Blog tour graphic created by Ian Hunter and used with permission, publication date 9May 2024, ISBN: 978 -1738506903
Author Ian Hunter
Today I am delighted to join the blog tour for Fyn Carter and the Agents of Eromlos, the debut middle grade novel from Ian Hunter. It is an exciting work of speculative fiction, revolving around family and friendship in an alternate universe. With fast-paced pursuits through jungles, river rapids and a mythical city it is likely to be popular with an upper primary school readership. At just over 250 pages, it is an ideal length to be attractive to those children who prefer a book that they can finish reading quickly.
The eponymous hero is a 12-year-old boy who lives with his physicist mum, spending every day of the previous eight years wondering about the fate of his dad, Daniel, who went missing on a work expedition along with his best friend Scott. Fyn’s best friend Amy also has physicist parents and they are imminently due to travel with Fyn’s mum on a research trip for their employer, Future Planet Research Centre. This means that Fyn and Amy will be staying with Fyn’s Grandad Bernie at his isolated home in the countryside. A few days before their departure, a huge thunderstorm hits the city, and while Fyn is home alone he witnesses the strange phenomenon of a portal opening in his sitting room, with a man’s head appearing and telling him to be careful and watch out for ‘the agents’! It takes a few days before Fyn feels able to relate this occurrence to Grandad and Amy, but after an encounter with a sinister stranger and his ferocious dog during which a young fox is injured, he makes the connection and tells them what is going on. A few days later, Fyn, Amy, Grandad Bernie and the recovering fox who is now named Henry Flame, are sucked through the portal into a parallel version of Earth known as Eromlos.
There are so many adjustments and questions for the three visitors, and interesting comparisons are made between Eromlos and Earth. It turns out that Daniel’s best friend Scott is responsible for calling them through the portal, and he and some of his villagers will assist in the search for Daniel. With the agents or ‘guardians’ as well as unknown monsters in pursuit, friendships are strengthened, loyalties are tested and new allies are made. This story had plenty of heart-in-the-mouth episodes and some interesting sci-fi elements blended with ancient mythology. A society where technology was confined to a small elite group while the majority of the population lived an almost medieval existence raised interesting parallels with the inequalities seen in our society. The story ended with unanswered questions on which to speculate, which presumably will have further light shed on them in the sequel.
I think this story will appeal to readers of 9/10-years-old and above, who like speculative fiction blended with ancient mythology and heart-racing action.
Disclaimer: I was sent an eARC and paperback of this book and invited to join the blog tour by author, Ian Hunter, all opinions are my own.
Cover art by Chloe Dominique, published by Farshore, June 2024, ISBN: 978-0008603373
This scintillating debut middle grade novel written by Cathy Fitzgerald positively thrums with promise, excitement and magic as you enter an enchanted parallel version of London and find yourself in the company of the exuberant eponymous heroine. I am aware of a lot of chatter in the online forums recently, about children being reluctant to read chunky books, so I would like to say from the start that although this book is nearly 400 pages long, please, please don’t let that put you off. Cathy FitzGerald is one of those writers whose words flow like a thread of magic, making the reader gallop through the pages. Her world-building is exquisite and descriptions and characters are presented with a light touch and a wink of good humour. The dialogue fizzes with energy, leaving the reader with a strong sense of the characters’ personalities, and the plot is brilliantly structured, thoroughly engaging and builds to an exciting denouement.
Pinch Perkins and her neighbour Henry de Sallowe, couldn’t be less alike. Pinch is impulsive, outgoing and lives in a tiny attic flat which overflows with her dad’s magical plants and mum’s notebooks and pens. Whereas piano-playing, smartly-dressed Henry lives in isolated splendour under the watchful eye of his strict governess Beady Meledew. However, they are united by their love of roller skating and their desire to explore beyond the magical bounds of their Sanct, Tricky Dragon Lane, and investigate the Glare – that part of London occupied by the Humdrums! Pinch is desperate to travel to the Thames to seek help from an ancient magician, Bucca, whom she believes will be able to help her lift the sleeping curse to which her mother has fallen victim.
