Home : Tom Palmer : Author of Foul Play the first book in his Football Detective series.

Welcome! I hope there’s lots here for readers, parents, teachers & librarians to find out more about me and my books. But if you want to know something particular – click here to email me.

I am the author of two Puffin football fiction series for children. My first novel Foul Play was short listed for the 2009 Blue Peter Book Award. My latest book, Scrum! for Barrington Stoke is about one boy, two codes...

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NEW Books

I am currently writing The Squad.

The Squad: Black Op out May 2012. Click here for more.

Foul Play 5 : Own Goal out now. Click here for more

an excellent fast-paced detective novel The Times

Scrum! out now. Click here for more

NEW Film Click here to watch the Foul Play 5 : Own Goal trailer made by children from Ghyllgrove School, Basildon

Click here for the article by teacher Diane Baker, Filming a Book Trailer to Engage Readers: The Ghyllgrove School Football Writers.

NEW Resources

Football Academy & Foul Play Series Reading Challenge FREE Certificates, charts, sticker book & stickers, with simple guidelines to motivate readers. Click here for more information.

Football Academy & Foul Play Activity Pack Click here

Click here for my latest National Literacy Trust blog

Click here for the National Literacy Trust resources & stories.

"Your Activity Pack is fantastic, so many wonderful ideas!" Sam Heale, Improving Boys' Literacy Library Coordinator, Cardiff Central Library

The Mystery of the Stolen FA Cup Medal

Click here for a story to read and listen to with classroom resources, commissioned by the British Council and Reading Agency's 'Chatterbooks' project.

Football Academy (7+) series follows the challenges - on and off the pitch - of the players at an under-twelve Premier League academy.

This is one of the first proper books I have read on my own, sometimes I get a bit bored with some books, but your book is brilliant – the best book I have read ever Finn Tierney

The Foul Play (9+) books are about a fourteen year-old boy who investigates football crimes, like kidnapped players and murdered managers.

Tom's books have been read more than other books that have been in the library for years! It makes me smile when some boys come to the desk with their friends and it is a competition between them about how many of Tom's books they have each read! Carol Dwan, Harrowden Middle School

Click here for more information about The Secret Football Club, a special pocket money treat written to celebrate Puffin's 70th birthday.

Click here for more information about my books for adults.