The Apprentice Witch by James Nicol

apprentice witch

This is the first book in a charming magical fantasy series featuring Arianwynn Gribble who has spent her entire life wishing to follow her mother and grandmother, and become a witch. However, on the day of her evaluation ceremony she feels a growing sense of unease, matched by the wet, gloomy weather, and instead of the silver star of a fully-fledged witch she leaves the ceremony with the dull bronze badge of an apprentice. Thanks to the intervention of her grandmother, who happens to be a member of the Council of Elders, Arianwyn is sent to complete her apprenticeship in the small town of Lull.

The author, James Nicol, has created a very believable character who is constantly trying her best, but battling with self-doubt and occasionally creating some sticky situations – in particular when dealing with snotlings! The magical world in which Arianwyn exists is populated with a fascinating range of magical creatures and spirits, with witches helping the humans to fend off dark magic using glyphs to create their spells and charms. Arianwyn also has to deal with familiar situations such as a mean former classmate and a pompous, self-important mayor, which require quiet common sense rather than magical solutions. She is such a sympathetic character that you are drawn into her story and hoping that her determination and courage will prevail and enable her to discover her inner “true light”.

In this book you will discover a menagerie of magical and spirit creatures, including crawlers, snortings, staggets, a moon hare, a night ghast and perhaps most significantly Estar, an injured feyling who is helped by Arianwyn.

Central to the story is the mystery of an unknown glyph and the fate of Euphemia, the previous witch who inhabited the spellorium in Lull. She disappeared 40 years previously, and Arianwyn discovers that this may be linked to the dark glyph, which she sees prior to every terrible event in her life, starting with her mother’s death.

I would recommend this book for children in Year 3/4, who are looking for a substantial, enjoyable read, maybe moving on from The Worst Witch series. It is beautifully written, exciting but not too dark so highly suitable for children who might find other magical fantasy series too scary.

If you enjoy this, then look out for the next book in the series: A Witch Alone

Review: Bee Boy Clash of the Killer Queens by Tony de Saulles

bee boy1

This is an exciting and accessible fact-based  story for primary school children which highlights the importance of bees in our ecosystem. The author, Tony De Saulles, has identified the key facts about bees and found a hugely engaging way to present this information to a young audience. It should probably be no surprise that the illustrator of the “Horrible Science” series should have produced such a gorgeous book; it is fully illustrated throughout with his trademark drawings, all done in black and yellow!

The eponymous Bee Boy is Melvin Meadly who lives with his mum in a flat in a tower block. He has been introduced to bee-keeping by a former neighbour, and now takes care of the rooftop beehive, with the help of another neighbour, Mr Johnson. Unfortunately, not all the residents of Meadow Tower are so understanding and they blame Melvin’s bees for all kinds of ridiculous things. Additionally, Melvin has to contend with the school bully who tries his best to wreck the hive, and a rather unpleasant teacher, Mrs Whelks who is massively unsympathetic towards his passion for bees. Somehow Bee Boy must overcome these difficulties and save his colony.

Wrapped up in this humourous and slightly magical tale is a vast amount of information about bees and their essential contribution to the survival of life on our planet; Melvin battles to save his hive, knowing that in turn the bees are helping all life to survive. The many dangers that these incredible insects face are presented in uncompromising detail and I think that children will be fascinated both  by the information and the interestingly magical way that Melvin learns so much about his bees. The book reminded me of The Magic School Bus series that my own children devoured years ago and I highly recommend it as a great way of introducing children to a fascinating part of the natural world. I think this book could be shared with any child of 6 years and above and the enticing graphic style would make it a pleasurable read for early KS2 children.

I am extremely grateful to OUP Children’s Books for sending me a copy of Bee Boy to review, and I greatly look forward to Book 2 in the series: Bee Boy Attack of the Zombees.

If you enjoyed this insight into the insect world, why not try Beetle Boy by M.G. Leonard, you can read a review here.

