Children's Literature

School Visits: The Good, The Bad, The Bizarre

June 13, 2016 By Rachel Stedman

Three Memorable School Visits

Sometimes I’m asked if I’ll visit a school to talk with students about the writing process. Mostly I decline. But if the school is close by or I have a friend on staff, I have been known to say yes.

Here’s the highlights of two years of conversations.

Different Age Groups:

I love talking to kids about reading, writing and their favourite books. I love how interested kids are in the craft of book construction. Young children know how hard finding the right words is. When you’re just learning to write, you understand this very deeply. This can be something we forget as we get older.

When I’m talking to middle-graders, I tell them where an idea for a story came from. And if I’ve set a story in their school (and I have done that a couple of times), I love the looks of excitement. Their school is famous! Children understand that setting something into print makes it shareable and makes it last.

Teenagers are vastly different. Teens seem less interested in the concept of story and more interested in story-related-to-self. They want to know about practical things, and the questions come rapidly: Can I get rich doing this? How long does it take? How can I talk to a publisher? They seem disappointed when I tell them: No, Ages, and I have no frigging idea.

Bizarrest School Visit:

The strangest school visit I EVER did was a talk for Library Day at Otago Girls High School. (This was my first ever school visit, too, which made it extra special).
‘Will you come and speak to us,’ asked the Librarian. ‘It’s our library day, and we always have a guest speaker. You only need to talk for about twenty minutes. Not long.’
I thought this meant a trip to speak the kids who were keen on writing. Twenty minutes talking about books? Surely I could manage that. ‘No problem.’
How wrong could I be…

Instead of speaking to 30 keen readers, I was ushered into a very large, two-storey auditorium – and presented to the entire school (800 plus). And, get this, the entire audience was in FANCY DRESS.

Turns out Library Day at OGHS is a day of celebrating books, and you’re expected to wear a costume of your favourite character. Which probably explained the headmistress’ little-bo-peep outfit, and the sheep-dressed senior staff …

I cannot remember what I spoke about. All I remember is the crook with the bow and the wig of curly ringlets and the sheep, prancing on their hind legs. To this day I have absolutely no idea what that headmistress really looks like.

Two Questions to Ask When Visiting a School

So, if you’re ever asked to talk to a school, I suggest you ask:

How many people am I speaking to?
Will they be in fancy dress?

5 Books to love forever

June 8, 2016 By Rachel Stedman

5 Books I’ve Loved —

Falling in love with a book feels both wonderful and awful. Wonderful, because for a moment you’ve totally forgotten everything else. You’re lost in an imaginary world, where only the characters and their struggles exist. But it’s awful too, because a book always ends. At some point, you’ll have to close the pages and step away.

Sometimes it feels as though a book has ripped your heart out – which is totally crazy, because it’s only words on a page, right?

Here’s my top 5 books of the last 12 months.

I fell deeply in love with each of these books. Each felt different to anything else I’d read before; each was fast-paced and exciting, and dragged me into a different world. Some are part of a series and some are standalone. If you do read any of these I can promise: you will not be bored.

Why I Fell in Love: Book Reviews

Touch

Everyone raves about Gone Girl, and it’s a wonderful book; exciting and suspenseful (plus, it made a great movie). But if you like suspense and seat-of-your pants reading, you must read Claire North.

Claire North is a pseudonym of Catherine Webb, a British writer who wrote her first book at the age of just fourteen. Yes, you read that correctly.

Touch is about Kepler, a being who can slide inside other people’s bodies, just by touching them. Kepler has no sex; he/she is the person he inhabits. He’s also a broker, finding bodies for other beings like him. But someone, or something, is after him, and now he’s on the run. In Touch, Kepler moves from body to body, on a quest to find a nightmare. Do you suddenly wake up, with no recollection of where you’ve been, or how you’ve got there? Have you been losing time? Perhaps Kepler’s been using you.

The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August

Harry August lives his life over and over again. Each time he dies he finds himself reborn in a restroom in 1919. He is an Ouroboran, destined to repeat his life. He is not alone; there’s a club of members who pass messages throughout time, from one Ouroboran to another. Don’t let the sci-fi premise put you off, because at its heart, Harry August is both a thriller and an intriguing tale about one man’s struggle with loneliness.

