Favourite Historical Fiction of 2016 for Young Readers

This article is from the Irish Times last December but I neglected to post it so here we go. Last December the newspaper's were full of lists of best books of the year but they were for the most part all about books for adults. I was kindly asked my author friend E. R. Murray to contribute some thoughts on my favourite children's books from 2016 as were a variety of children's authors and booksellers. Of course being me I focused on the books that presented history to children, because obviously history is my thing. You can see the article in full at the link down below. Here however is my contribution. 

Lisa Redmond

For younger readers The Moon Spun Round is a collection of Yeats poetry, folktales and childhood writing stunningly illustrated by Shona Shirley MacDonald and collected by Noreen Doody while Kate Pankhurst’s Fantastically Great Women who Changed the World is fabulous fun and full of facts, a great introduction to women in history. Fans of history aged 9 and upwards will adore the moving and wonderfully written Kings of the Boyne by Nicola Pierce and Arrivals by Brian Gallagher about Irish emigrants in Canada may be his best book yet while Caroline Busher’s debut The Ghosts of Magnificent Children is an assured blend of history and the gothic.

Young adult fantasy fans should track down Emily June Street’s The Velocipede Races, a steampunk adventure set in an alternate 19th century, and Passenger by Alexandra Bracken, a time travel fantasy, while Catherine Johnson’s Blade and Bone pits a young black doctor against racial prejudice and the danger of the French Revolution.

Lisa Redmond is senior bookseller at Waterstone’s

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/our-favourite-children-s-and-ya-books-of-2016-1.2906266

My Name is Victoria by Lucy Worsley

Lucy Worsley’s second book for young readers is the story of Miss V. Conroy who is brought to Kensington Palace to act as a companion to the young Princess Victoria. Her father John Conroy is the architect of the Kensington system of which Miss V. is expected to become a part, because Miss V. is very good at keeping secrets. Her father calls her his mouse because she is so calm and quiet in contrast to the wild and wilful Princess. The system is meant to protect the Princess from those who would do her harm and to keep her away from the bad influences including her mother the Duchess of Kent. Miss V. is very soon torn between loyalty to her father and her growing friendship with Victoria as she begins to see how the system keeps Victoria locked away from the world and might even be damaging to her health.

This book is an absolute delight and will appeal of course to fans of Lucy’s television work and her previous novel for young adults Eliza Rose but I believe My Name is Victoria will have even broader appeal, with a successful first series of Victoria and a second series confirmed the interest in the younger years of Queen Victoria has never been so intense. With this book I believe Lucy Worsley has really found her voice as a writer of historical fiction for children. Ideal for fans of Katherine Woodfine and Emma Carroll.  

Thanks so much to Shelley and Louise at Love Reading and the publisher for sending me a copy to review.

My Name is Victoria will be published on the 9th March in the UK and Ireland by Bloomsbury. 

Kings of the Boyne by Nicola Pierce

Nicola Pierce's latest novel follows the story of the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 through the eyes of a variety of characters. The book can be read as a stand alone tale or as a sequel to her previous book Behind the Walls which dealt with the siege of Derry in 1689, as two characters from Behind the Walls also feature in the new book; brothers Robert and Daniel Sherrard. Also featured in the book are a young cavalry man Gerald O'Connor, his Parisien friend Jacques, their companions Michael and Joseph and a County Down farmer Jean Watson as well as King James and King William and their various advisors. Through the winter and spring of 1690 we see the young friends camping out and travelling wherever they are sent by the leaders of their armies as the day of battle draws ever closer, we learn of their fears and worries as they talk and write letters home and we see how they are changed by army life as they are forced to make decisions they never thought they would have to make including taking horses and livestock from hungry families and turning their backs on loved ones.
Finally the day of battle approaches and we learn the fate of all the characters we have grown close to. Nicola Pierce is a fantastic storyteller and here she condenses a number of complicated political and military events and makes them brilliantly readable and enjoyable. Her gift for bringing characters to life through their dialogue, interactions and quirks is uncanny and in a fantastic scene with Jacques, his girl Nancy and our young hero Gerald the three youngsters visit a bookshop in Drogheda. Gerald is a great lover of books and determined to purchase a gift for his sister but short of money he fears he will have to leave his chosen book behind, his friends however insist on helping him out. It's a wonderful little aside which beautifully demonstrates the author's skill at building characters that readers cannot help but root for. However that said there are also scenes which depict the ordinary soldiers on the other side of the battle lines. Throughout the author remains completely impartial in her storytelling. Even when it comes to describing the blunders and misjudgement of the leaders the story unfolds without judgement. This book is published by O'Brien Press for children aged 9 and upwards but I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in Irish and British history.
Thanks very much to O'Brien Press for sending me a copy to review.

