I'm Dougal Trump... Where's My Tarantula?

Doesn't time fly? It was nearly a year ago when I reviewed the first Dougal Trump story and now the second one Where's My Tarantula? has been published.

And it doesn't disappoint. Once again we find our now familiar cast of characters: Dougal, his sister Sibble (or Sybil, as she insists it should be spelt), Mum, Dad, the Dog, and Dougal's gang, but this time there's another Sybil, who's really called Sybil, to add to the mix and she's a Goliath bird-eating spider.

Now, I had to include that photograph so that you would see what Dougal means when he describes her on his 'blog' as 'a soft  brown colour with eight of the hairiest legs you've ever seen, almost as hairy as my sister, Sibble's.' This Sybil is adored by Dougal, and roundly detested and feared by every other member of the family (apart from the Dog, who probably would just try to eat her.) And if it's not Sybil causing the family's revulsion, then the meal worms she's fed hardly help. And as to the supply of frozen, dead, mice that Dougal has hidden in an old ice cream tub in the freezer, well, least said and all that.


Fortunately for the family, although not for Dougal, Sybil disappears shortly after her arrival, and Dougal starts to receive a series of mysterious comments on his blog from someone going under the handle of IhateDougie.

And yes, I did say blog in those last two paragraphs. About a third of this book consists of Dougal's blog entries. Partly they are about Sybil but they also include, often at the insistence of Dougal's friend, BigBadBurt, an assortment of Dougal's recipes. Some of these are for vaguely edible things. Some not. All seem to result in disaster of some sort, mostly for Burt, and these are reported in delightfully off-hand (Mum had to call the fire brigade again) comments by the individual gang members.

Just as with the first book, this is fast moving, ludicrous plot with crazy characters and the Dog.In fact there are two dogs in this one, as Dougal's Grim nextdoor neighbour has a gentleman friend - a blind man with a seeing-eye dog - and the fun that can be had with that has no bounds. Now, you have to remember, in this context that the nice lady who helps Dougal record his stories, Jackie Marchant, has spent more than a few years helping to raise and train such dogs and there really isn't much she doesn't know on that subject. So it's good to see a little of her other life creeping into the story, and it's much to her credit that it does only creep in and not dominate as it so easily could.

Anyone who loved the first Dougal book will love this one. I have only one slight worry. I don't do spoilers and so I can't explain my concern, but suffice it to say that I'm wondering what Jackie is going to do for the next story.

Now has that got you wondering?

The nice folk at Macmillan sent me my copy but if you want one for yourself please click on the link below - then those jolly Amazon guys will make a little contribution to the maintenance of this blog.

Magic Trix: The Witching Hour, and Flying High by Sara Grant

I guess I should start this with an apology. I actually finished reading these books a week or so ago but then Easter, visiting overseas relatives, kids and heaven alone knows what else all got in the way. Still, better late than never, here we go.

Sara, of course, has already blogged here about the fun element in these books. And I have to kick off by saying they're as much fun to read as she clearly had writing them - maybe even more.

This new series for younger readers opens with The Witching Hour:

 

Our hero Trixibelle Morgan, or Trix for short, has just turned ten and woken up at midnight in time to see something she's sure is a witch flying across the moonlit sky. She immediately lets her best friend, Holly, know what she's seen (in spite of the unreasonable hour) but is interrupted by mum who finds her outside and puts her back to bed. Trix isn't sure what to make of her vision until later that day, when she finds herself co-opted into an Arts and Crafts activities class run by the school librarian. Of course the librarian (a sort of in-joke, this, I suspect) turns out to be a fairy godmother and the class is no less than a training class for new witches. 

In this first book, Trix meets her fellow trainee witches, is given her perfect familiar (a sparkly kitten) and starts to learn a few of the basics, but she is mortified that she has to keep it all from Holly. This makes for some amusing scenes when the invisible-to-non-witches kitten gets up to mischief and builds up a nice little story line too around how Trix might help Holly succeed as a magician without revealing the real magic she is using to make it happen.