Station Eleven

Hilary St John Mandel is a Canadian writer; this is her fourth novel. It’s a powerhouse of a story, and has one of the most complex narratives I’ve read. The story weaves back in forward through time, beginning with the death of Arthur Leander in London. Leander, playing the role of Lear, collapses on stage of a heart attack, just before the beginning of a pandemic that spreads rapidly through the world, annihilating civilisation and grounding planes. Station Eleven moves through multiple points of view: Arthur, his ex-wife, a child actor, an audience paramedic. Each character has their own story to tell. The pace is extraordinary; for such a complex novel, it’s never boring, and at sometimes so mind-blowing I couldn’t bear to put it down. This was my must-read novel of 2015, and I’ve already read it again since.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

Jacob always thought his grandfather couldn’t distinguish truth from fiction; his tales of growing up in an orphanage filled with children of peculiar gifts seemed a fantasy to obscure the truth – that his family was murdered by the Nazis in WW2. But when his grandfather is murdered, Jacob realizes that perhaps the truth is stranger than he’d thought. I’m in awe of this book. Not only because of its wonderful story, but because of the craft behind it. Riggs does a wonderful job of scenes with multiple characters (it’s really hard to do this and not get the reader confused) and his prose is both economical and powerful, a trait only the best writers display. Miss Peregrine is illustrated by the most awesomely bizarre photos. It was these photos that were the genesis of the story, and its worth getting the hard copy of the book rather than a download, simply because of these images.

Miss Peregrine’s being made into a movie, due for release shortly, and since I read this book there have been two more books in the series published. Miss Peregrine’s is one of those stories that’s so perfect in itself that it makes me reluctant to read the rest of the series, in case it can’t live up to the promise of the first!

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stievfater (The Raven Cycle)

Oh my god, this series is fantastic! (see my earlier blog post on this book). The Dream Thieves is Book #2 in the Raven Cycle and I’ve listed The Dream Thieves here – rather than the other books in the Cycle – because The Dream Thieves a) was the first book I read in the Cycle and b) it totally blew me away.

Compared to the other 4 books listed in this post, The Dream Thieves isn’t that complex. Set in Aglionby Academy, it tells the story of the extraordinary Ronan, a psychic called Blue and their mad friends. The Dream Thieves contains a sometimes bizarre, always exciting mix of drag racing, ghosts and dead Welsh kings. If you enjoy fantasy, adventure and historical references this is a must-read.

Confession time: I haven’t read the last book in The Raven Cycle yet! Like Miss Peregrine I’m almost scared to, because the rest of the series was just so great that I don’t want to be disappointed at the end.

In Conclusion

I read a lot of books. Some of them I put on my shelf at Goodreads.com , although recently I’ve been slack and haven’t been as religious at filing them as I should. (I might update it shortly, so keep an eye out). But even though I read a LOT, I rarely fall in love.

6 Old-But-Awesome Fantasy Series for Teen Readers

May 24, 2016 By Rachel Stedman

Awesome Fantasy Series —

Know that awful feeling when you reach the end of a great series? Well, don’t panic, here’s a whole heap of old-but-awesome fantasy series to discover!

What Should I Read Next?

Because I’ve been reading fantasy for, oh, well, way too long to count, I thought it would be fun to set out some options based on some old and new series.

Warning:

This is a long blog post! Here you can download to read as a pdf

PS: You’re welcome to copy and share this pdf.

1. Epic Adventure

If you like:

The Shattered Sea Series by Joe Abercrombie

Try:

The Belgariad by David Eddings

What’s it About?
The Belgariad is a five-volume fantasy series, featuring good versus evil, wicked gods and powerful magicians. The series follows Garion, a scullery-lad from the country and his mysterious Aunt Polgara in their search for the missing Orb of Aldur.

At the beginning of the stories Garion is a young unknown, but as the reader continues through the books his exciting backstory is gradually revealed. When The Belgariad first came out, I haunted the library for weeks, just desperate for the next in the series, and had my name on all the pre-order lists.

The Belgariad feels like real seat of the pants adventure – Garion didn’t really understand what was happening to him, so neither did I, as the reader. I still remember the amazement, the OMG moment when finally I realised what was actually happening. (I don’t want to give too much away here, so apologies if this sounds ambiguous)!

Why Is it So Amazing?

The action in The Belgariad is great – it’s a fantasy, so there are heroes and battles and sword fighting and all that good stuff – but really it’s the characters that set The Belgariad apart. Eddings developed an enormous cast of characters, and each person is so believable that you really feel you know them; they each have their own foibles and way of speaking. I still think, even now, that The Belgariad has one of the best cast of characters in any series. Sorry, JRR, I think Eddings out-did you there.

Any Other Info?

David Eddings and his wife, Leigh Eddings, went on to write a number of other series, including The Mallorean, the sequel to The Belgariad, so if you do get hooked on this series there are plenty of other books to go on to.