Thus begins a race against time for Henry and Pinch, who must harness the energy of midsummer to save the souls of seven magical beings. As they chase clues and encounter knights, giants, fairies, ghosts and even a heroic taxi driver, their loyalty to each other, their wit, and their bravery shine from the narrative. This story has a fabulous cast of characters. I particularly loved the martial arts expert securichaun, as well as the cameo appearance of the fairy king and queen at the midsummer ball, a roguish pair dripping with spite and narcissism who make Titania and Oberon seem almost dull in comparison! The imagination rippling through the pages is of stellar proportions. Best of all, the story ends with a teaser which already has me eagerly awaiting a sequel.
I highly recommend this book for confident readers aged 9 years and above and for parents or care-givers to read aloud over the long summer holidays. I am also sure that it will fly off the shelves from primary school libraries and upper key stage 2 bookshelves. Finally, I must give a mention to the artwork by Chloe Dominique – my ARC copy did not contain all the illustrations, but those in evidence are gorgeous.
Disclaimer: I am hugely grateful to Sarah Sleath and Farshore Books for sending me an ARC of Pinch Perkins and the Midsummer Curse in exchange for my honest opinion.
Cover art by Terri Libenson, published by Harper 360, 23 May 2024, ISBN: 978-0063320925
Always Anthony is the eight book in the Emmie & Friends series by NY Times best-selling author Terri Libenson, and lives up to the incredibly high standards set by previous titles. I love the way that each new story explores the experiences of different characters from the same year group as they progress through the elementary and middle school setting. The graphic novel format is not just accessible and enjoyable for the target readership of 10 years and above, but is also a brilliant device for showing the inner thoughts of the characters as they present their outer personas to the world.
In this story we see an unexpected friendship develop during Grade 7, between ‘too popular for words’ Anthony and shy, nerdy Leah after they are paired up as student-tutor and tutee by awesome teacher Mrs Winn. The story is told as a dual narrative with alternating chapters told from Anthony and Leah’s viewpoint and I love the way that Terri Libenson illustrates each character’s story in a different graphic style, which I think is incredibly helpful for middle grade readers.
Anthony is a very cool, hardworking, Black boy, from a high-achieving family. His passions are basketball and STEM subjects but his grades are slipping in Language Arts (which I presume to be equivalent to English in the UK education system). Whilst Anthony would rather accept a D grade on his latest assignment and spend his weekend practising basketball skills, his helicopter mum is insistent that he rewrite and resubmit his assignment. When Mrs Winn suggests that Anthony should accept tutoring from fellow Grade 7 student Leah, he agrees but is less than enthusiastic during their first meeting. This makes the session incredibly awkward for poor Leah, who is already nervous about having to spent time with one of ‘the jocks’ with whom she would never usually interact. However, in addition to helping him with his grammar and spellings, she pushes him to express his feelings to fully answer the assignment question.
The gradual development of a friendship over the subsequent weeks is heart-warmingly and realistically portrayed, with Anthony slowly revealing the inner feelings which usually remain under the wraps of his outwardly cool personality. Leah gains confidence from the respect that he shows her personally, the interest that he shows in her Jewish religious practices and his admiration of her poetry and her work-in-progress recipe book. The chapter where he reads to the class an essay about his struggles with dyslexia, and his determination to not let the condition hold him back, brought a lump to my throat. All is not plain sailing however. They jointly witness a violent act of bullying, perpetrated by two hulking Grade 8 boys from Anthony’s basketball team and their different perspectives on what should be done in response threaten to damage their friendship.
I think this is a brilliant book for encouraging the idea of viewing things from the perspective of someone who has a different lived experience from your own. Leah and Anthony’s different reactions to the bullying incident ultimately stem from their past experiences of being either bystander or victim, and until they begin to explore how the incident would be viewed from each other’s perspective, they cannot reach a shared understanding. I have a colleague at work who always says that you should not try to walk in another’s shoes, but should instead ask them what it feels like to walk in their shoes and then believe what they tell you. I think that this message is portrayed with great kindness in this graphic novel.
I highly recommend Always Anthony to all primary and secondary school libraries and to any parent or caregiver wanting to give and enjoyable and empathy-building, accessible book to a child aged 10 years and above.
