Maisie Chan - Author Interview (Q&A) - Keep Dancing Lizzie Chu - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books #26

 

Hello Everybody! This week we have another wonderful interview; I'm delighted to introduce Maisie Chan, who is the author of Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths. Her latest book is Keep Dancing Lizzie Chu and was only published this month (June 2022) by Piccadilly Press. In this interview, we are given a fantastic insight into the author, her relationship with her stories, and the characters of the books. I have really enjoyed reading the author's responses to the questions and hope these inspire you to pick up a copy of the book, which can be purchased HERE.

• Your recent novel is called Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu and will be published on 9th June 2022 with Piccadilly Press. How did you pitch this book idea to the publisher?

When I sold Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths I had to pitch a second book. I wrote down a one page pitch about a Chinese goddess who comes to earth but she's had enough with being a goddess and wants to be human. That book isn't Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu! However, I did want to keep the aspect of having a Chinese goddess in a more contemporary story. I had also written a teen novel about a girl who looks after her grandfather who has dementia, so I tried to put the two ideas together. I then wanted to infuse it with popular culture as I felt that TV and films had been a blessing over the lockdowns. 

• Have you based any of the characters in the story on real people?

Well, I have some experience of being a young adult carer who looks after an older man, so I guess Lizzie has some links to me. Chi and Tyler her best friends aren't based on people I know. I did name some characters in the book using the names of my friends but the characters aren't them. Wai Gong (grandfather) is loosely based on my dad Ron, who had dementia and used to see someone he called 'Angel' so that sort of made it into the plot! 

• There is a mention of sausage sandwiches in the plot; what would be Lizzie Chu's favourite sandwich fillings? 

Lizzie loves roast dinners, so I reckon she would like roast chicken (with the skin on) on some white crusty bread with butter, maybe with a smear of mayo. 

• Lizzie comes up with an idea in the book to take Wai Gong on the trip of a lifetime to Blackpool. Why Blackpool and did you visit it as a child? 

I used to go to British seaside towns a lot as a child. We didn't have money to go to fancy places like....Benidorm! We would go to Blackpool on the coach and see the illuminations. We also went to Rhyl and Barry Island a lot. I remember there was a swarm of flying ants one summer. It was my worst nightmare! 

(Maybe that could be a good topic in a future book?)

• Your first book was called Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths. What did you learn from writing this book that helped you to develop Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu? 

I had much less time to write Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu than I did Danny Chung. My editor was there from the beginning, which wasn't the case during the early drafts of Danny Chung. I think having an expert there in the early stages really helps so there are fewer drafts needed as they can steer you in the right direction a bit earlier. What I did differently with Lizzie Chu was to have a much stronger opening chapter where there is more action and tension. 

• You are a British Chinese author who lives in Glasgow, are there any particular aspects of your cultural heritage that may we find in the characters and the plot? 

There are fewer British Chinese cultural elements in Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu and this was because unlike Danny Chung, I wasn't trying to introduce British Chinese culture to those who didn't know much about it. I wanted the story to be about a girl who really wants to do a nice thing for her grandad, and they're fairly British in the sense that they speak English to each other and aren't always eating 'Chinese' food (which to Chinese people is just called 'food'!). There are aspects of Chinese stories in the book. I used to dress up as Guan Yin when I was a storyteller, she's the goddess of compassion and mercy. So there are stories about her that are Chinese. She's one of the most beloved Chinese deities. Later on, I put in the Journey to the West story which is one of the most famous Chinese novels of all time. So the journey of Lizzie and the gang, mirrors the journey in that famous story which has the Monkey King in it. 

• I love a good dance, what music would you and Lizzie Chu dance to?

I think Lizzie would dance to Cha-Cha-Slide which has elements of the cha cha cha but also is funky! I really like all kinds of music, old-school hip hop, RNB, Soul, Pop, World Music and Classical music. I like dancing, but I'm definitely not great at it! I can't do routines! But I can freestyle! 

• How important is it to write books for children and do you think there is a place for adults to read and enjoy them as well?