Review: The Train to Impossible Places by P.G. Bell

Train Impossible Places

Jump aboard the Impossible Postal Service’s rather unusual train for a rip-roaring journey around the five corners of the Union of Impossible Places on a quest to save the Union from a would-be dictator!

The story begins dramatically when Suzy is awoken by strange metallic sounds, creeps downstairs to find railway lines under construction in her hallway and almost becomes “ the worst  type of incident it’s possible to be” on the aforementioned lines!

Her adventure with Fletch the engineer, J.F. Stonker the driver of the Impossible Postal Express, Wilmot the Postmaster and Ursel the bleached-blonde, brown bear, departs from here. Realising that somehow Suzy has avoided the remote enchantment that was supposed to keep her asleep while the steam train took a shortcut through her home, the trolls have no choice but to allow her to join their late-running train!

Suzy, we are informed very early in the book, loves physics, so the meta-dimensional engineering that Fletch has performed on her hallway to accommodate a huge steam locomotive is fascinating to her, although she does not appreciate his description of “fuzzics” – in her mind physics cannot be fuzzy. She has more surprises in store when she learns that gravity is one of “the more gullible forces” and can be tricked by ingenious troll-engineering to allow the Impossible Postal Express to perform some amazing manoeuvres on its mission to deliver post to any corner of the Union!

It is apparent that Wilmot is extremely nervous about the fact that his first delivery is running late, unfortunately the recipient is the unforgiving Lady Crepuscula in the ominously-named Obsidian Tower. When Wilmot appoints Suzy to be his deputy in order to avoid delivering the parcel himself, and she does not follow his orders to the letter, a frantic chase across the Union ensues. Suzy has learned of a plot that imperils all of The Impossible Places; can the combination of her problem-solving skills and the unstoppable Troll Post outwit the dastardly scheme?

I’m trying hard not to give away the plot, but this action-packed story will introduce you to the wonders of Trollville, Neuroglobes, fusion bananas, the incredible Hazardous Environment Carriage, some ghostly, storytelling explorers, and an unusual spy service controlled by the Curator of the Ivory Tower, Lord Meridian.

The world-building in this book is stunning, the cast of characters are absolutely fantastic and the plot is so brilliantly constructed that it could be the work of the fabulously inventive trolls. Underneath the thrilling machinations of the story there is an array of interesting scientific ideas and a reflection on the control and abuse of information. I adored the central character, Suzy Smith, with her courage, enquiring mind and love of physics and think that P.G. Bell has written a classic fantasy adventure, which is beautifully illustrated by Flavia Sorrentino. I simply cannot wait for the next book in the series to be published.

If you  enjoy The Train to Impossible Places as Much as I did, you may also want to try Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling, Sputnik’s Guide to Life on Earth by Frank Cottrell Boyce; The Cogheart Series by Peter Bunzl and The Cosmic Atlas of Alfie Fleet by Martin Howard.

Review: Science Scribble Book by Alice James

science scribble

This is a superb book to inspire young scientists, and a very welcome addition to the MG non-fiction shelves. I was recently speaking to the science co-ordinator at my primary school, who had just returned from a course which presented the view that children needed to be introduced to science at an early age in order for them to choose to study science in their later education. With this in mind, I would recommend this lively and engaging book to every school and indeed every parent!

It is a full-colour, illustrated, hardback with fantastic graphics and small amounts of accessible text on every page. Throughout the book there are scientific investigations to pursue and plenty of space for children to record their observations. One of the things I love most is that all of the experiments can be performed without the need for any additional resources, just a pencil, paper, scissors and glue. This is so important to allow children to actually get on with “doing” some science, rather than having to wait for hard-pressed parents or schools to supply them with extra materials.