Disclaimer: I was sent a review copy of Always Anthony by Harper360 and Antonia Wilkinson PR ahead of publication on 23rd May 2024, in exchange for my honest opinion.
Cover art by Joe Todd-Stanton, published by Nosy Crow, 01 June 2024, ISBN: 978-1839945182
If there was ever a book likely to replace a game controller in a child’s hand, this must be the one! Structured in the style of a platform game, with all the creative world building, visual imagery and kinetic energy of a family-friendly adventure game this book will take young readers aged 7 + on an exciting immersive quest. Prize-winning author Kieran Larwood knows how to create compelling characters and throw them into a dynamic plot which engages readers from the first page.
We arrive in the dismal town of Grotville, an outpost of Zerb, an island dominated by the National Dungeon League’s Dungeon Runner competition which plays out in the subterranean tunnels. Our hero, Kit Kitson, is a gnorf (half-gnome/half-dwarf) who along with the rest of the town’s inhabitants is obsessed with the daily Dungeon Runner broadcasts, watching the progress of their favourite teams as they battle monsters, solve quizzes and challenges and find their way through mazes below ground. When one team accidentally becomes a dragon’s dinner, Kit finds himself recruiting a team to compete against the local troggle bullies, to enter the contest. With under-sized Kit armed with a blunt wooden sword as their fighter, Thorn, a vegan vampire as their healer, and Sandy Sanders, another gnorf as their mage, surely team ‘Triple Trouble’ are pushing their luck against not only the local thugs Breg, Dora and Nora, but teams of spidlings, hedgepigs and dwarves! A classic David and Goliath story transposed into the very modern and recognisable setting of a computer game, this story is perfect for emerging readers.
There is so much to love about this book:
The imaginative characters in team Triple Trouble are adorable.
The classic scenario of underdogs taking on the bullies is entertaining, funny and engaging.
Joe Todd-Stanton’s illustrations bring the action alive in manga-style artwork.
There are panels of factual content which look like a mash up of computer game graphics and Top Trumps cards.
The speech bubble dialogue between the hosts of the Dungeon Runners broadcasts breaks up the pages of narrative text in an interesting way.
The text is printed in a large and dyslexia friendly font, making it easy for all newly independent readers to access.
There is plenty of white space around the text, which also helps young readers keep their place on the page.
Just under 200 pages of fast-paced, enthralling, adventure makes this a book that children will feel compelled to finish.
There is a sneak peek of Level 2 of the quest at the end of the story.
I wholeheartedly recommend Dungeon Runners Level 1 Hero Trial to primary schools, parents and care-givers as a fantastic book choice to entice youngsters away from their electronic devices and into the pages of a super-enjoyable story.
Disclaimer: I was very grateful to be sent an advance copy of this book by Nosy Crow and Nina Douglas PR in exchange for my honest opinion.
Cover art by Katie Rewse, Published by Little Tiger Press, 11 April 2024, ISBN: 978- 1838916183
This comprehensive non-fiction title is perfect for primary school teachers and pupils as a source of information about all aspects of climate change. It includes content on the contributory factors, the consequences and potential mitigating solutions.
Each double page spread covers a single topic, with fully illustrated pages where the information is presented in small bite-sized chunks with clear headings. I love the way that Katie Rewse’s artwork presents the big picture of the topic, with the elements related to that topic also clearly depicted with smaller parts of the illustration. The explanations by Georgina Stevens are clear, concise and designed to be understood by children of 8 years and above. It is apparent on every page that the two creators behind the book are passionate about bringing the information about climate change to their intended audience, whilst also providing a degree of hope that things could improve if everyone contributes to taking positive action. Young change-makers are profiled throughout the book and in a section at the end, showing children that small grassroots or local initiatives can lead to positive change.
After reading about the causes and impacts of climate change, there is a section called ‘Our Part’ which provides useful insights into the environmental impact of the food we eat, the clothes we wear and the consumer products that we buy. There are practical suggestions for actions that we can all take to reduce our carbon footprints. I am sure that teachers and librarians, parents and caregivers will all find Climate Action to be an amazing resource for helping children understand environmental issues and think about the ways that they interact with our planet.