Writing books for children is very special. I think there are multiple levels of things going on when you write for children. The most important is the story. Then books can promote empathy. Some children can see themselves for the first time when reading my book. That's important to me as I didn't have a book like Danny Chung or Lizzie Chu when I was growing up. There was nothing at all, and they still remain very few books like mine out there which is a shame. I've had many adults tell me that they enjoyed Danny Chung and I think Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu will appeal to adults too, especially if they like Strictly Come Dancing! 

Website: www.maisiechan.com

Twitter: @maisiewrites

Insta: @maisiechanwrites

Tik Tok: @maisiechanwrites

Hannah Moffatt - SMALL! BLOG TOUR - What Next For Harvey Small? (Everything With Words)

Hello everybody! Welcome to the final stop on the Hannah Moffatt blog tour. This post is about the main character Harvey Small and WHAT NEXT? This brilliant book is now available to buy and READ.  However, if you need any more encouragement to purchase a copy then you can check out our BOOK REVIEW HERE. All the stops for the blog tour are at the bottom of the post if you have not had the chance to check these out already. Anyway, without any further ado, if you are sitting comfortably and ready for unspeakable trouble then you have come to the right place!

Hmm, what next for Harvey Small? That’s a hard question to answer without giving away lots of spoilers! So, what can I say?

First up, don’t worry. Book one doesn’t leave you hanging. Stories that end on ‘you’ll never guess who was at the door’ moments feel unfair on readers who’ve picked up a book expecting a complete story. So, although I drop a big hint about what might come next, I hope you’ll feel excited rather than frustrated.

With that in mind, here are some ways I’ve tried to pave the way for a sequel without putting readers off. (If you’re writing a series, feel free to try them, too.)

Leave room to explore

The Stinking Sinking Swamp is a big place. One of the reasons I don’t feel done with Harvey yet is that I want to visit more of the world beyond Madame Bogbrush’s School for Gifted Giants. A second story gives me room to roam. I hope you’ll come with me.

Create characters you want to hang out with

I love Harvey’s relationship with his giant best friend, Walloping Toenail. A sequel gives that friendship time to grow. So far, we’ve seen Harvey struggling to fit in a giant’s world. But what will Walloping do if his lifelong wish to be an explorer is scarier than he expected? How will he cope if the rest of the world really is too small for him?  

Whatever happens, I know Harvey and Walloping will stick together, no matter what scrapes they get in.

Build a boomerang problem that can keep coming back

There are two levels of problem in Small! There are the one-off problems, that have to wrap up nicely to make the end feel satisfying. They include answering the obvious questions:

• Will the giants figure out Harvey’s not a giant? 
• Will Harvey’s bad luck change?
• Will Madame Bogbrush’s School for Gifted Giants pass the Beastly School Board inspection?

Then there’s what I’m calling the boomerang problem: the one that goes away when the book ends but could easily come back to clonk Harvey on the head if he’s not careful.

In Small! the child-stealing threat from the Unspeakable Circus is that boomerang. So, expect lots more unspeakable trouble in Harvey’s next adventure. You’ve been warned!

The Best Children's/Kids Book Picks June 2022 - UK - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Elen Caldecott - The Blackthorn Branch - Published by Andersen Press (2 Jun. 2022) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1839132032 - Paperback - Age: 8+ 

Cassie’s older brother Byron has fallen in with the wrong crowd – it’s soon clear these boys are wild, reckless and not human at all. They are tylwyth teg – Fair Folk, who tempt humans down into the dark places of the world. And Byron is tempted.

When he goes missing, Cassie and her cousin, Siân, follow his trail to an old abandoned railway tunnel which goes down and down into Annwn, the underworld. Here they find that the tylwyth teg are restless – and angry. Their leader, Gwenhidw, wants to protect Annwn from the damage humans are doing to the world. Byron is part of her plan. But Cassie won’t let her big brother be part of anyone’s plan. Can she rescue her brother before it is too late?

Kate Gilby Smith - Olive Jones and the Memory Thief - Published by Orion Children's Books (23 Jun. 2022) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1510108523 - Paperback - Age: 8+ 

Olive Jones has just inherited her grandmother's memories - through a mysterious new device called a Memoriser. But her grandmother has left her a mystery in those memories. And now it's up to Olive to solve it.

After her grandmother's funeral, Olive learns she has inherited something unexpected: her grandmother's memories.