The Stones of Winter by Oskar Jensen

The first novel from Oskar Jensen is a thrilling tale of adventure, witches, wolves and spookiness. Astrid and Leif are a brilliant pairing. Astrid is wild and adventurous while Leif is more thoughtful and cautious. The two friends need all of their skills to face the threat of the new religion which Bishop Folkmar is trying to force on them. Our young heroes know that magic is real and very much alive and that the stones are an important part of that magic. Set in Denmark in the tenth century and using some real historical characters as an inspiration Jensen has written an exciting, well crafted and enthralling story suitable for readers of nine upwards. Available now from Piccadilly Press. 

The Dream Snatcher by Abi Elphinstone

This review originally appeared on the Bookseller review website welovethisbook.com follow the link here http://www.welovethisbook.com/reviews/the-dreamsnatcher and Abi kindly got in touch to say that it was also published in the print edition which of course I was delighted to hear.

The Dream Snatcher is a wonderfully magical debut for the ten to thirteen age group which will appeal to fans of Philip Pullman and Michelle Harrison as it features a young girl, a tenacious wildcat and a beautiful woodland setting. Moll is a gypsy girl pulled into a world of dark magic. When she learns the truth about her parents and about who she is, she is revealed to be the key to an ancient prophecy. But danger lurks nearby as a witchdoctor known as Skull tries to lure her or "dreamsnatch" her away from the safety of the gypsy camp to prevent the prophecy from coming true and unleash his dark magic on the world. Moll needs all her determination and her friends to defeat him. This a beautifully written book with a wonderful cast of characters including some wonderful animals. I really enjoyed the fact that the adults are a part of the adventure, helping and protecting Moll and also acknowledging her importance to the camp.   The wonderfully atmospheric writing brings the ancient wood vividly to life. I was enchanted right from page one. It's dark, gripping and thrilling and I really hope it will be a long running series. 

You can learn more about Abi and her writing habits from this interview http://www.serendipityreviews.co.uk/2015/02/where-ideas-flow-with-abi-elphinstone.html be prepared for serious writing shed envy.

Warp The Reluctant Assassin by Eoin Colfer guest review by Leah Dillon Age 10

Albert Garrick used to be the most celebrated illusionist in the West End, Known as the Great Lombardi, until during one performance, he actually sawed his beautiful assistant in half. Garrick discovered on that night that he enjoyed taking a life almost as much as he enjoyed the delighted applause from the stalls, and so the magician made a new career of assassination. Riley is Garrick’s apprentice and he must pass a test. The rules are kill or be killed. But Riley doesn’t seem to want to follow in his master’s footsteps...
I read the start of this book and I loved the author's writing style but I am sorry to say that I didn't finish it because it wasn't really suitable for me. It kind of freaked me out...
So I guess that means it's more suitable for teenagers and young adults. Then again, I'm more on the sensitive side so maybe some kids my age would like it, I don't know. Anyway, the writing is great and the plot seems very interesting so those who the book is suitable for should love it. And after the author’s Artemis Fowl series’ success, you can only expect it to be good!

Frost Hollow Hall

Frost Hollow Hall is a delightful debut novel from a talented new voice in historical fiction for children.

Despite the spooky nature of the tale – including the icy lake, the haunted halls and the crockery which moves across the room by itself – Frost Hollow Hall is a cosy and satisfying read. Emma Carroll has created a down-to-earth and assured narrator in Tilly, who is rescued from the lake after a skating accident by Kit Barrington – even though he’s been dead for ten years.