Disclaimer: I am very grateful to Little Tiger Press for kindly sending me a copy of Climate Action in exchange for my honest opinion.
Cover art by Reena Makwana, Published by Emma Press, 21 March 2024, ISBN: 978-1915628268
The Untameables, written by poet and broadcaster Clare Pollard, is a quirky, whimsical re-telling of the Camelot legend for readers of 9-years-old and above. It is an interesting blend of legend, folklore and immersive imagery and presents a subversive version of the tale that many readers will be familiar with.
In Clare Pollard’s story we see Camelot through the eyes of two outsiders in the fabled castle. Firstly dog-boy Roan, whose job is to look after the hunting hounds but whose gentleness extends to all living creatures, making him the target of the violent young bullies who want to grow up to kill anything that moves. And secondly, Elva, the daughter of two kitchen servants who is said to be a changeling because of her twisted spine and hunchback. Most inhabitants of the castle consider her to be worthless, but in fact she observes everything with fierce intelligence. She is smart, resourceful and burns with a quiet fury at the injustices she sees.
Rather than being the gallant heroes portrayed in other stories, in this version of Camelot the famous Knights of the Round Table are bloodthirsty thugs who smell of blood from their killing sprees, capture and imprison magical creatures, and treat their horses, dogs and servants with disdain. Furthermore, there is a poison seeping through the castle and Roan’s mother is one of its latest victims, taking to her bed and unable to move as the strange illness grips her. When Elva overhears King Arthur sending his knights out on a quest for the holy grail, a cup which is said to grant miraculous cures, she persuades Roan that they should embark on the quest themselves. As their journey takes them through inhospitable terrain, they encounter giants, mythical beasts and dangers; meeting each challenge with bravery, intelligence and kindness. Will their approach be successful in outwitting a troupe of marauding knights?
I think that The Untouchables will appeal to those children who like to read something a little offbeat and alternative, and would be of interest to upper primary school teachers who wish to explore different writing styles, different versions of traditional stories, folklore, myths and legends. At under 150 pages it is a quick read, even allowing for time to wallow in some of the beautifully crafted imagery of the forested and contrastingly desolate landscapes. The consequences of greed and the effects of gentleness make for interesting, contrasting themes. Finally, I must mention the striking artwork by Reena Makwana, which for me conjured up the images often seen on ancient tapestries and added to the atmosphere created by this book.
Disclaimer: I was grateful to be sent a copy of The Untameables by The Emma Press and Nina Douglas PR in exchange for my honest opinion.
Publisher: Luath Press Ltd, 11 April 2024, ISBN: 978-1804251317
For history lovers young and old, this tale of intrigue, treachery and religious conflict set in 16th century Scotland is a fabulous read. I was completely gripped from the first page and loved learning about a period of Scottish history set in an era which previously I had only learned about from the English perspective.
Before I launch into my full review, I am absolutely honoured today to be able to bring a you guest post from author, Barbara Henderson, on the subject of Villainy and Virtue in this novel.
Villainy and Virtue in The Boy, the Witch and the Queen of Scots
Author Barbara Henderson
Villainy and virtue… they seem old-fashioned concepts somehow, in our permissive world where anything goes. However, in the world of Mary, Queen of Scots, these concepts would have concerned even the average child deeply. Reformation Scotland was a polarised world, steeped in religious convictions diametrically opposed to one another. Catholics condemned Protestants, Protestants demonised Catholics, and the religious state of the country flip-flopped with each new monarch or regent.
And yet, inherently, we all have some sort of sense of right and wrong, don’t we? We all have a concept of what ‘evil’ means, and as a storyteller tapping into this is especially important. After all, no story is complete without a suitable villain. Personally, I like my villains a little nuanced – there should be a reason why they are the way they are.
In my new book, The Boy, the Witch and the Queen of Scots, there is no shortage of villains – but one stands out. He is ‘the Cloak’, Alexander’s minder when the boy is sent to the court of the newly arrived Mary, Queen of Scots to spy for his master. He moves at night; glides silently along hidden corridors and his dagger is always concealed in his trademark garment. I love how the illustrator Deborah Spence has portrayed him here – barely human, all dark garment and smooth speed.