Olive is surprised - her grandmother wasn't a cuddly, affectionate kind of grandmother. Curious about what she might discover, Olive sets out to 'watch' the memories. But before she can, they're stolen right from under her nose. Olive can't understand why anybody would want to steal the memories. As far as she'd known, her grandmother had always lived an utterly ordinary life.

Following the trail of the thief, Olive begins to discover that her grandmother's life wasn't what she thought. As she unravels the secrets lurking in her grandmother's past, she discovers clues Grandma Sylvie left her. It's up to Olive to solve the mystery of the memory thief, and in the process, learn about the incredible life and adventures of the grandmother she has never really known.

Lindsay Galvin - My Friend the Octopus - Published by Chicken House (2 Jun. 2022) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1913696405 - Paperback - Age: 8+

England, 1893, and aquarium fever is at its height.

Twelve-year-old Vinnie Fyfe works in the tea-shop at Brighton aquarium, and waits for her milliner mother to return from Paris.

The arrival of a giant octopus changes her life for ever. Discovering a talent for art, Vinnie begins to draw the extraordinary beast.

She soon realises she can communicate with the octopus through colour and – as a gripping mystery begins to unfold – discovers what true courage really means ...

Alastair Chisholm - The Consequence Girl - Published by Nosy Crow Ltd (2 Jun. 2022) - ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1839941207 - Paperback - Age: 8+ 

A thrilling, unputdownable adventure, from the highly-acclaimed author of the Waterstones Children's Book Prize-shortlisted Orion Lost and the Blackwell's Children's Book of the Year, Adam-2.

The world of Colony is in ruins. No one knows what caused society to begin tearing itself apart - but the secret may lie with Cora, a girl living on the mountainside far away from others. Cora possesses an extraordinary gift: the power to see back in time, from an event back to its causes. Even more incredibly, sometimes she can change events. But the present is looking for Cora, and she is forced on the run - and must decide who she is, what she can do ... and how to fix the future.

With incredible twists and turns, and a hugely gripping story, The Consequence Girl is a brilliantly-imagined, ambitious and high-concept adventure from one of the most exciting new voices in children's fantasy and science fiction.

Hannah Moffatt - SMALL! - Book Review - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

 

This is one of the most original stories you will read this year. Small! is the debut book by Hannah Moffatt and will be published by the giant story machine (Mikka) from Everything with Words. It will be available to buy from the 16th of June 2022. This book is a masterclass of storytelling; it stands tall with its humour, silliness, and total chaos. It is a story about Harvey (a small boy with a big heart in a GIANT world) who is expelled from school after accidentally setting fire to his headteacher's trousers. 

ARE YOU READY? It's time to strap on a pair of STILTS and walk into the swamp and the land of giants, although you might need to hold your NOSE first! Harvey has to look for a place where he can belong. He finds himself in the strangest of places - Madame Bogbrush's School for Gifted Giants. This book is a GREAT adventure story; a MAHOOSIVE mystery riddle needs to be solved to save the school from being closed by THE BEASTLY SCHOOL BOARD. However, it is also a journey about finding friends in the most UNLIKELY of places. 

I loved every page of this book. It has a BONKERS plot that will entertain everyone. In fact, as I write this book review, I have an infectious smile glued to my face as I reflect on the crazy storylines. It is a great family read to enjoy and savour over a cup of bogweed tea and SWAMP FISH sandwiches. The book is a great illustrative delight due to its black and white illustrations by Roy Walker. They work in perfect harmony with the story by adding a new dimension. 

This book tackles issues of friendship, bullying and how to deal with parents who divorce or separate. It is sensitively done and just adds a little emotion to a big story that is high on laughs and first-rate rule-breaking. It's a delight to read a creative, heart-warming, and imaginative story that also contains massive amounts of silliness. 

This book has everything you need to make it a favorite read for everyone. It contains a fortune teller in the cellar, a giant's guide to grunting and the great ring mistress of the unspeakable circus. It stands out from the crowd and on the bookshelf because even though the title on the book cover is SMALL! the text is so SOOOO BIG. Anyway, it's time to join the party and have a big guffaw so grab a copy this summer and enjoy one of the best reads of the year. 