The range of topics is broad enough to provide experiments to suit everyone, and I found many which match up with the primary school curriculum. For example, the topics Making a Move (basic algorithms), Moving Pictures (basic animation) and Robot Designer are all useful practical examples to use with the primary computing curriculum and I will certainly be adding these to my own lesson planning. I wish that my school could afford a copy of this book for every KS2 child, as it covers so many items from their science curriculum: Animal Identifier, Perfectly Adapted, The Solar System, Skeletons and Hot and Cold, to name just a few.

The author Alice James should be congratulated for writing such a comprehensive and engaging science book, and the illustrator Petra Baan and designer Emily Barden also deserve great credit. Finally, there is an address inside the book for a related website which offers pdfs for some of the experiments and links to further science resources. Overall I hugely recommend this book for primary school pupils.

I am very grateful to Toppsta and Usborne for sending me this book in return for an honest review. This review also appears on the Toppsta website: here

Review: Ella on the Outside by Cath Howe

ella outside

Recently I have been reading a number of books recommended by EmpathyLabUK in preparation for Empathy Week at school; I think this one is perfectly pitched for Year 5 pupils…

Ella is feeling as if her life has been smashed apart like the watermelon that she once watched exploding in slow motion on a YouTube video. Along with her mother and younger brother, Jack, she has had to move house and leave her old school and her lifelong best friend and start a new life without her Dad. She describes her emptiness early in the book, “Me being without Grace today hurt like bare feet outside in winter.”

She feels lonely and awkward on her first day at her new school, unsure of the classroom dynamics and very much “on the edge” in the playground. As well as harbouring a secret, which her Mum doesn’t want her to talk about, she is also very self-conscious about her angry, red eczema and her sense of isolation at the beginning of the story is palpable.

The author, Cath Howe, presents a totally believable school dynamic, with completely authentic primary school characters. The reader senses Ella’s growing unease as she is first befriended, but then manipulated by the classroom “Queen Bee” Lydia. Her desperation for friendship leads Ella to act in a way that she knows is wrong. Will she be able to put matters right and find a true friend in the shy, silent Molly who sits alone at the back of the class protecting her own secret pain?

This book is written in a straightforward style, and would be easily accessible to readers aged 10 and upwards. The publishers Nosy Crow have produced a paperback with a lovely font which really adds to the enjoyment of reading this book. Many complex topics are covered including bullying, isolation, mental illness, imprisonment and young carers and this story is a wonderful addition to the read-for-empathy collection in any school library. I particularly enjoyed the author’s clever use of Ella observing the world through her camera lens as a metaphor for her outside observer status, and the clutter in Molly’s house illustrating the obstacles that have to be cleared and negotiated in most people’s lives. I think that readers from Year 5 and upwards will find Ella to be a sympathetic protagonist and will be quickly drawn into enjoying this story.

Review: Charlie and Me 421 Miles from Home by Mark Lowery

Charlie 421

I absolutely loved this book, narrated in the first person by Martin Tompkins, aged 13 and interspersed with his astonishing poetry. From the opening poem “Leaping Dolphin”, which is cleverly printed on paper which resembles a school exercise book, you know that you are in for a very special story.

Marty tells us that his younger brother, Charlie, isn’t like ordinary kids. We are shown this on the opening page with Charlie talking about the laser in his belly button, and Marty using Charlie’s made-up number for one more than infinity (a charillion)! Amongst the interesting phrases that Marty uses to describe Charlie are:

“Can’t do anything for himself, or concentrate for more than two seconds” and “brain’s inside out, no understanding of danger.”

We soon find out that Charlie was a miracle baby, who survived a very premature birth and has subsequently suffered a multitude of health problems. However, Marty reassures us that Charlie is his “absolute best mate in the whole entire world” and it is clear from the way that Marty anticipates his little brother’s needs as they set out on their epic train journey, that he is a deeply caring older sibling.

The boys have sneaked out of home, early on a Saturday morning to embark on a train expedition to the seaside town where they enjoyed an idyllic holiday the previous summer. It is obvious from the outset that Marty has planned the adventure in meticulous detail, but something is amiss. He becomes extremely flustered when he gets to the front of the ticket queue and has to speak to the sales assistant, and he reacts very nervously whenever a police officer is encountered during the journey.