In the next story, Flying High, Trix's task is learning to fly her broomstick. In the course of this she reveals more of her helpful nature, this time rushing to the aid of one of her fellow trainees, Pippa, who's ability to fly leaves something to be desired. This story also reveals the secret of Trix's delightful Aunt Belle, a larger than life figure who breezes in and out of her life, always with wonderful stories to tell and interesting presents. There are magical cakes and more fun with the sparkly kitten and there's a nice little subplot about bullying which is delicately handled and provides opportunities for more fun.

Both tales are, of course, beautifully written - this is Sara Grant, the lady behind all those inspiring writers' workshops, we're talking about. The stories themselves remind me of the Rainbow Fairies stories in their lightness of touch and sheer joy. But the Magic Trix stories are more plot rich and fulfilling too. They are also graced with the exquisite line drawings of Erica Jane Waters. I love the role the character's hair has in defining each of them - the librarian and Aunt Belle are tours de force.

I'd say these books would be perfect for all the little girls who love Rainbow Fairies and the mums will like them even more, precisely because they are so well-written and the plots so tight. Oh and they're fun too. Did I mention that before?

The lovely folk at Orion Children's Books provided these copies but if you would like them for yourself, please click through the links below and then Amazon will contribute a little something to the maintenance of this blog.

The Importance of the "F" Word by Sara Grant

This is proving to be a busy week on this blog. First Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick provided a guest blog and now it's the turn of our old pal Sara Grant.

This is Sara's second blog here. Last time it was for her dark YA fantasy, Dark Parties. This time Sara is talking about her latest books for younger readers which I will be reviewing here very soon.

And now over to Sara!

 

The Importance of the “F” Word

Writing a series can be a complex tangle of details and deadlines. At one point I was writing the storyline for the fourth book while editing the second draft of the third, reviewing illustrations for the second, and checking the proof for the first. I was endeavouring to create a world and develop characters with unlimited story possibilities. I had to consider the overarching story that would weave through all the books while crafting a satisfying plot for each. I had to discover that intangible something that readers would find in each book – but somehow have each story be fresh and original.

As I wrote, I developed a ‘bible’ for all the details to make sure I was consistent. It included – among other things – a cast list, floor plans, a map of Little Witching, a history of Trix and Holly’s friendship, the rules for the Sisterhood of Magic, rhymes for a variety of spells, and ingredient lists for potions. (What magical spell uses Dalmatian dog slobber?) And then I obsessed over every word as one does when polishing any manuscript. How many times can you use the word ‘sparkle’ in one book, for example? 

Phew…

Yes, writing my new series for young readers Magic Trix was all that, but it was also an absolute joy!

Magic Trix follows the adventures of ten-year-old Trix, who discovers she has the gift of magic. With her invisible familiar – a crazy, sparkly kitten named Jinx, Trix trains to become a fairy godmother. But her first attempts at magic go horribly and hysterically wrong. The first two books in the series – The Witching Hour and Flying High – were published on World Book Day. The next book – Birthday Wishes – is out in early May.

Magic Trix couldn’t have been more different from previous work. My debut novel Dark Parties is a dystopian tale of rebellion. My next novel for teens – titled Half Lives – is an apocalyptic thriller, published by Orion this May. I love the challenge of crafting these dark, edgy tales for teens. Could I get in touch with my magical sparkly side? Did I even have a sparkly side?

Creating Magic Trix has reminded me of the importance of the “F” word – FUN! When deadlines threaten and your inner critic keeps you awake at night, you can lose sight of this fundamental ingredient for creating fiction for children.

I’ve always wanted to be a writer. I was eight years old when I wrote my first story just for the fun of it – and I have been writing ever sense. But when writing becomes your job, if you aren’t careful, you can let the magic of storytelling be usurped by the business of publishing. I never for one minute forget how lucky I am. I have the best job in the world. I get to do what I love and have a blast doing it!