Tilly is sure there is a reason his spirit is not at rest, and she is determined to find out what. Betrayed by her own family's disbelief, when Tilly's friend Will Potter refuses to believe her, Tilly takes a job as a maid at Frost Hollow Hall and finds a house still in mourning after a decade of loss – as well as a vengeful spirit who frightens the staff. Tilly has a mystery to unravel and she’ll do it with or without Will Potter.

This is a charming story which, despite dealing with dark themes of grief, poverty and death, remains light-hearted and hopeful. With wonderful description and great characterisation, Emma Carroll is a real find and Frost Hollow Hall is a perfect ghostly mystery for fans of Eva Ibbotson, Ellen Renner and Marie-Louise Jensen.

This review originally featured on welovethisbook.com

Friday Feature Author Emma Carroll

Apologies for missing last week but I have returned to feature a wonderful writer for children the very lovely and very talented Emma Carroll. I have to say I love Emma's book choices. You can get both of Emma's brilliant books in paperback in all good bookshops now and you can read my review of Frost Hollow Hall HERE

When she isn’t writing, Emma Carroll teaches English part-time at a secondary school in Devon. She has also worked as a news reporter, an avocado picker and the person who punches holes into filofax paper. She graduated with distinction from Bath Spa University’s MA in Writing For Young People. ‘Frost Hollow Hall’ is Emma’s debut novel for Faber and won the North East Book Award. Her second novel, ‘The Girl Who Walked On Air’ is set in a Victorian circus. In another life she wishes she’d written ‘Rebecca’ by Daphne Du Maurier. Emma lives in the Somerset hills with her husband and two terriers. You can find out more about Emma at her blog http://emmacarrollauthor.wordpress.com/

Emma's Top Five Writimg Tips

In no particular order (and said with no great authority as I don’t think there is a right or wrong way to write)

1. Use pictures or film to help you visualize places or settings.
2. Set yourself a do-able daily word count and STICK TO IT.
3. Don’t expect every writing day to be the same: few are almost effortless, most are hard work.
4. Write down ideas immediately they occur- otherwise you’ll forget them.
5. Vary where you write- I tend to move from room to room during the day, just to shake things up!


Emma's Top Five Books (Historical)

1. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
2. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
3. Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
4. Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood
5. The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins

Emma's Top Five Historical Fiction Books For Children and Teens

1. Witch Child by Celia Rees
2. I, Coriander by Sally Gardner
3. the Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pulman
4. The Mysterious Misadventures of Clemency Wrigglesworth by Julia Lee
5. The Secret Countess by Eva Ibbotson

The Adventures of Jenny , Sylvester and their Six Little Chicks and Meet the Fairies in my Backyard written and illustrated by Dolores Keaveney

I have previously reviewed Dolores Keaveney's Earth Angels which is a wonderful blend of poetry, art and spirituality but what Dolores is best known for are her delightful and wonderfully colourful picture books for children. So far Dolores has produced seven books If I Were a Bee, Beelicious A first cookery book for children, Earth Angels and Jenny the Little Brown Hen which has also been produced in Irish as Jenny an Chearc Bheag Dhonn as well as the two new books The Adventures of Jenny continue now that she and Sylvester have a family of their own. One day they leave the hen run to explore but as Jenny and Sylvester and the chicks enjoy their freedom they don't realise the danger they are in. A great story for small children with an important message about road safety. Meet the Fairies in my Backyard is a fantastic introduction for young children to nature and the different types of plants and flowers they can find in their back garden as well as the magical fairies who live among the grass and trees and flowers. A gorgeously illustrated book with great rhyming text will make this a great bedtime favourite and I suspect a great book for grandparents to share with budding gardeners. You can find out more about Dolores and her books and artwork from her website and the books can be bought through the website or from Eason stores nationwide.
http://www.doloreskeaveney.com/

