Leah Boleto was booked through MN2S to moderate a one-hour Q&A session with RJ Palacio on her latest novel “White Bird” for Penguin Random House.
Leah Boleto is a leading presenter and reporter for multiple BBC programmes, including the Newsround team, BBC Breakfast and Radio 5 Live. Her career has taken her around the globe, covering some of the most important stories of our time, like the Belfast riots of 2011, London’s 2012 Olympic Games and the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Drawing on her extensive experience hosting and presenting, Boleto moderated a Q&A session with author R.J. Palacio at Waterstone’s Piccadilly.
Palacio’s White Bird takes place in the same universe as her previous novel Wonder and is centred around Auggie Pullman’s bully, Julian. Her first graphic novel, White Bird reveals a new side to Julian as he learns the powerful and moving story of his grandmother, who was hidden from the Nazis as a young Jewish girl in occupied France during World War II. Palacio also spoke about what life is like as a global bestseller, what inspired her to explore her character’s story further and how it feels to have her book turned into a box office hit starring Julia Roberts.