I hope my amusement comes sparkling through in the pages of Magic Trix. I loved creating Trixibelle Morgan with her wacky view of the world. I also adored imagining part of the story from the point of view of Trix’s scatty and delightful familiar Jinx Jingle Jangle. They reminded me that the reason I write – the reason I’ve always written – is for the pure unadulterated joy of storytelling.  

  

Many thanks to Sara for sharing this with us and I can't wait to get on with reading the books!

Researching HAGWITCH, Guest blog by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick

Following on from my review of Marie-Louise's book yesterday, today I get to host a blog from her too. So for all you fans here's a real treat:

Researching HAGWITCH

One strand of my novel Hagwitch is set in Tudor London – a great excuse for indulging a favourite hobby of mine: historical research. 

I’m sure my old history teachers would be very surprised to see me throw myself into studying every time I begin a new book but the research I do is all about the details of how people lived and what they ate, how they spoke, what they believed in, how they entertained themselves. It's not the mind-numbing lists of dates and battles, causes and consequences that had me staring out the classroom windows indulging day-dreams of Starsky and Hutch and David Essex back in the day.

TV, books, the Internet, maps, movies, museums –  for Hagwitch I used all of the above to fill my head with things Tudor, London, and theatre until I could see my way around my characters’ world. Once I was able to visualise it and move about it easily inside my head, I was ready to write. 

I like to do so much research it finds its way into the story almost of its own accord. I want the reader to see what I’m seeing but I don’t want anything to get between the reader and the characters. I'm careful not to plonk big wodges of information into the narrative. I love when research sort of threads itself between the lines and nearly becomes invisible.

 

First stop for me when researching a new book is the library and the bookshop. Lucy Worsley and Amanda Vickery are among several historians writing books and making programmes which are fantastic resources for writers of historical fiction. And factual children's books are great because they're full of useful illustrations and good basic information.

Setting a story in the world of Tudor theatre was a great excuse to rewatch these movies, though this time there was no slouching on the couch. I had work to do, so I watched with notebook and pen in hand.

I spent a few days in London visiting various museums, the New Globe and ...

... the excavations of the Rose Theatre.

I had a few bevies in the courtyard of the George Inn because it features in the book. I'm pretty sure that's the first time I’ve filed beer and pie under research but maybe not the last!

The Internet really comes into its own when looking up details.

How long would a quill last?

What was the ink made of?

How did Tudors write the date?

What were typical names for boys? Girls? Beer?

Which colours could ordinary folk wear under the Sumptuary Laws (rat grey, yes; crimson, no.)

Which years were the theatres open and which closed because of threat of plague?

Which plays had Shakespeare definitely written by 1596?

Then there’s language. 

How far should I go to replicate the way English was spoken in the late 16^th century? How do I strike a balance between the way folk actually spoke and what the reader will find acceptably atmospheric (as opposed to obtrusive and distancing)? 

At least I can try and keep the actual vocabulary true to time. www.etymonline.com is my go-to site for staying on top of which words were used when, and what they meant at that time.

Hagwitch is about things Tudor and theatre and also things puppet and canal. Now I'm about to start a new novel so I’m at it again. 

Researching.

The first thing I’ve done is browse the Internet and order some books on the subject. The other day I got an emergency call from VISA, worrying about 'unusual' activity on my card. It wasn't the act of buying books which had alarmed them, it was the books themselves! I could only laugh as the guy called out the titles one by one. I assured him that they were genuine purchases and there was no problem. 

What were the titles which had raised the concern? 

Now, that would be telling!

Many thanks to Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick for sharing this with us.

Hagwitch by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick

Celtic legend, a malevolent faery queen and Shakespearian London was how Hagwitch was first described to me and after that billing, how could I possibly not want to read it?