The Ark of Dun Ruah by Maria Burke

Currach books normally publish non fiction Irish interest titles but they have branched out into the children's market with Maria Burke's The Ark of Dun Ruah. This is a tale of adventure and fantasy which will appeal to  children aged 10-13 approx. It features the story of orphaned brother and sister Simon and Kerry Macken who live in the normally quiet town of Kilbeggin, Kerry is a designer and a seamstress and Simon an amateur inventor. They are invited to travel to Fire City by Lady Lumina, President of the Land of Fire who has fallen for Kerry's designing skills. Almost as soon as they set out on their journey strange things begin to happen. In fact Simon had been seeing strange things since before they had left Kilbeggin; a mysterious hooded stranger who vanished before his eyes and a horde of giant eagles who try to attack their owl friend Pod. During their time on the ship the Ark of Dun Ruah they discover that Pod has been kidnapped by Red Beak an evil giant eagle who rules over Eyrie Island. They pair are determined to get their friend back and so they must go to the island and face the deadly evil there. A must read for fans of fantasy I think this will have particular appeal for fans of the Arthur Quinn series by Alan Early.

The Chronicles of Cadaver College: The Book of Ornis by Olive Mooney

This is the First book in a thrilling new fantasy adventure series from Irish author Olive Mooney. The story begins with Simon de Bruin our unlikely hero who finds himself at a pair of tall, ivy clad, iron gates and cannot remember how he got there. As Simon asks to be let in through the gates he is asked for his D.O.D. date of death and as the hell hounds lunge out of the darkness ready to drag him away twelve year old Simon realises that he is in fact now a ghost. Simon wakes up to find that he is now a resident of Cadaver College and as the last in a long line of de Bruin warriors it falls to him to defeat the sea witch Halbizia who has cursed the college. It’s a lot for young Simon to take in but as he learns more about the college and makes some friends including Fi the pirate Princess, Augusta the suffragette librarian and Sir Syl the crusading knight who writes awful poetry Simon begins to prepare for the coming battle.

This is an ideal read for children aged 8-11 and great to read aloud. Perfect for fans of Emily Mason’s ghost detectives and younger Derek Landy fans.

Olive has had great fun reading the book at a number of Primary schools and will be taking part in Kildare libraries Children's Book festival this autumn. Keep up with all her activities and competitions by liking the facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Chronicles-of-Cadaver-College/471999882852387

You can purchase the book from all branches of Dubray Books (Dublin, Bray, Kilkenny and Galway) and all branches of The Book Centre (Waterford, Wexford, Kilkenny, Kildare) or directly from Olive's website http://chroniclesofcadavercollege.com/

April Books of the Month for Mumstown

I got a great response here and on twitter to my choices for March and today I have chosen the April books so I do hope people will read along with me. You can comment here or contact me on twitter or facebook or you can of course comment on the books thread on mumstown.ie.

April Book of the Month for Adults is From this Moment On by Collette Caddle

Collette is a bestselling author who creates vivid characters and believable stories. In this novel she deals with the very powerful topic of bullying in the workplace. If you want to get your hands on this book it is currently on the 1/3 off offer in Eason, it is also available in other bookshops nationwide. It is published by Simon & Schuster UK and generally retails at approx €17.

April Book of the Month for Children is The Ark of Dun Ruadh by Maria Burke, it is published by Currach Press it is a fantasy adventure for kids aged approx nine and upwards. It is available in bookshops nationwide and is a first novel for the Cork author. The book features brother and sister Simon and Kerry so it will appeal to both boys and girls. It retails at approx €12.99 and an e book is also available. If you or your children have read this book feel free to leave comments here.