As the train progresses from Preston towards Cornwall, the story alternates between Marty’s struggles to contain Charlie’s excitement (described vividly as being like a puppy filled with blue Smarties and Lemon Fanta) and poignant reminiscence of last summer’s holiday; in particular Charlie’s obsession with the dolphin that visits the little harbour each day. En route Marty encounters unexpected kindness from a scary-looking fellow passenger as he battles traumatic events. Multiple references are made to the omni-special-leftover-from-Christmas biscuit tin that Marty is carrying in his backpack, which he promises Charlie that he won’t open until they reach St Bernards. Adult readers will guess the contents of the tin quite early in the story, but for younger readers the revelation will probably cause quite a shock.

I do not want to give away any more of the story, but encourage you to read this heartfelt story of two extraordinary brothers. It is definitely a book to add to the “read-for-empathy” list in a school library, but I would caution that an adult needs to read it and be aware of the children to whom they recommend it. I found it to be a beautifully written, uplifting and at points utterly hilarious tale of sibling love, but a box of tissues is required too. This is the first book that I have read by Mark Lowery, but I will definitely be looking out for more of his stories.

Review: Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo

louisiana way home

This is a first person narrative, told in the original and quirky voice of 12 year-old Louisiana Elefante as she writes her story in a notebook, just in case anyone is wondering what happened to her. It is written in an interesting style, of short sentences and short chapters which leave you almost as breathless as Louisiana when her lungs get “swampy”.

It starts with her setting off on a 3am road trip with her Granny, heading to Georgia from Florida in order to outrun the “sundering curse” which is on the heads of their family. The adventure starts to go wrong from the start as they run out of petrol and then Granny is struck by terrible toothache. Louisiana’s recount of her exploits as she takes the wheel of the car to drive her Granny to the nearest town in search of a dentist is quite hilarious. It becomes apparent as they reach town, that Granny and Louisiana live by their wits, and Granny is not the most trustworthy individual.

I don’t want to give any plot spoilers, but there is quite a shocking plot twist about half-way through the book. Louisiana reacts by writing the following in her notebook:

“But here is the thing: it did not feel to me like the earth was moving infinitesimally. It felt like it was hurtling and jerking its way through a lonely darkness.”

Fortunately, Louisiana has met a local boy called Burke Allen, someone so kind that “if you ask him for something he will give you two.”  While Louisiana is questioning who she is, Burke is the son of Burke Allen and the grandson of Burke Allen. He and his family are completely certain of who they are, and they represent absolute kindness. Along with the Reverend Obertask they teach the eponymous heroine that “we all at some point have to decide who we want to be in this world.”

I really enjoyed this story, it is the first book by Kate DiCamillo that I have read and I can see why she is a prize winning author, the interesting writing style was utterly believable as the thoughts of a 12 year-old trying to find her place in the world. The plot twist that I mentioned earlier could upset younger readers; this book should probably be shared with an adult with whom the story can be discussed. An interesting story for mature readers of 10 and above.

Review: The Fox Girl and The White Gazelle by Victoria Williamson

 

This is the most wonderful story of survival, courage, and a developing friendship between two very different girls, set in a run-down housing estate in Glasgow. The story is told in short chapters, alternating between the voices of Caylin and Reema, and occasionally interspersed with the poetic thoughts of an injured mother fox and she desperately seeks to raise and protect her cubs. This interesting structure only increased the majestic beauty of this book for me, with the fox seeming to be a metaphor for Caylin and Reema’s search for “home”.

When you first meet Caylin Todd at the start of the book, she seems to be the most unsympathetic character imaginable as she plots, and then carries out, an ambush on a classmate to steal her birthday money. However, you soon learn that Caylin’s single mum has become an alcoholic, following the death of Caylin’s grandfather, and with the benefits payment being consumed by vodka, Caylin must either steal or starve. The descriptions of Caylin’s chaotic homelife are so realistically heartbreaking, and her terror that she will be separated from her mum if anyone should find out, force you to be sympathetic towards her.