Interested? Want to find out more?

Check out this review from Will Read for Feels.

2. Magic and Legends

Enjoy

The Raven Cycle By Maggie Stiefvater?

Try:

The Dark is Rising Sequence by Susan Cooper.

When I read that Maggie Stiefvater listed Cooper as among her favourite authors, I wasn’t surprised; if you’ve read The Dark is Rising you can certainly see the similarities. Although The Dark is Rising is slower-paced than Stiefvater’s work and doesn’t have any cars (plus its first book, Over Sea and Under Stone, is written for a younger audience), the settings feel way more evocative.

What’s it About?

The Dark is Rising is a good versus evil story, set in Cornwall and Wales, and tells the story of Will, the last of the Old Ones, born into a mysterious order. On his eleventh birthday, Midwinter Day, Will learns why a strange man is following him, and why he has to keep his family safe. Throughout the sequence Will is aided by Merlion (Merlin) and three children: Barney, Simon and Jane. The stories are all set in Britain, moving from Cornwall to Buckinghamshire to Wales.

Why Is It So Great?

The whole sequence is creepy and exciting and full of references to King Arthur and the Grail. It has a strong emphasis on music. It’s rare to find books that celebrate musicality in children – I still remember the excitement when I realised I wasn’t the only musical weirdo in the world!

The Grey King, the third of the Rising sequence, is set in Wales. This book has always been my favourite of the series, so much so that I worked in Wales primarily so I could see the area she describes in her books! I ended up setting my first book, A Necklace of Souls, in Angelsea partly because of Cooper’s The Grey King.

If you’re into Celtic mythology and adventure, The Dark is Rising is an absolute must-read. It’s really aimed at children around ten to say fourteen, but older kids will still enjoy it.

3. World-Building

If you enjoy Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn Series, try:

The Earthsea Cycle by Ursula Le Guin.

What’s it About?

First written as a trilogy, The Earthsea Cycle is a classic fantasy series. Set in Earthsea, a world made of sea and archipelagos, the stories follow the adventures of Ged, a wizard of Earthsea, and Tenar, a priestess. In 1990 Le Guin released Tehanu, the fourth in the cycle, and more recently, a number of short stories.

Why Is It So Great?

The Earthsea Cycle is world-building at its best; the detailed world of Ged and Tenar is immersive and exciting. Just a short warning: The Earthsea novels are slower than Sanderson’s Mistborn series – the action takes time to build – but what makes Le Guin’s novels amazing is the sheer believability of the world. When reading Earthsea, you really feel as though you’re walking through a market or sailing across the sea. If you enjoy travelling but haven’t the budget, The Earthsea Cycle is a must-read!

Any Other Info?

The Earthsea works were adapted into an Anime movie by Disney and Studio Ghibli. The movie is interesting, although don’t expect it to resemble the book!

4. Schools of Wizardry

If you liked The Adventures of Harry Potter by JK Rowling try:

Witch Week by Diana Wynne Jones

What’s It About?

Witch Week takes place over Halloween week at Larwood House, a horrible boarding school that’s home to many witch-orphans (children whose parents were burnt for witchcraft). Most of the class of 2Y are terrified that they will become witches – but some welcome the idea of magic. And others believe they are far too good to ever become a witch.

Witch Week is one of my favourite Wynne Jones novels, mostly because it’s just so funny.

“You girls,” said Simon, “all stink.”
The result was almost overpowering. So was the noise the girls made.

Why Is It So Great?

I first read Diana Wynne Jones’ Charmed Life when I was nine. I still have a copy, and it remains one of my favourite stories ever. Wynne Jones had the most amazing storytelling gift; she told stories of magic and multiple worlds and her extraordinary characters simply bounced from the pages.

I thought you were talking about a SERIES?

Yep. I am – Witch Week is one of the Chrestomanci novels. The Chrestomanci stories are all stand-alone novels. They’re set in many different worlds but they all feature Chrestomanci, a powerful enchanter with an allergy to silver and a highly developed dress sense. So if you enjoy Witch Week then good news! There’s heaps of other stories to try.

5. Adventure and Romance

If you like Kristin Cashore’s Graceling Realm, try:

The Riddle-Master Trilogy by Patricia McKillip

What’s it About?

The Riddle-Master stories tell the adventures of Morgon, the Prince of Hed. Born with three stars on his forehead and the ability to solve riddles, Morgon doesn’t care about destiny or matters of state; all he wants to do is study riddle-mastery. Unfortunately for Morgon, the biggest riddle he must solve is himself. The characters, Morgon and his fiancee, Raederle of An, develop in unexpected ways through the series. There’s action and backstory and plenty of magic. The story is never boring.