Smuggler's Kiss by Marie-Louise Jensen

This is Marie-Louise Jensen's sixth novel for children. I have read all but one of her previous books and she never disappoints. If you enjoy strong heroines, historical settings and thrilling adventure then you will love her novels. Smuggler's Kiss delves right into the action with heroine Isabelle about to throw herself into the sea, we don't learn why until she reveals her story later on. However we do discover that Isabelle is rather a spoiled brat, rescued from the sea by smugglers they contemplate throwing her overboard but despite her haughty attitude she might prove useful after all. Forced to help with smuggling lace from France Isabelle finds admiration for the risk the smugglers take and the dangers they face and more than a passing interest in one smuggler in particular. Will Isabelle take the chance to escape, will she be discovered or will she find that the dangers are worth the risk for the chance of a smuggler's kiss. If you are a fan of Historical romance then you won't be able to put this book down. Perfect for fans of Mary Hooper, Eva Ibbotson, Victoria Lamb and Eve Edwards. Suitable for readers 10 and upwards.

Carnegie and Women's Prize for Fiction announced

There are some great titles on both lists, so I am hoping to read as many as I can from each. I was quite surprised  to see that Maggie O'Farrell was not nominated as I thought Instructions for a Heart Wave was outstanding.

Here is the list for TheWomen's fiction Prize


Kitty Aldridge
A Trick I Learned From Dead Men

Jonathan Cape



Kate Atkinson
Life After Life

Doubleday



Ros Barber
The Marlowe Papers

Sceptre



Shani Boianjiu
The People of Forever are Not Afraid

Hogarth


Gillian Flynn
Gone Girl

Weidenfeld & Nicolson   (I have read this and loved it.)



Sheila Heti
How Should A Person Be?

Harvill Secker


A.M Homes
May We Be Forgiven

Granta



Barbara Kingsolver
Flight Behaviour

Faber & Faber



Deborah Copaken Kogan
The Red Book

Virago



Hilary Mantel
Bring Up the Bodies

Fourth Estate


Bonnie Nadzam
Lamb

Hutchinson


Emily Perkins
The Forrests

Bloomsbury Circus


Michèle Roberts
Ignorance

Bloomsbury



Francesca Segal
The Innocents

Chatto & Windus


Maria Semple
Where’d You Go, Bernadette

Weidenfeld & Nicolson


Elif Shafak
Honour

Viking


Zadie Smith   (This is in the TBR pile)
NW

Hamish Hamilton



M.L. Stedman
The Light Between Oceans  (in the TBR pile)

Doubleday



Carrie Tiffany
Mateship with Birds

Picador


G. Willow Wilson
Alif the Unseen     (in the TBR pile)

Corvus Books

and the Carnegie List


The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan (age 9+)  (Read and reviewed)

A Greyhound of a Girl by Roddy Doyle (age 9+) (TBR)

Maggot Moon Sally Gardner (11+)

In Darkness Nick Lake (13+)   (TBR)

Wonder R.J. Palacio (10+)  (TBR)

Midwinterblood Marcus Sedgewick (11+)

A Boy and a Bear in a Boat David Shelton (8+)

Code Name Verity Elizabeth Wein (13+)  (TBR)

Mumstown Books Expert

I have some news I have become the "Books Expert" for mumstown.ie Ireland's premier parenting website, I   am delighted to be involved in a fantastic website which helps parents to connect across Ireland and I hope to help generate discussion about books for all ages, adults and kids.

Here is a link to the Books Forum on Mumstown but you may need to be logged in to see this post or to reply.

http://www.mumstown.ie/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17104

Here is the text of my mumstown update

Hi all,

This is my first every article as the new Books Expert for Mumstown. However I have been here as Bookwitch right form the beginning, can you believe that Mumstown is now 6 years old? Some of you living in or around Drogheda may already know me as Lisa Doyle-Redmond.

I have worked in bookselling now for twelve years, having worked for Dubray Eason and Waterstones. For the last couple of years I have also been reviewing books on my blog http://lisareadsbooks.blogspot.ie/ and occasionally on LMFM radio. So it’s probably fairly obvious by now that books are my passion, so I am very excited about my new role as Mumstown Book Expert.

I would really love members to get in touch and ask me any questions you may have about books; whether you want a recommendation for yourself, your kids or for a gift idea. You can message me here or find me on twitter @LisaReadsBooks or email me lisareads@hotmail.com.

I will be featuring a book of the month for adults and one for kids and I hope to generate discussion about these books and books in general, like an on-line book club.

