Away with the Fairies - Book Four - One Trail, Many Tales

Thank you for your comment Falguni Jain.

I genuinely value all feedback, and I always read it carefully, consider it thoughtfully, and make changes whenever I feel they'll strengthen my work. I promise you that. Your comments did allow me to put into words, for anyone interested, a few things I've long believed about writing for children.

I'm very conscious of using more advanced vocabulary for younger children. I believe a strong storyline provides a wonderful opportunity for children to encounter new words naturally and absorb them almost by osmosis. My own introduction to books came through Beatrix Potter and the Rupert Bear books, both of which used vocabulary that stretched young readers like me. I always preferred to write books that children can grow into, rather than out of.

From this side of the computer, it's difficult to know how much of the material people have read, but the illustrations are all connected to the stories in one way or another, and I hope they add another layer to the reading experience. Humour is, of course, very subjective, but I feel there are many moments of gentle humour woven throughout all my children's books.

Thanks so much, Stewart,

Mary