Reema is also from a broken family. In her case she has had to flee from her comfortable, middle-class life in Aleppo and has arrived in Glasgow, with part of her family as a refugee. She is struggling to overcome trauma, homesickness, the disappearance of her beloved older brother and the sight of her once strong father confined to a wheelchair following a poison gas attack, when she is re-housed in the same block of flats as Caylin.

The two girls take an instant dislike to each other, Reema is horrified when she spots Caylin shop-lifting and Caylin dislikes the feeling that she is being judged by the new girl. However, as both girls are moved by the plight of an injured mother fox, hiding out behind the bins, and a shared talent for running, a hesitant friendship begins to develop. Can Caylin open herself up to trust, and can Reema overcome her homesickness for Syria and embrace her new surroundings? You will have to read this incredible story to find out.

I loved many aspects of this book. Firstly, Victoria Williamson is an astonishingly good writer, her descriptions of the struggles faced by the two protagonists take you right inside their hopes and fears and open your eyes to the very difficult lives that so many children face. Woven over the “issues” is a terrific story of a developing friendship, and by the final chapters I was on the edge of my seat and breathless to find out how the various strands of the narrative would end. I think that the story of Caylin and Reema will stay with me for a long time. Finally, I read that 20% of the author royalties for this novel will be donated to the Scottish Refugee Council, so not only are you buying a great book, but you are helping those less fortunate than yourself too. I would rate this book as a “must-have” for all Upper KS2 classrooms, school libraries and read-for-empathy lists.

If you love this book, why not try The Boy at the Back of the Class?

Review: Ghost by Jason Reynolds

I had seen some Twitter love for this book and added it to my “want to read” list without any urgency to move it into pole position, but then it was selected as the #PrimarySchoolBookClub choice! What a great decision, as it made me rush out and get a copy.

Ghost, real name Castle Cranshaw, is a teenager who spends a lot of time alone and bored whilst his single mother works long hours at the hospital to support them. He is constantly in trouble at school, where he feels an outcast in his non-label clothes and outfits which are always too big as his mum needs to buy him things he won’t outgrow too quickly. He walks home from  school in slow-motion each day as the prospect of being alone in the apartment, with its harrowing memories is not an appealing prospect. The highlights of his journeys are the daily interaction with Mr Charles in the neighbourhood store where he stops to buy sunflower seeds to snack on, and watching people working out through the windows of the gym. One afternoon Ghost’s eye is caught by an athletics practice taking place on the running track at his local park… a coincidence that could change his life.

Ghost learnt to run the night his drunken father decided to shoot at him and his mother and has natural, raw talent which is spotted by “Coach” when, despite wearing jeans and badly fitting basketball boots he takes on the star sprinter! After that dash down the track Ghost becomes a member of a group for the first time in his life and knuckles down to the training regime imposed by Coach. He gradually learns to trust the other “newbies” Lu, Sunny and Patty and realises that everyone has their own issues to confront. However, membership of the team is based on trust, good behaviour and discipline at school … can Ghost fight the rage inside himself, keep out of trouble and earn himself a place in the Defenders Athletics squad?

Given it’s storyline, it comes as no surprise to find that this is a fast paced story, with short chapters which most readers will want to race  through as quickly as possible. But if you can pace yourself through the book you will be rewarded with a remarkable story of a young person finding out what is important in life. In the words of Coach, the story will:

“Show you that you can’t run away from who you are, but what you can do is run toward who you want to be.”