I will also be posting a weekly feature “Is there a book in you?” This is a week by week writing guide for those who want to start writing fiction. So please get in touch if you have any writing questions.

The first Book of the Month is In a Moment by Caroline Finnerty which is out now from Poolbeg.

This is Caroline’s first novel and it features the story of Adam and Emma whose marriage seems to be falling apart and Jean whose son’s violent outbursts are becoming increasingly terrifying. In a moment the characters lives intersect and are changed forever.

Kids Book of the Month is Back to Blackbrick by Sarah Moore Fitzgerald F out now from Orion.  This is a fantastic debut for older kids and teens which I am sure adults will also fall in love with.

I would love to hear your feedback, about these books and any other books which you have enjoyed recently.

I also included a list of recommended reads for parents and kids

If anyone got a book token for Mother's Day and you are looking for a recommendation please ask. There are so many fantastic books that have just been published. Tell me the last two books you loved and I will recommend a title for you.

In the meantime, here are some suggestions.

The Misinterpretation of Tara Jupp by Eva Rice

From the author of The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets this is the story of Tara lured away from her rural home to the bright lights of London in 1962, she is caught in a whirlwind of music, fashion and love. (Heron Books)

From This Moment On by Colette Caddle

Dealing with the sensitive but topical subject of workplace bullying, Colette is a great writer who knows how to keep readers turning the pages. (Simon & Schuster)

Keeping Mum by Emma Hannigan

Dealing with three mothers and their daughters. Emma is an expert at the family relationship tale. (Hachette Books Ireland)

His Dark Lady by Victoria Lamb

A wonderful Tudor tale for historical fiction fans about Shakespeare's mysterious muse. (Bantam Press)

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Flynn's third novel has been a word of mouth success. If you like crime and psychological drama this will be right up your street. Read the book everyone is talking about. (Orion)

Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths starting with The Crossing Places

This is a series of books (the fifth is out now in hardback) which I recently discovered and they are fantastic. They feature a  forensic archaeologist working with the police to solve crime in rural Norfolk If you want to escape from Scandinavia just for a break although there are some fab new Scandi crime novels out now. More on those later.(Quercus)

FOR KIDS

The Ark of Don Ruadh by Maria Burke is a fantasy for 10 and upwards featuring Irish legends and the supernatural. (Currach Press)

Wormwood Gate by Katherine Farmar is another fantasy this one is set in Dublin. (Little Island)

For younger kids Poolbeg have a great series out now called In a nutshell which retells famous tales current titles include 

The Salmon of Knowledge

The Children of Lir

How Cúchulainn got his name

The Story of Saint Patrick

If you would like more information of these titles or more recommendations, please get in touch or check out my book review blog

http://lisareadsbooks.blogspot.ie/

Back to Blackbrick by Sarah Moore Fitzgerald

Sarah Moore Fitzgerald is a brave new voice in children's literature, she has written academic books before but this is her first book for children and it is assured, strongly written and totally engaging. The protagonist is Cosmo a young boy coming to terms with the accidental death of his brother a few years earlier and his mother's desertion of him to take a job on the other side of the world. Cosmo lives with his grandparents whom he adores but right from page one we know that something is wrong as his grandfather begins to act strangely and forget things. Cosmo tries to help by googling memory loss and using different techniques to help his grandfather remember. However everything comes to a head when social workers and doctors become involved and Cosmo is told that he will have to stay with his uncle Ted for a while. In a moment of clarity his granddad gives him a rusty old key and tells him to go to Blackbrick Abbey. Sneaking away in the middle of the night Cosmo manages to open the gate and on the other side he meets his grandfather as a teenager. Cosmo realises that perhaps his grandfather has given him a chance to change the past and save everything from going wrong. A heartfelt and emotional story which deals with issues deeply personal to the author who lost her father to Alzheimer’s, this is a great read for teens and adults, highly recommended. Thanks so much to Joanna at Hachette Ireland for sending this out to me to review.