 

The story opens in the modern day with 'water rat' Lally, her father, and a small coterie of odd-ball, friendly characters who accompany them on their theatre barge's travels up and down London's canals and help them stage their traditional puppet shows. It's a rural idyll until the barge gets caught up on an ancient piece of timber. Lally helps free the barge and her father insists, against the better judgement of his colleague,s on pulling the timber on board and carving a new puppet from it. From then on, Lally's father becomes more and more obsessed with the puppet, his plays become darker and Lally becomes increasingly suspicious that puppet, and the log from which is was carved, harbour some mysterious and sinister secret.

But before we get to that stage, the print font switches to italic, the voice becomes first person and the setting is the 16th Century. Now we are with Flea, a young lad from Chiswick, who is assistant to a not-so good playwright. Flea's master and his small troupe of players are not doing too well. They've been excluded from London's major playhouses - the plays are too poor and the players are pretty getting close to leaving. But the playwright needs a log for his latest play and the players find one, thinking it will probably be the last thing they do for the man. Flea sees the log as they bring it in and begs them not to. It's hawthorn, and being a country lad he knows what that means: they'll all be cursed if it is brought into the house.

As the book progresses, it cycles between Lally's and Flea's stories and we soon realise that it is the same hawthorn log in both.  In each story the log endows its owner with fantastic creative powers. They write, and write, work and work, day or night with barely any sustenance, increasingly secretive and all the time becoming paler and weaker. At first, the creativity brings advantages. Flea's playwright starts to produce truly powerful plays. Lally's father produces an exquisite puppet, scintillatingly beautiful and extraordinarily fearsome at the same time. But then it all goes wrong.

It's curious, but I was struck while reading the book that in reality it was a metaphor for the creative process. The power exerted by the hawthorn over its victims is not unlike the creative muse, and that need to keep at it, regardless of bodily needs, is familiar to many an artist, writer or musician.

Of course, this might not be at all obvious to the youthful reader. What will come through is the lyrical quality of the writing, the mystical and magical descriptions of weather and setting and the haunting images of the barge and its puppets. In truth, I found the ending a little disappointing. I was expecting something a little more dramatic, especially given the run up to the end in both stories, but maybe it had to be like that.

That aside, this is a story that stays with you and that's the mark of excellent writing.

The lovely folk at Orion Children's Books sent me my copy. If you want one for yourself, please click through the link below. Then Amazon will make a small contribution to the upkeep of this blog. Thank you.

The Complete Alcatraz by Brandon Sanderson

I have to confess that when this weighty tome thumped onto my doormat I groaned. I sort of gave up on reading novels that long after Vikram Seth's A Suitable Boy damaged my shoulder muscles and tested my concentration skills too. But I needn't have worried. This book might be a bit on the heavy side, physically speaking, but there's nothing heavy about it in the enjoyment sense of the word. Well, unless you believe the central conceit....

I am not a good person.

My purpose is to show you the truth about me, and to prove that I am not the hero everyone says I am. 

In the Hushlands - those Librarian-controlled nations such as the United States, Canada and England - his book will be published as a work of fantasy.

Do not be fooled! This is no work of fiction, nor is my name really Brandon Sanderson.

I know the events of my life may seem wondrous and mysterious.

I will do my best to explain them, but please remember that my purpose is not to entertain you.

My purpose is to open  your eyes to the truth.

This is my story - the story of a selfish fool.

The story of a coward.

The story of Alcatraz Smedry.

And there you have it. This is the story of Alcatraz Smedry, told over four books (which were originally sold separately) in a wonderfully snarky and knowing voice that guides us through the anarchic events that follow his thirteenth birthday and the receipt of a bag of sand that his father has sent him.

Alcatraz has reeled from foster parent to foster parent, never making attachments with any, always accused of destroying things and plagued by the constant attention of his 'social worker' Ms Fletcher. Then the aforementioned birthday comes and all hell is let loose. He meets the grandfather he never knew he had, along with a crew of oddball relations and a thirteen year old girl-knight, called Bastille, who all claim to have come from the Free Kingdoms to retrieve the sand and rescue him. Unfortunately the sand has already been taken by Ms Fletcher which leaves Alcatraz, Grandpa Smedry, the uncles and Bastille with the task of retrieving them.