I loved this book. The author, Jason Reynolds, has conjured up a hugely sympathetic character for whom I found myself rooting from the opening chapter. Yes, he makes some mistakes in his behaviour, but he learns from the consequences and you fully understand the background issues which lead to that behaviour. The relationship between Ghost and the store owner Mr Charles is beautifully written, and the “father figure” roles played by both Mr Charles and Coach make you realise how important it is for adults to support the dreams of young people. Ghost’s love and respect for his mother is graphically highlighted when he begs Coach not to tell her about his big mistake. All of these themes are covered with the lightest of touches by Jason Reynolds, and are wrapped up in a thoroughly enjoyable story.

Although the book would be an easy read for anyone of 9 and above, it does touch on issues of gun violence, domestic abuse, poverty and even a reference to drugs, so I would advise younger readers to read it alongside an adult with whom they can discuss these issues. The publishers, Knights Of should be congratulated for their mission to publish books that appeal to every kind of reader, and I am very much looking forward to reading the next in the “Run” series by Jason Reynolds. Finally I must mention the glorious cover art by Selom Sunu which only adds to the appeal of this winner of a book.

 

If you loved this, why not try Holes by Louis Sachar next?

Blog Tour Review and Author Q&A: The Cosmic Atlas of Alfie Fleet by Martin Howard, illustrated by Chris Mould

cosmicatlas

Today I am delighted to be taking my turn on the blog tour for this hilarious intergalactic adventure and publishing a Q & A with author Martin Howard.

 

How far would you go to raise enough money to buy your mum a birthday present? Would you take a madcap caper to the most obscure corners of the universe (the Black Gates of Howling Oblivion, anyone?) to make your dear mother happy on her special day?

Alfie Fleet is poor, very poor. This is the result of his Dad “stealing his mum’s heart and then her credit card, before running off with that Julie from number sixteen.” His mum now works long shifts gutting fish in a local factory and he is desperate to raise £49.99 to buy her the perfect birthday present: a Sole Sensation 6000 foot spa!. Alfie can’t believe his luck when he spots a classified ad offering exactly this sum for one day’s work!

Hours later he finds himself in a dilapidated, house in an obscure, forgotten London square, filled with curious artefacts and maps showing places that had never featured in any of his geography lessons, in the company of Professor Pewsley Bowell-Mouvemont. The Professor informs Alfie that he is in the Headquarters of the Unusual Cartography Club. Things get weirder when they descend to the underground cavern which contains a reduced-sized version of Stonehenge, not realising that this inter-galactic transportation device is activated, Alfie steps between two stones and his adventures begin!

If you are looking for adventure, alien creatures, jokes and peril at every turn then join Alfie and the Professor as they embark on a fact checking mission before the updated edition of the Cosmic Atlas can be sent to the printers. Admire Alfie’s additions to the Atlas as he amends it with travel guide annotations and restaurant reviews – I can’t wait to book dinner at The Dead Crow with its menu for the food-lover with a taste for danger! The first stop is the planet Outlandish where Alfie causes the sort of accident that illustrates why boys of his age are not supposed to have jobs!

Can Alfie and the Professor avoid being sacrificed and manage to return to earth in time for Mrs Fleet’s birthday? What horrors will they encounter in the city of Verminium? How will a girl called Derek and a Knight called Sir Brenda help in their quest to discover an alternative stone circle? You will need to read this side-splitting adventure to find out!

This story is like a mash up of Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator and a junior version of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. The wry, authorial asides to the reader and the universal translating device were very reminiscent of HGTTG, and I can imagine that quotes from this book will be endlessly repeated in the playground in much the same way that my teenaged peers used to quote Douglas Adams (many years ago). I read a proof copy which had not yet been illustrated, but had placeholders for plenty of half and full page illustrations throughout. It did contain one full page map of Outlandish which had all the details you could possibly wish for (I adore books with maps). Based on this and the super cover art by Chris Mould, I imagine that the finished book will be hugely visually appealing. Underneath all the jokes and dynamic plot I admired the way the author, Martin Howard, captured Alfie’s sharp-witted personality and his determination to value the Professor’s legacy but also update it for the modern age.