The Cloak
He is a villain, for sure, and stops at nothing, but his motivation is not merely selfish, a hunger for money or power. As I reveal towards the end of the book, the Cloak is a zealot, truly consumed by his own certainty of his beliefs – and his contempt for anyone who sees the world differently.
The Cloak’s master, the fourth Earl of Huntly George Gordon, on the other hand, is purely self-interested, keen to protect his lands, riches and status. He is less violent than his murderous messenger, but no less ruthless – he simply gets others to do the dirty work for him. Nevertheless, I hope that the reader will feel a small amount of sympathy for the pressure the man is under towards the end of this book. Yes, the Earl seeks to manipulate Queen Mary for his own ends and is willing to sacrifice others so that he and his family can thrive. But at the same time, the Earl’s rivals, chief of them the queen’s half-brother James Stewart, were actively seeking to destroy him. It’s a dog-eat-dog world, and the Earl is motivated by fear as well as greed. In addition, his wife was rumoured to have dabbled in witchcraft which added to the dark and dangerous world of the Huntly Castle at Strathbogie.
So how does virtue fare?
First, let me say that virtue is not the same as sainthood, or perfection. Once again, nuance is king here: virtuous characters do not get everything right in my stories. Alexander makes mistakes, keeps quiet when he should speak, fleeing when he should be counted. To me, the crucial thing for a main character is to look at his motivations – why does he act the way he does? And can we relate to those reasons? I hope that we can, both in Alexander’s case and in Lizzie’s. What does virtue look like? It looks slightly different in each character.
Alexander wants to do his best, to betray no one and live life his life as truthfully and uprightly as he can. He also wishes to protect his elderly uncle from harm. All this is made very difficult for him by the story’s villains, and as a reader, we feel for him and wish him success.
Lizzie’s virtue is her honest heart and her courage and decisive action where others often fail. She is a faithful friend and will risk her life to save Alexander’s. She can be rash, and her reactions ill-considered, but her heart is in the right place. Crucially for the story, she is often overlooked by the villains who do not think of her as a threat as she is a girl – the queen herself is also underestimated in this way. Ultimately, discounting the females (and the children) in the story proves the villains’ downfall. They are not perfect, or saintly, but they would like to be, which makes all the difference.
Mary Queen of Scots is so often associated with tragedy, a misguided victim queen, a weak and easily manipulated monarch, a badly mistreated young woman. There is no doubt that Mary made some shockingly terrible decisions during the course of her reign, and thereafter too. But in 1561, newly widowed and just arrived from France, she got a lot more decisions right than we give her credit for. In addition, the historical evidence supports that she was a likeable and cheerful young woman with considerable charm, a faithful friend, kind and thoughtful towards servants and generous to many. In that sense, she enjoys a measure of virtue in my story.
There are others: the head falconer who has a gruff manner but excellent principles and instincts, and the priest who is persecuted for his beliefs but acts swiftly to help a child in need. In a polarised world such as the one in The Boy, the Witch and the Queen of Scots – and in our own – the trick is to seek to be a force for good.
Whatever that may look like for each of us.
My review:
The tale opens on a morning shrouded in heavy fog at the Port of Leith on the outskirts of Edinburgh. From the very start of this novel, I felt an atmosphere of foreboding which is set up brilliantly in this opening scene. Alexander, the twelve year old narrator, has been sent by his master to collect some new hunting birds from a merchant’s ship . Whilst there, his sharp eyes are the first to observe the ship flying the royal standard which indicates that Queen Mary has returned to Scotland following her young husband’s death in France. To his utter horror, Queen Mary has spotted him, and the fact that he wears a hunting gauntlet and she orders him to join her staff at The Palace of Holyrood. Alexander’s dismay stems from the fact that his former master, The Earl of Huntly, sent him from his Highland home to Edinburgh to spy on the Queen, a task which he has no wish to undertake.