You may ask why all the fuss over a bag of sand. But, as Grandpa reveals, these are the Sands of Rashid, which Alcatraz's father had risked his life to collect and their value is immense (although we only find out why later). Grandpa also reveals that Ms Fletcher is Librarian and that she almost certainly wants the sands for her own nefarious purposes. 

So off they go to infiltrate the downtown library, take on the librarians in their stronghold, and retrieve the sands. And en route Alcatraz discovers that being a Smedry is special. He's sort of royalty in the Free Kingdoms, but more importantly, like all Smedrys  he has a talent. He breaks things. Grandpa arrives late. Uncle Sing trips over.

Of course, talents aren't that simple. As the books progress, Alcatraz discovers more and more ways of the talents can be bent to advantage. In the first book, Sing, for example, trips immediately before something dangerous is about to happen, which gives everyone warning to duck or hide. Grandpa's lateness means bullets can't hit him which is very useful when librarians are shooting at you. And Alcatraz's own breaking talent turns out to be the most powerful and versatile of all.

As that little explanation of talents might indicate, this is a totally bonkers, riotous quartet of books. The moment one bizarre climax is over, the next occurs leaving the reader breathless and forever turning the page. And the whole text is shot through with asides to the reader that are eclectic, weird and sometimes just plain funny and tell you more about Brandon Sanderson, I suspect, than they do about Alcatraz.

All of which makes me wonder quite who this book is aimed at. It's published by a children's publisher (Orion) and the fast pace, hilarious situations and utterly mad set of characters and plot will please many a 10 to 12 year old with an off-beat sense of humour. But by the author's own admission, the series started life as a writing exercise and the knowing voice seems to speak to writers everywhere and adults more than children. So maybe it's one of those weird things called cross-over books.

But whatever it is, I loved it. I had more fun reading this than anything else I've read for a long time. So thank you, the nice ladies at Orion, for sending me this doorstop sized wonder. And if a fifth book ever does get published can I have it, please, very pretty please?

As I mentioned the lovely people at Orion sent me this copy. If you want one for yourself please click below and Amazon will make a small contribution to the upkeep of this blog. Thanks.

Three Picked Herrings by Sally Gardner

Back in October I reviewed Sally Gardner's first Wings and Co book, Operation Bunny and if you read that you'll guess I was eagerly awaiting the next in the series. It arrived a short while ago and I got down to reading it as soon as the desk cleared. And yes, it's another little gem.

This time our heroine, Emily Vole, along with Buster, the wingless fairy, and Fidget, the cat,  find themselves swamped with work when three, at first apparently different, cases land in their laps. First there's the mysterious shooting-up-into-the-air of Sir Walter Cross, then there's Mr Rollo's business rollercoaster and finally Pandora's demolished wedding. And as if that were not enough, one of the keys that Emily keeps decides that this would be the perfect moment to return the wings to the one fairy Buster would really rather not have around. 

Of course, the new fairy, Buster's Aunt Lettice, proves to be an invaluable addition to the investigative team, especially when it comes to dealing with the cast of gormless and thuggish faery folk who's incompetence and maliciousness lie behind the mysteries. Emily, Buster and Fidget succeed in solving the cases and restoring some degree of normality for their clients and there's even a little treat in store for Buster at the end.

And as I said above, this is just as good as the first book. There's so much fun and silliness here and once again David Roberts' illustrations are pitched perfectly. I think Sally Gardner has a real winner with this series. Younger readers will love it and parents won't mind reading it aloud either. Now, let's hope there's another one coming out soon.

The lovely people at Orion Books provided this review copy. If you would like to get your own please click through from here and Amazon will kindly send a small contribution towards maintaining this blog.