Zoe Antoniades was born in West London of Greek Cypriot parents. She has taught and worked as an Arts Leader in the boroughs of Hounslow and Lambeth. Zoe writes collaboratively with young people and has published four anthologies of short stories as Invincible Voices. Zoe has also written a memoir, Tea and Baklavas, which won the Winchester Writers’ Festival Memoir Prize. Now signed with Andersen Press, Zoe has written the hilarious and heartwarming series about twins, Cally & Jimmy
Cally & Jimmy
Zoe Antoniades is the author of Cally & Jimmy, a series of books for children about London-based siblings of Greek Cypriot heritage. Cally has a twin brother Jimmy, and he is always getting into some kind of mischief – which usually means double trouble. Thankfully their Yiayia is on hand to help – or add to the mayhem! They’re a Book Trust Pick and Love Reading’s Book of the Month, also appearing on their recommended lists which celebrate both diversity and disability. Jimmy himself is a neurodivergent character as he has ADHD. His challenges and the way in which he rises above them are championed as well as his many strengths and talents. Twins in Trouble, was longlisted for the Alligator’s Mouth Award 2022, and achieved third prize in the Our Best Book Award initiative run by Leicester Libraries, Schools and Council which promotes books which ‘motivate children to read for pleasure’ selecting books that ‘appeal and [are] accessible to as many readers as possible.’ They’re described by Jacqueline Wilson as ‘Warm-hearted, touching stories, full of fun but with a subtle message’, Ross Montgomery thinks ‘they’re a hoot’ and Andrea Reece of Love Reading says ‘This is top class contemporary fiction with a timeless appeal.’ There are four books in the series so far (with four stories in one): Twins in Trouble, Twintastic, Twins Together and Twinseparable.