting, atmospheric and utterly stunning.
- The aforementioned Deirdre is likely to appeal to many whose reading tastes coincide with mine: lyrical, snappy, haunting. It truly feels like an ancient folk tale brought back from the past and given new life, I'd say if you're currently loving Netflix's CURSED, you're very likely to enjoy this one.
Features
It's impossible to know where to begin discussing the non-fiction featured in the issue because I am genuinely in awe of them. They're such exciting, well thought out and incredibly well written essays on such fascinating themes that are relevant to the lives of readers: from accessibility and escapism to nostalgia and its impact on our reading, be it when discussing well established classics of ages long gone or books that have become such a part of our collective consciousness that they may as well be modern classics. They're such thought provoking, engaging reads and they explore some really interesting ideas.
The reviews were all great & I truly appreciate the care taken towards offering content warnings within them. It was also great to see some familiar names from the Irish YA world featured, HELLO CLAIRE AND HELEN!!
I thoroughly recommend picking up a copy of the journal to flick through or read at your leisure, since there is so much great content to look forward to!
You can find Paper Lanterns here:
Twitter: @paper__lanterns
Instagram: @paperlanterns_lit
Facebook: @PaperLanternsLit
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