Hana Tooke (Author), Ayesha L. Rubio (Illustrator) - THE MIDNIGHTERS - Book Review - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

 

The best stories feel like dreams... This is the second middle-grade book by Hana Tooke. THE MIDNIGHTERS has the power to transport you in your dreams to one of the best places in the world; the world of fantasy and make-believe. This book really is magnificent - you only need to hold and see the proof copy to know that it is going to be a great read. The book will be published on 23rd June 2022 by Puffin Books; the cover has been illustrated by Ayesha L. Rubio. I'm really looking forward to seeing the final hardback copy once it's been published. 

Streetlamps looked like fallen stars is one of the first lines in the book. As soon as you read these words, the magic and the power instantly transport you into a world of awe and wonder. This is a gothic story full of magic, invention, and intrigue. The dark and unsettling nature is so delicious to read and savour, it really is spellbinding stuff. The reader follows in the footsteps of the leading character happily wandering the streets and alleyways.

Ema Vaškov is the twelfth child to be born into an extraordinary family in extraordinary circumstances. She has the gift to predict events before they happen. However, will the bad omens come TRUE? Set in Prague in December 1877, the story uncovers secret midnight adventures with a mystery girl called Silvie. Unfortunately, she suddenly goes missing providing the opportunity to uncover the secrets of her disappearance and her identity. This story will really take your breath away; it'll steal your heartbeat as you cycle on one of Josef's handmade boneshaker bikes. It's full of places that will make your imagination explode and dazzle whilst the plot is so thick with possibilities you will not what to miss this adventure. 

This book is a true delight and one of the best reads of the year. It's a story full of adventure, friendship, facing fears, and finding out who you really are. It's time for you to find the secret society and go behind the four different doors: The Dreamer, The Illusionist, The Bone Sculptor, and The Astronomer. Each place contains a pinch of magic, a splash of the macabre, a dollop of invention, and a world full of wonder. You will not be disappointed - this is a truly enchanting read that is up there with the very best. 

You can buy the book HERE. 

Alake Pilgrim - Zo and the Forest of Secrets - Book Review - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Are you looking for a fantastic read this summer? Then look no further as we definitely have the book for you. This is a fantastic middle-grade adventure - a Caribbean masterclass of storytelling - by debut children's author Alake Pilgrim. Zo and the Forest of Secrets will be the first book as part of a new series which will be published on 2nd June 2022 by inclusive publisher Knights Of. The story is based on the island of Trinidad & Tobago which gives this plot a wonderful backdrop to base the story. It really gives it a multicultural infusion as it breathes life into the story with descriptive panache.   

The story has been inspired by the idea that "every child deserves to be the hero of their own stories". Lenny Henry raised a similar point recently stating that he wanted to create characters that young children could identify with as this was something he found difficult as a child. As an avid young reader, he often wanted to go on a fantasy journey with a character that looked and felt like him. Therefore, it's important that books provide children with a sense of enjoyment but also enable them to identify with the story whether this is through the characters, settings, story themes/topics etc. In this book, the author reflects the connections with different countries to her own island of Trinidad & Tobago. 

There are a number of topical and important themes that are covered in this book such as family, friendship and eco-consciousness. However, what I really loved about this book is its brilliance and uniqueness - it's 100% bonkers. The story starts with a shroud of mystery and strange unexplained visions. When Zo finds a lost boy called Adri drowning in the river, she must uncover the mysteries of the forest to find their way home. The journey brings more surprises including a spider with a mechanical twitching arm called Cap'n Peg! This character actually brought tears to my eyes as I was laughing so much. I'm really looking forward to more antics in the next book through the eyes of the main character and their unusual cluster of spiders

The synopsis does not really do this book justice in my opinion. What the story has to tell is a different narrative. It's a read for a seasoned armchair explorer willing to undertake a fantasy exploration through an exotic forest. Expect to encounter an abandoned facility that may hold a few answers whilst encountering a cavern full of disturbing nightmarish creatures called X. You'll dance, skip and hop from one dangerous situation to another whilst smelling the flora and fauna along the way. You'll fully immerse yourself in colour and song as you join one of the best imaginative fantasy journeys this year. Take my advice and give this book a read. You can pre-order from all good bookshops.