I recommend this book to everyone aged 8 and over and I sincerely hope that there will be a follow up adventure and that the Cosmic Atlas will be sent to the printers, as I would love a copy!

 

Thank you to OUP Children’s for sending me a proof copy to review and to Martin Howard and Emma Howard for allowing me to participate in the blog tour for this mind-blowing adventure. Extra special thanks to Martin for kindly answering my questions about his new book and his writing career in general.

 

Q & A with Martin Howard

Q: I thoroughly enjoyed The Cosmic Atlas of Alfie Fleet and wondered what inspired it? If I had to describe it to someone I would say it was like an MG version of The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, is this a book you loved as a teenager?

A: First, can I quickly say thank you for having me. This is my first ever blog tour and the amount of support and generosity from book blogs like yours has been gob-smacking. It’s a delight to be here and I very much appreciate the opportunity to waffle on about myself!

I did love The Hitchhiker’s Guide as a teen (and still do!) but it wasn’t something I had in mind when I started writing. The original idea started about fifteen years ago. I’ve always loved exploring the maps in fantasy books and in a moment of inspiration it came to me that a travel guide would be the obvious next step. It was originally intended to be a Travel Guide to Fairyland for younger children but that didn’t really suit me as a writer so I scrapped it. The idea refused to die though and when I had the idea for an intergalactic map-making society called the Unusual Cartography Club, about three years ago, including a travel guide aspect seemed like a good idea. Of course, I was aware it would make people think of The Hitchhiker’s Guide (I’ve even added a tiny tribute to it in the book), plus any funny book about space travel is always going to be compared, but I hope The Cosmic Atlas is very different.

Q: I love your main character, the quick-thinking, kind-hearted Alfie Fleet, is he based on anyone you know?

A: Alfie is a lot like my son, Sam, who constantly makes me laugh. Like Alfie he has a very good sense of humour and is very quick-witted. Alfie’s also a little like me at that age. I, too, had odd-looking knees and loved fantasy books. We’re quite a kind-hearted family, so that’s probably where Alfie’s kindness comes from.

Q: In my  proof copy there are lots of place holders for pictures; who decides whether to illustrate a book, how many pictures will be included and where they should be inserted? Is it you or your publisher? Additionally, who chooses the illustrator?

A: I’ve been a big fan of Chris Mould since I first saw his artwork, and always had him in mind as the perfect illustrator for The Cosmic Atlas. Luckily, when Oxford University Press decided to publish it they agreed. I was over the moon! Obviously, he’s very well-known and in demand so I consider myself very lucky to be working with him. The publisher decides how many illustrations will be included and what to illustrate is pretty much a group decision though, obviously, Chris took the lead on what the illustrations would look like.

Q: I am hoping that this is the first book in a series; have you already planned what Alfie, the Professor, Derek and Sir Brenda will do next?

A: In fact, I’ve just finished writing the second book. I don’t want to give anything away but Alfie, Derek and the Professor are about to get visitors from the Unusual Cartography Club’s past. If people like the books (fingers crossed) I’ve got plenty more plans, and not just for Alfie and the gang. Wigless Square is surrounded by odd buildings that are home to some very strange secret societies …

Q: Are there any plans to publish The Cosmic Atlas? I imagine it would be very popular with primary school children who love to gather round an illustrated atlas.

A: None at the moment, but never say never! It’s the first book in the series so it’s early days. If people enjoy Alfie’s adventures I’d also like to go back to my original idea and make Lonely Planet type travel guides for different planets. I imagine a travel guide to Nerwong-Nerwong Plinky-Plonk could be very funny.

Q: What were your favourite childhood books and what would you recommend to a primary school child who says they don’t like reading?

