Siobhan McDermott was born in Hong Kong and grew up on a steady stream of stories filled with Chinese legends and Irish folklore. She now lives in the UK and continues to order dim sum in Cantonese tinged with a distinctly Dublin lilt. Paper Dragons: The Fight for the Hidden Realm is her debut novel and was chosen as Waterstones Children's Book of the Month. The story was inspired by moments across her life: from childhood ferry trips between Lantau Island and Hong Kong, to travelling around Taiwan, Italy and Spain.
"“A new classic fantasy adventure.” —Eoin Colfer, author of the internationally best-selling Artemis Fowl series ""A soaring luminous new world."" —Jessica Townsend, New York Times bestselling author of the Nevermoor series ★ ""This imaginative world delights at every turn. Great for fans of world building and magical schools, the richly imagined setting introduces readers to a world they’ll be eager to keep exploring."" —Booklist, starred review ""McDermott crafts a fantastical tale of one tween’s bravery and determination."" —Publishers Weekly ""Classic themes of finding friendship and one’s own identity are refreshed by a Hong Kong–inspired fantasy setting....A solid contribution to the magical boarding school genre."" —Kirkus Reviews ""With a plucky orphan heroine learning to harness mysterious powers in a well-realized fantastical setting built off Cantonese cultural motifs, this hits the sweet spots in the magic-school novel genre."" —School Library Journal"