I greatly admired and enjoyed the way that author, Barbara Henderson, combined the big picture setting of a country festering and simmering with religious intolerance, with the domestic details of the palace servants going about their duties and building trust with each other and their new mistress. The story weaves the historic facts of Queen Mary’s progress around the Highlands and the scheming of George Gordon, The Earl of Huntly, to return Scotland to the Catholic faith, with the imagined impact on the life of a young lad. This is such a great way of bringing history alive for a readership of upper primary or lower secondary school children. Orphan Alexander, who prior to his move south had lived with his uncle, has to prove to the Queen’s head falconer, Master Kerr, that he can be trusted and also develops a deep friendship with a young seamstress, Lizzie, who is from the other side of the religious divide. The two young characters deliver a good lesson in respecting the beliefs of others whilst the nobles plot and scheme for power, willing to commit murder to guarantee that the religion to which they owe allegiance becomes the dominant force in Scottish politics. The contrast of Alexander knowing the difference between right and wrong in his heart, and the terrifying figure he labels ‘The Cloak’ who is willing to kill to further his cause, is very powerful. In addition to learning a lot about history in the Tudor era, I also found the detail about falconry an intriguing aspect of this tale.
I highly recommend The Boy, The Witch and The Queen of Scots to both primary and secondary school librarians, I am sure that this gripping adventure will provide enjoyment and information to a readership aged 10 years and above. There are a few pages of factual detail that provide extra historical context at the end of the book.
I am grateful to Luath Press Ltd for granting me access to an eARC via The Book Sirens and for sending me a copy of the paperback book prior to publication. Do check out the reviews by all of the fabulous bloggers on the tour schedule.
Published by Neem Tree Press, 18 April 2024, ISBN: 978-191117682
Looking for Lucie is an interesting Young Adult coming of age novel in which central character Lucie Hansen spends the liminal time between A level results day and the start of university trying to resolve the problem which has occupied much of her childhood; the mystery of her true identity.
Lucie has grown up in a loving environment with a supportive mum and dad and younger sister Maisie, but she describes herself as having caramel coloured skin and green eyes while the rest of her family are fair with blue eyes. When questioned, her mum has only told her that her biological father was a sperm donor, but now that she is eighteen, Lucie wants to know more. She has spent the monetary gift from her grandmother on a DNA test, but an accidental collision with Nav, a brilliant young scientist, on A level results day puts her on track to find the missing pieces of her family.
This book starts with chapters told from the alternate viewpoints of Lucie, an extremely gifted artist who is due to begin her studies at Central St Martin’s School of Art, and Nav, a brilliant scientist and mathematician who will be heading to Cambridge University to study Natural Sciences. Their literal collision on results day is the first time they have met, illustrating the artificial division between the arts and sciences created by educational establishments. When they strike up and subsequently continue their conversations, readers are given an insight into the importance of combining creativity with science to give a more rounded view of many issues.
This is very much an issues-driven novel and packs in a broad range of material in under 300 pages. Identity is the key driver and within this the microaggression of people repeatedly asking: “where are you really from?” The ethics of DNA profiling, freedom of choice, family dynamics, and the traditions and cultural history which contribute to rooting one’s place in the world, are all explored. As the novel progresses, the experiences and inner monologues of the parental characters are incorporated to build the full picture of what constitutes a family.
I would imagine that Looking for Lucie will appeal to a readership aged 14/15+ who enjoy contemporary fiction which features the quest for finding one’s identity as adult life approaches.
My thanks to Neem Tree Press who gave me access to an electronic ARC of Looking for Lucie via The_WriteReads, who invited me to join the blog tour. Do check out the other reviews on the schedule.
Cover art by Alan O’Rourke, published by Little Island, 18 April 2024, ISBN: 978-1915071491
I am delighted to join the blog tour today for Dinosaur Pie written by Irish author and poet Jen Wallace. Jen has kindly agreed to answer some questions about the inspiration and themes behind this fun-filled, bite-sized novel for children aged 6+ which has a lovely message of acceptance at its centre.
Author Jen Wallace
Q & A with Jen Wallace
I read in the PR material for Dinosaur Pie that you have been diagnosed with both ADHD and Autism. Could you explain to readers the difference between the two diagnoses and what impact, if any, they have had on your writing career?
Autism is often described as a social, communication and sensory difference and ADHD is more about attention, impulsivity and activity levels. They have very different diagnostic criteria.
I think being unrecognised as AuADHD for so many years had quite an impact on my writing life. I find it so much easier to write now that I have a better understanding of who I am and what my needs are.