Why is it so great?

The Riddle-Master series is notable not only for its world-building and strong female protagonists but for the beauty of its writing. McKillip’s writing is always lyrical, more like poetry than prose. The Riddle-Master series has the best concluding paragraph ever:

‘Raederle, her voice tranquil, began telling him about pearls and luminous fish and the singing of water deep in the sea…Peace, tremulous, unexpected, sent a taproot out of nowhere into Morgan’s heart.’

6. History and Myth

Love Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha Series? Try:

The Merlin Trilogy by Mary Stewart

What’s it about?

The Merlin Trilogy follows Merlin, the bastard grandson of a minor Welsh King, who has a gift for seeing things that others cannot. Set in Britain of the fifth century, the story takes place against the ruins of the Roman empire, where the crumbling remains of towers battle with memories of the old gods and their druid priests. There’s an ever-present threat of danger running through the novels; the Norse invaders, the new Christian religion and the death of a once-great civilization. Merlin knows the darkness is coming.

‘What was there to see? A young man with an injured hand, a King with his lust satisfied, a woman with her penance beginning. And for all of us, time to remember the dead.’

Why is it so great?

Who doesn’t like the idea of King Arthur and the Grail? In The Merlin Trilogy, the settings interweave myth with magic, but they’re underpinned by historical fact. Stewart must have gone to great lengths to ensure the stories are accurate – even small details like the hypocaust systems of roman villas are so well described that the reader could almost be there. This trilogy was the other reason I lived in Wales!

I don’t get how it’s like The Grisha Series? Isn’t that based on Russian History?

Check out Leigh Bardugo’s amazing website. You can see here how she used historical reality to shape her Grisha world. Stewart did something similar in The Merlin Trilogy; a great deal of the work is based on the History of the Kings of Britain, a medieval work by Geoffrey of Monmouth.

Other info?

The Merlin Series was made into a TV series by the BBC (entitled Merlin of the Crystal Cave). Stewart was also a prolific writer of romantic suspense, so if you enjoy a range of genres, check out her other titles.

Conclusion

This is an epically long blog-post! Congratulations on reaching the end and thanks for your patience.

If you would like to print this out for reference, here’s the download link again.

And if you’re STILL short of reading material, here are four lists on Goodreads that might be of interest:

(All the cover art here is from Amazon, and I’ve added links to all the Amazon entries for these books too, in case you’re wanting to read more.)

Happy Reading!

3 Outstanding Ghost Stories to Encourage Kids to Read

April 19, 2016 By Rachel Stedman

Ghost Stories To Capture The Imagination.

Spooky stories are thrilling, scary, but always safe – because the child knows that if they put the book down, they can just walk away. Wish life was like that!

Spooky stories are great at hooking kids into reading. Here are three books I recommend:

The Ghosts of Tarawera by Sue Copsey.

Quick name drop: Sue was my editor for Prankster. Sue’s writing a three-part series of spooky tales (this is the second in the series) so if your class enjoys this book, then don’t worry, there’s more! The Ghosts of Tarawera is a Storylines Notable Book, and is available from bookstores or directly from Sue, at her website: Suecopsey.com Sue also has a whole lot of spooky jokes on this website.

Under the Mountain by Maurice Gee

A well-known classic, Under the Mountain, is exciting to read aloud. There’s also a movie (which I didn’t like, but some people did), and Penguin have study notes available online here.

The House on the Hill by Kyle Mewburn, Illustrations by Sarah Davis

The House on the Hill is Kyle’s homage to Edgar Allen Poe and is written in rhyming stanzas, a little like The Raven. A natural performer, Kyle has a youtube channel which is great fun. Scholastic have produced some helpful teacher notes here.

Here’s a link to Kyle’s youtube Storytime Channel

Hope you enjoy.

Children's Literature

Three Memorable School Visits

Different Age Groups:

Top Seven Questions:

Bizarrest School Visit:

Two Questions to Ask When Visiting a School

5 Books I’ve Loved —

Here’s my top 5 books of the last 12 months.

Why I Fell in Love: Book Reviews

In Conclusion

Awesome Fantasy Series —

What Should I Read Next?

1. Epic Adventure

2. Magic and Legends

3. World-Building

4. Schools of Wizardry

5. Adventure and Romance

6. History and Myth

Conclusion

Ghost Stories To Capture The Imagination.

The Ghosts of Tarawera by Sue Copsey.

Under the Mountain by Maurice Gee

The House on the Hill by Kyle Mewburn, Illustrations by Sarah Davis

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