The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan

This is an intriguing and highly unusual novel written entirely in verse. It is quite unlike anything else being published for teenagers at the moment. The book tells the story of Kasienka who has arrived with her mother from Poland in search of her father. He has left their home and travelled to England for a new life. Through the poems we are given an insight into how Kasienka perceives her mother's depression and obsession with finding her husband as they wear their boots out searching Coventry for Tata (Father). We also learn of Kasienka's problems adjusting to life in an English school as she encounters prejudice, bullying and finally friendship. Through a friendly neighbour Tata is found and Kasienka learns that she has a stepmother and a baby half-sister. She is now torn between two families. Swimming becomes her refuge and not only is it fun she is also very good at it and winning gives her a new found confidence. The book's greatest strength is as a poignant portrait of the loneliness of a child who has reached puberty and feels not only the weight of her own worries but all the responsibility for her parent’s happiness. Sarah Crossan is a talented author who has already completed her second novel for teens Breathe which is the first of a dystopian trilogy. The Weight of Water is enjoyable and unique and will appeal to children aged eleven and over especially fans of Sita Brahmachari and Annabel Pitcher.

The Demon Notebook

The Demon Notebook

By

Erika McGann

The Demon Notebook is a first novel for young Irish author Erika McGann and it’s aimed squarely at girls aged 9 and upwards. The book taps into the current craze for ghostly stories and it is a well plotted adventure with scares, thrills, friendship and laughs. The story has a similar feel to Emily Mason’s Ghost Detectives and will appeal to fans of that title. Grace, Jenny, Adie, Una and Rachel dabble in Witchcraft  with no real success, but they soon learn a lesson about messing with magic when they accidently unleash a demon from beneath their school and all the spells in their notebook start to come true. It’s spooky, scary and great fun. Erika grew up in Drogheda and used her old school, St Oliver’s as the model for the school in the book. Erika visited Waterstones in Drogheda to sign copies of her book; she is pictured above with my eldest daughter Chloe and her friends.

Ghostly Tales

Ghosts are big news in fiction for teens and tweens at the moment. The ghostly trend has firmly taken over from the vampire craze and seems to be almost as popular as the wave of dystopian fiction currently riding high in the wake of the hugely popular Hunger Games. I am always glad to see ghost stories back in fashion though as I am a huge fan and I envision a surge of interest amongst publishers, booksellers and readers after Celine Kiernan’s triumph at the CBI awards this year winning the book of the year and the children’s choice for Into the Grey on of my favourite books of this year.

There are a number of different kinds of ghost stories available depending on your tastes. If you want to be utterly chilled then Into the Grey, Long Lankin by Lindsay Barraclough and Unrest by Michelle Harrison are for you.

For younger readers though there are some great stories which use ghosts as a narrative device to explore history, examples of this include Spirit of the Titanic by Nicola Pierce and The newly published Ghost Detectives: The Lost Bride by Emily Mason (did you know that Emily Mason is really Rachel Pierce; Nicola’s sister?) this is the first in a series which features four friends on the cusp of their teen years who worry about friendship and fitting in more than ghosts. When the friends perform a ritual as a bit of fun they attract a restless spirit in need of help; the lost bride. This is a light-hearted adventure which will appeal to girls of 9 and upwards.

Another debut to watch out for is Butterfly Summer by Anne-Marie Conway a darker tale than Emily Mason’s it features a young girl; Becky who is confused and worried by her mother’s depression she knows there are secrets being kept from her and her new friend Rosa- May seems to be the only one who understands, but who is Rosa-May and why does she never leave the Butterfly Garden?

Another series of smart, funny, ghostly adventures are the Kitty Slade books by Fiona Dunbar. The feisty heroine of this series does lots of normal stuff; school, blogging, dealing with annoying siblings and a crazy grandma but she also suffers from phantorama; an ability to see ghosts, so she does a bit of ghost busting on the side. The Titles so far are Divine Freaks, Fire &Roses and Venus Rocks and these books will appeal to girls aged approx 10-15.

