Former Branscombe Primary teacher follows up on Amazon No.1 bestseller

Author and former Branscombe C of E Primary School teacher KJ Akay (known professionally as Jennifer Akay), 81 is celebrating a breakthrough year in 2026, after her childhood memoir The Fruits of Victory eventually soared to #1 in Amazon’s Regional UK Biographies chart. Recounting her upbringing in post-war Barnsley, the book struck a powerful chord with readers nostalgic for a simpler time - sparking an outpouring of reconnections from former classmates and pupils who rediscovered her story through local press and social media.

Now, Akay builds on that success with her compelling new memoir, Life Around the Sparrow which begins where The Fruits Of Victory ended: her move from Barnsley to Manchester to begin her teaching career. Set between 1965 and 1972, the book paints a raw portrait of a young woman away from home trying to make ends meet. Readers are plunged into a struggling working-class community all unfolding within the now-closed Albert Memorial School, Collyhurst.

The book has already gained strong traction, reaching #16 in Amazon’s Children’s Studies category, and provides a powerful insight into the experiences that shaped Akay’s much-admired teaching career.

In a unique family collaboration, Life Around the Sparrow is promoted by Akay’s son, Natural Mr Universe Champion Ed Akay, through his PR brand Midas Touch—marking a distinctive mother-son partnership at the heart of her publishing journey.

Life Around the Sparrow and The Fruits of Victory are available now on Amazon.

For more information on KJ Akay check out www.kjakay.com.

QUOTE:

Author KJ Akay, says: “I was truly overwhelmed by the response to The Fruits of Victory. It was especially heart warming to hear from my former pupils and even old school friends, now well into their eighties, who got back in touch after reading the book. Teaching was a career I loved, and I was fortunate to enjoy a long and rewarding career in the classroom. Life Around The Sparrow tells the story of how that journey began back in the ‘60’s and it has been a pleasure to document those formative years and share them with readers.”

Ed Akay, Publicist says: “My mother helped so many young people as a teacher, seeing her tell her story to the world and find an audience for it as truly felt like a magical experience for us all.”