Could you tell us a bit about the inspiration behind Dinosaur Pie and its journey to publication?
Dinosaur Pie was something I invented to encourage my toddlers (who are now teens) to eat their dinner. Cottage Pie really wasn’t sparking their interest, but Dinosaur Pie had them running to the table. So it became part of our family lore and I wrote a poem about it.
When I tried to turn it into a picture book text it became a much bigger story. I began writing it in chapter book form while I was on the Raising Voices Fellowship with Children’s Books Ireland and finished it a few weeks after. I then sent it to Little Island and they decided to offer me a contract.
I have read quite a few middle grade and young adult novels about neurodiverse characters written by authors with lived experience but yours is the first example that I have read aimed at a younger readership. What made you decide to write a story for readers of age 6+ and what were the challenges of representing neurodiversity for younger readers?
This age group is where I think my humour hits best and as my youngest is that age I fell naturally in writing for younger kids. I had such fun writing Dinosaur Pie, possibly because my inner child is alive and well and giggling.
Because I’m neurodivergent myself, the characters I write are often neurodivergent too. It’s my normal, so it’s not challenging at all.
What effect do you hope that Dinosaur Pie will have on readers?
I hope they will enjoy the story, and have a few laughs. I hope they feel a connection to the characters and sense the kindness in the relationships in the book. I hope they will see it as totally normal to have a neurodivergent main character.
I loved the representation of “difference” as Rory trying to navigate school as a dinosaur. I understand that you write poetry as well as stories; do you feel that being a poet helps you create the imagery in your stories?
Thank you! I think being a mostly visual thinker helps my writing in all forms. I am very detail oriented so I think that makes creating imagery interesting for me. Being a poet means that I spend quite a lot of time crafting sentences and agonising over which word to use.
Another aspect that I found wonderful was the inclusive and empathetic headteacher asking Rory how he would like to be described; a dinosaur student or a student who is currently a dinosaur? Could you tell us about the importance of asking a neurodivergent individual how they would like to be described?
It is important because we all have language preferences, and some descriptive language can be hurtful or annoying to the person you are communicating with or about. I think this goes for all humans. ‘How would you like me to describe you and your needs? is just good manners.
The perfect balance between laugh-out-loud humour and the message of acceptance of differences must have been difficult to get right, how did you manage it?
Thank you. I try to write with kindness and a gentleness towards my characters. I like my humour to be about the ridiculous situations characters find themselves in as this is where I find myself using humour to cope.
I didn’t go in with the explicit intent of writing about acceptance, but rather exploring how kindness can help people muddle through tricky times together. But, I suppose, kindness necessitates acceptance.
Can we assume from the way that the story ends that we will be lucky enough to meet Rory and his friends Daria and Oleg in further adventures?
Well, I do have a book two idea brewing but I have a few other manuscripts on the go too. I’m sure when Rory has more to tell us, he’ll be pestering me to write a book.
Finally, if you were transformed into a dinosaur, would sausages be your top carnivorous craving? If not, what would be top of your shopping list at BuyMart?
My top carnivorous craving would be Italian salami but sausages might be more affordable in dinosaur quantities!
Thank you for answering my questions. I wish you great success with Dinosaur Pie.
Thank you for the great questions and your lovely comments.
My review
As a health librarian, with an interest in helping to improve levels of health literacy, I am always pleased to see new books which increase understanding of health and wellbeing which are written in accessible language for different population cohorts. I love this very funny and touching story which I think will appeal to children who are moving away from reading scheme books and taking their first steps into independent reading.
The imaginative concept of a young neurodiverse boy, sometimes called ‘Roary Rory’ being accidentally transformed into a dinosaur after eating a dinosaur pie is ideally suited to the intended readership. We are given an insight into a few of the ways that Rory’s neurodivergency affects his ability to organise himself for school in the opening pages but I think that the subsequent presentation of ‘difference’ when he takes on dinosaur form is extremely clever and engaging. The way that he experiences the world differently through his enhanced senses combined with the need to turn his head to compensate for decreased binocular vision, gives children a relatable way to understand the sensory overload which many individuals with ADHD or autism might experience. Readers also see the anxiety that Rory feels about a trip to the doctors as well as the relief generated by realising that there are other children in the town who share his experience.