Also for teens a series I have mentioned before and which I adore are the Angel Kiss books by Laura Jane Cassidy; Angel Kiss and now Eighteen Kisses; featuring protagonist Jacki King who is haunted by the spirits of murdered women. These books are crime thrillers in which Jacki uses her physic gift to help the police. Laura has a fresh and individual voice and her second book won’t disappoint her fans as she continues to develop her likeable heroine taking her away from her small town home and back to Dublin building the tension and danger around her as Jacki solves the murder of another young woman. Although the books deal with a dark subject Laura’s writing is sparkling and conversational. She reminds me of Maeve Binchy and as a long time Binchy fan that is intended as the highest of compliments. The Angel Kiss books are suitable for readers aged 12 and above.

Author interview with Nicola Pierce

Are you from a family of readers and or writers?

I have three sisters and one of them; Rachel is also a writer and editor, her children’s book will be out next year. We all read widely as children and our parents made sure we had plenty of books.

What was your favourite book as a child?

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott was my favourite book growing up. I wanted to be Jo.

So it was an inspiration to you?

Absolutely I wanted to be a writer like Jo and I’m thrilled to able to write for a living now. Writing is a fantastic job.

How did you get into ghost writing?

I was working for Brehon Press and I wrote three history books for them and I heard that John Mooney from Maverick Press was looking for an editor. I called him up and he said “What do you know about Thailand?” I said “I’ve heard of it” He needed a book ghost written in six weeks. It was a big challenge but I ghost wrote three books about Thailand; “The Last Executioner”, “Angel of Bangkwang Prison” and “Miss Bangkok”. I also wrote “Mother from Hell” for O’Brien Press in 2009 and this year I wrote “I was a Boy in Belsen”.

What made you decide to write a Children’s book?

Actually Michael O’Brien asked if I had ever considered writing for children after he read “Mother from Hell”. He suggested a Titanic story. I worked on the story for about six months and then re-drafted for another six months.

So where did you get the idea to write from Samuel Joseph Scott’s point of view?

I had edited a book called “Written in Stone” by former Lord Mayor of Belfast Tom Hartley who does Titanic tours, Tom mentioned that Samuel was Titanic’s first death and he was buried in an unmarked grave in Belfast so I decided to write about him and I felt that his ghost would have wanted to watch the mighty ship being built and launched.

Tell us about meeting Samuel’s relatives

That was a huge shock but a good one, Tom got talking to the right people and a headstone was organised for Samuel and at the ceremony earlier this year I was waiting for it all to begin when a young man spoke to me and explained that he was a relative of Samuel’s. I was stunned, the young man then introduced me to his Grandmother; Samuel’s niece. It was a wonderful feeling and something not many writers ever get to experience.

The Spirit of the Titanic is a hugely popular book and you have been speaking about Titanic around the country in schools, libraries and bookshops have you enjoyed that?

I have, it has been a fabulous opportunity and although I have been nervous about public speaking in the past I am starting to enjoy it now. It has been great to be able to visit schools, festivals, museums and learn more and more about Titanic it is a fascinating subject I even had the chance to travel to Paris to The Centre Culturel Irlandais this year which was fantastic.

Do you have a favourite Titanic movie?

I have to say that “A Night to Remember” the old black and white movie is the best one although the James Cameron film had fantastic attention to detail.

Tell us more about “I was a Boy in Belsen”

“I was a Boy in Belsen” is my most recent book it is the autobiography of Tomi Reichental who is one of the last remaining holocaust survivors in Ireland. I wrote the book by asking Tomi questions and pulling everything together into a narrative. It was a difficult process because much of the story was distressing for Tomi to recall. 

Do you have a favourite author?

Absolutely I enjoy reading a lot of different authors but my favourite writer is Richard Ford and my favourite book is Independence Day. Some other books I really love are Breathing Lessons by Ann Tyler and The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon.

What are reading at the moment?

I am reading Cheever: A Life by Blake Bailey who is my favourite biographer.

What was your book of the year?

Life and Fate by Vassily Grossman

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Read as much as you can and write everyday. Someone once said that they wrote five pages a day and I think that’s a manageable target even if you have other commitments so if you want to write just do it.