Crowvus Book Blog

 Welcome back to Middle Grade Monday! Today, I'll be discussing how to deal with adults in middle grade fiction because, and I hate to break this to you, kids just don't want to read about adults stealing all the fun. Consider your favourite books from when you were younger. Mine was The Moon of Gomrath by Alan Garner. It's a story about a brother and sisters - kids, of course - who have magical adventure in the English countryside. There's danger, magic and battles. What's not to love? And yes, there are adults. But they are kept on a very short lead by the author. The most powerful character in the book, debatably, is Cadellin. He's a wizard who has a startling knowledge of the secret world of magical beings. He would find it so much easier to win in the end, but it has to be Susan and Colin (the kids) who are the centre of the book. So, what can you do with adults in middle grade? How can you make sure they get out the way? Some authors take the orphan option...

 I'm sorry I haven't posted a Middle Grade Monday post for a few weeks. The summer holidays have been in full swing and we have been far from idle. At the start of the holiday, I published the sequel to my debut novel. "Taking Wing" came out in July 2019, and it's a great relief to have launched "Doorway to the Sunset" which continues the story. Not only does it feel great that it's finally out there, but it was super to be back with those characters again. The Feather Down series is a story I tried multiple times to write. Slightly different over the years, of course. Each time, I could never get beyond the first couple of chapters. I don't know what about "Taking Wing" made it stick. Perhaps because, by then, I was older and had more writing experience. Perhaps because I was teaching children who were the same age as my ideal audience. Either way, "Taking Wing" continues to be the book of mine that sells the most. Freya, the...

 Firstly, I apologise for not posting a Middle Grade Monday blog last week. It was quite a crazy time, with my exam on the Monday and the Music Festival all week. But I wanted to make sure I got this blog up on the right day! Today, I'll be discussing how to put magic into a setting, particularly for middle grade books. One of the key points to make is that magic is not unusual for children. It is quite normal for a class of children to believe that magic exists, and this has both benefits and drawbacks. The benefit is that you don't have to spend as long persuading the reader that a magical place is relatable. The drawback is they already have a set idea as to what magic is like and, if you want to go outside the box as many authors do, it can cause problems. When planning how to put magic into your setting, you can ask yourself some questions: Is the whole world magic, or just select places? Perhaps there is an underwater kingdom of magic, while the folk on shore are just lik...

I'm sorry this blog is later than usual! Truth is, I'm on holiday at the moment and a little tired and sore with all the walking and gardening. Not that I would change a thing - it's been a wonderful few days! Today, in our Character series, I'll be looking at what makes a good Friend character. The poor Friend never gets a great deal out of the story and I'm afraid this blog is going to be shorter than normal, so I feel like I'm adding to the Friend's misery. Sorry! What do I mean by a Friend character? To explain what I mean, it's handy to think in terms of the Oscars. The 'Best Actor/Actress' category would go to the person playing the main character, of course. The 'Best Supporting Actor/Actress' category would go the person playing either the villain or the friend. It's a basic explanation, but it's a start. We've already talked about the villain ( here ) so let's focus on the Friend. Dos and Don'ts Do allow Frien...

  Happy Monday and welcome back to our Middle Grade Monday series: genres! Today, I'll be sharing a couple of hints and tips for writing science fiction for children. I'm not a sci-fi author, so I'll be addressing this mostly in terms of being a primary teacher. When teaching about genres to children, it is often a struggle to explain the difference between fantasy and science fiction and, in fact, these two genres often get muddled together in awards and libraries etc. The explanation I landed on was to say that fantasy was things that cannot happen. Science fiction, on the other hand, is things that cannot happen... yet! That all important word at the end leads to my first tip. 1) Science fiction needs to be believable. You need to convince your middle grade reader that it could actually happen, perhaps to them! You do this by explaining anything that may seem magical or far fetched. This, in turn, leads onto the next tip... 2) A knowledge of science really helps! When do...

Bl u e by Caroline Allen What is the book about? Maisie-Grace lives on the edge of a forest which suits her perfectly as she can talk to trees. Her best friend, Blue, is a Douglas Fir tree. Not only can she talk to trees, but she also has predicting dreams which she hides from her mum. When their landlord has to cut down the forest for logging, Maisie-Grace must try to save the trees. Why this book? Two reasons, really. 1) Environmental issues are important. More books need to be published with this message. 2) The blurb gave the impression of an exciting adventure story, and I do love a good upper middle grade adventure book that I can get my teeth into! My thoughts The book deals with a very important issue, which needs bringing to light around the world. Environmental issues is a theme I can get behind one hundred percent, and I think needs to be included in more children's books.  I feel like the target age for this book is incorrect. Blue  is marketed as a middle grade bo...

Characters in Middle Grade: The Main Character Every story needs one! Main characters in middle grade books follow similar rules, but there are some things worth mentioning that are more specific to this age range. Here’s a (somewhat brutal!) guide to developing middle grade main characters. Age Children generally don’t want to read about adults… they just don’t. Why would they? When I was a child, it was clear that adults got to go on more adventures than I did. They could choose where they went. If they wanted to run away with a magical ring to Mordor, then they could just up sticks and leave. Children don’t have that luxury. But this also goes the other way. Children don’t usually want to read about younger children. A ten year old will be more interested in reading a book about 10-12 year olds that 7-8 year olds. So, when you’re writing a middle grade main character, make sure you age them in the same small bracket as your intended reader. Personally, I liked to age my protagonists...

 It's weekend again! That means it's time for another Positively Weekend post! Let's be positive about the writing and publishing world. Today, I'm talking about why I love to write for younger readers, in particular 10-12 year olds. 1)  Imagination Kids have a greater imagination than most adults. Yes, they perhaps can't show it as eloquently as mature people can. Yes, adults don't always understand what kids are trying to say. But their imagination is lively and unique. An adult sometimes gets upset if a child draws a picture of a battle, but more often than not this is just a story that is playing out in a child's mind. Writing for kids is so rewarding because they add their own imagination to the story. 2)  Uncomplicated To make a good children's book, you need an engaging plot and believable characters. The ethical themes and unusual dialogue is what will engage the parents and teachers, but children really only care about an entertaining story. Thi...

I'm thrilled to be taking part in the book tour for this really enjoyable book "Mrs Murray's Home" by Emily-Jane Hills Orford! Mrs Murray's Home Blurb Home is where the heart is, or so they say. It’s also been said that a home is a person’s castle. But home is also with family and friends. Mrs. Murray longs for home, the family home, a castle an ocean away. The Brownies also crave for home, the same castle Mrs. Murray considers home. And Granny? Mary’s Granny hasn’t been home since she was Mary’s age. It’s time to visit the homeland, Scotland. Mary’s excited to tag along with Granny, Mrs. Murray and the Brownies. And then there’s the witch. The one they thought they’d killed. And the treasure. The one they had found. And it all ties together, for better or for worse. Join the adventure in book 3 of the popular “Piccadilly Street Series”. Review I loved most of the characters, in particular Brunny. He seemed human (although, of course,...