There are also lovely examples of the value of friendship and allyship in this story. Oleg and Daria prove their worth as best friends during ‘Operation Make Rory Human Again’ whilst Lex, a teenage neighbour offers quiet support and kindness. Headteacher “call me Trudi” shows the importance of respecting individual preferences when she asks Rory how he would like to be addressed:
A dinosaur student? Or a student who is currently a dinosaur? Which is your preference, Rory?
page 84
In contrast, we have some examples of poor attitudes from teacher, Mr Buckley and the BuyMart store manager, Shane.
Finally some praise for the publisher, Little Island, who have considered the readership carefully in the formatting of this book. It is:
Small size, just right for little hands
Has short chapters, ideal for building resilience and sense of achievement in reading independently
Printed in a clear, large font with extra line spacing
Stylishly illustrated throughout by Alan O’Rourke
I highly recommend Dinosaur Pie as an entertaining and engaging book, which will help to develop empathy, for readers of 6 years and older.
My thanks to Antonia Wilkinson PR and Little Island for supplying me with a proof copy of Dinosaur Pie ahead of publication on 18th April 2024 and for inviting me to join the blog tour. Do check out the posts by my fellow book bloggers on the schedule.
Cover artwork by Jenny Czerwonka, published by UCLAN, 2 July 2020, ISBN: 978-1912979349
Gracie Fairshaw and the Mysterious Guest is a shining example of a middle grade mystery which will encourage readers aged 9 years and above to read for enjoyment. It demonstrates all the elements of the cosy crime genre, is written with great warmth and charm, and packs a thrill ride of a plot into 200 pages. This is a perfect length to give young readers the satisfaction of completing a whole book, boosting their self-confidence as readers.
The story is set in Blackpool, in the run up to the 1935 switch-on of the famous illuminations. Author, Susan Brownrigg, has clearly carried out extensive research of this location and historical period and seamlessly incorporates her knowledge into her novel, bringing the town alive so that I could picture every detail despite never having ventured to the northwest coastal resort. She is similarly talented at depicting characters who are authentic, interesting and engaging. Gracie Fairshaw is introduced in the opening line in the following manner:
Most folk only noticed one thing about Gracie Fairshaw, but she noticed everything about them.
Page 1
This had me hooked from the start and the quality of writing was maintained at this high standard throughout. I don’t want to give away too much of the plot for fear of ruining anyone’s enjoyment, but the set up is that fourteen-year-old Gracie, her nine-year-old brother George and her mother have just taken over the running of a boarding house in Blackpool following a marriage break-up. On the first morning, Ma drops two loaded plates of breakfast that she is serving in the dining room and looks as if she has seem a ghost; later that morning Ma disappears! Gracie and George, along with Phyllis the parlour maid and some new friends, brother and sister Tom and Violet Emberton, combine forces to investigate and uncover a dastardly plot planned for switch-on night. Prepare for sleights of hand, red herrings and heart-pounding chases through the holiday hordes!
Gracie Fairshaw herself is a super character, displaying courage, loyalty and resilience. She has been born with limb difference, her left arm ends at the elbow. It is interesting to see the reactions displayed by other characters to Gracie’s difference which provides a gentle lesson to all readers about the impacts of our behaviours towards others. Gracie is determined not to let anything hold her back, we see the way that she adapts to different challenges, and at one point in the story she says:
I’m not sure which is worse, the ones who make nasty comments and jokes, or the ones who fuss over me as though I’m a baby. They can’t see that I’m just the same as them. I don’t want pity or special consideration. I’m just a girl the same as you, or Phyllis or Violet, but some folk can’t see that.
Page 139
This mystery has just the right amount of peril, mixed with a good dash of humour – I particularly enjoyed the children’s attempts to cook Lancashire hotpot, although I would not have wanted to eat it. The book has been out for a couple of years and I am kicking myself that I didn’t discover it sooner. I highly recommend as an addition to key stage 2 classroom libraries and primary school library collections.
I borrowed a copy of Gracie Fairshaw and the Mysterious Guest from my local public library.
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