A: I loved fantasy when I was young, and my favourite books were Ursula K. le Guin’s Earthsea trilogy, Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising, the Narnia books and the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. I also adored PG Wodehouse’s Jeeves and Wooster books. Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books started coming out when I was about fourteen and I instantly fell in love with those, too. Funny books are a great way to win the hearts of children who are reluctant to read and I’d hugely recommend Andy Stanton’s Mr Gum books, the Wimpy Kid series, and anything by Jonathan Meres or Ben Davis, who are both hilarious.

Q: Have you always been a writer or did you have other jobs first? What inspired you to write children’s books? And why did you change from non-fiction to fiction writing?

A: Because I was badly bullied at school I couldn’t wait to leave. I started work as a paste-up artist in London (a job that no longer exists, it’s all done on computers now), then went back to university to study English when I was twenty-two. I had a lot of weird jobs when I was a student, selling ice-cream at the Dominion Theatre dressed as a clown, cleaning the toilets in a hospital for old people … the list goes on. After I got my degree I started work in publishing as an assistant editor in a non-fiction publishing company and worked my way up. I’ve wanted to write for as long as I can remember, but it’s a difficult way to make a living, especially when you have a young family to look after. Luckily, I have an amazingly supportive wife who encouraged me to follow my dreams. I quit my job and we moved to France so I could write. I’ve been writing children’s books ever since but I’d often write non-fiction, too. There’s a long tradition of authors putting their hand to different types of writing that stretches back to Dr Samuel Johnson (one of my heroes), and I enjoy that kind of work. It teaches you to research properly and present ideas in an interesting way. I think it’s made me a better writer. Children’s fiction is always where my heart has been though. It gives you the opportunity to be as inventive, imaginative and funny as you can possibly be! There’s a special kind of magic about children’s books, and I know how much they meant to me when I was a child. If I can give any young person the same sense of wonder and adventure I found in books at their age, I’m a very happy writer indeed.

Q: How do you plan a book? This one seems very visual – do you sketch pictures or see pictures in your head as you write?

A: Other people have said my writing is quite visual, and I think that’s just my style. I do have a movie running in my head as I write but I don’t plan books in great detail because I think it’s important that stories and characters are allowed to develop on their own rather than sticking to a plan. There’s always an outline of where they’re going but this often changes during the writing process, and I’ll happily scrap chapters, storylines or even whole books if I don’t think they’re working. I once spent an entire year writing a book that no one has ever seen.

Q: It strikes me that The Cosmic Atlas of Alfie Fleet would make a fantastic animated film/TV series are there any plans for this?

A: As I’m writing this it hasn’t even been published so no, not yet! I have got a couple of other books going through the development process though and it’s always nice when film companies are interested in your work!

Q: Will you be appearing at any children’s books festivals this year, or do you have a signing tour arranged for anywhere in the UK?

A: I’m doing my first ever school visits around the time The Cosmic Atlas is released and hope to do more throughout the spring and summer. Chris and I also plan to do something together later in the year but you’ll have to watch this space …

Q: I was seriously impressed by the amount of luggage that the Professor managed to attach to Betsy the scooter, have you ever embarked on an epic journey on an unconventional form of transport?

A: Any car journey with three young children in the back seat quickly becomes an unconventional form of transport! Between emptying sick-bags, toilet stops and breaking up arguments it’s amazing you ever get anywhere. My most epic journey was around the South West of the United States by car, which was amazing, and I once rode an elephant in Thailand, but I’d love to travel more. I especially like the idea of long train journeys.

Q: And finally… have you ever stayed at, or eaten at, a country inn which provided the inspiration for “The Dead Crow”?

A: I think anyone who lives in Britain would recognise The Dead Crow! We’ve all stepped into a small pub where a few locals drink and wished we hadn’t. In my experience though, once you’ve had a drink or two everyone is usually friendly and I’ve certainly never had to deal with villainous hairdresser scum!

 

Well, you’ve read the reviews, you’ve read the guest posts, you’ve read the Q&As, you might have been lucky enough to have had a visit from Martin to your school last week – now read the book, you’ll be laughing all the way across the cosmos!