When the Stammer Came to Stay : A heartwarming modern classic for children aged 5, 6, 7, 8 from the award-winning author of HAMNET, about sisterly love, self-acceptance and living with a stammer

“When the Stammer Came to Stay is a book about stammering, but it is also a book about love, kindness and sensitivity. It is one of those rare books that leaves a warm feeling, and for some it might just go a little further and leave a better understanding of stammering, and an idea of how to achieve a positive outlook in life.” – STAMMA British Stammering Association

From Maggie O''Farrell, the best-selling and award-winning author of Hamnet – now a Bafta and Golden Globe-winning film starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal – comes a hopeful, powerful and stunningly illustrated new book, based on Maggie''s own experience on living with a stammer.

- An ideal gift and a truly enchanting read.
- Perfect for children aged 5-8 with themes of self-confidence, anxiety, stammering, sisterhood, myth and folklore.

Sisters Bea and Min couldn''t be any more different – Bea is neat and tidy; Min is messy and mucky. Together, they are a perfect pair because Min loves to chat and Bea loves to listen. Then, one day, as Min is chatting, her tongue feels suddenly locked. The words forming in her mouth never make it out. Some days later, still struggling to speak, she sees the most extraordinary thing at her shoulder in a mirror ... a creature, a thing, seizing the words as they rise to her lips, and cramming them into its mouth…

Min continues to struggle with her stammer – how can she truly be herself, when she cannot do what she loves most: chat! Bea is the only one who truly sees, and understands, her. Together, they go on a journey of discovery – what IS this creature? – and they find not quite a solution, but a way to make peace with themselves and to love and embrace what makes each of them different.

Bank Street College Best Children’s Book of the Year 2025

The third book in a trilogy of modern fairy tales by Maggie O''Farrell and Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini featuring children with real life problems and the mythical creatures that attend to them. Look out for Where Snow Angels Go and The Boy Who Lost His Spark.

“This heartwarming book – with gorgeous illustrations by Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini that bring to mind the classic drawings by Shirley Hughes – ends on a positive message for young children: about looking for the good that happens in your life without you noticing.” – The Independent, Books of the Month

“A poignant tale of two sisters striving to live alongside their demons, and the transformative power of acceptance, of your loved ones, and of yourself.” – Juno

“Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini’s superlative illustrations combine watercolour delicacy with saturated colour, evoking the richness of a safe, loving home.” – The Guardian
“[A] hopeful and powerful new book.” – The Bookseller

“Bears the lyrical and storytelling hallmark of O’Farrell’s best writing.” – Irish Independent

“An uplifting story drawn from Maggie O’Farrell’s own experience of stammering.” – Sainsbury’s Magazine

“A touching, beautifully written story which will resonate with readers well beyond its target age group of five-plus.” – The Telegraph