Cover illustration: David Dean
Safe adventure
The genre that might loosely be called ‘children’s adventures’ has been a mainstay of children’s fiction for a very long time. Broadly, ‘ordinary’ children, living in the ‘real’ world, undertake exciting exploits way outside those their readers are ever likely to experience. Typically, these fictional children act independently from grown-ups to solve puzzles, thwart dastardly villains and survive dangers, whilst saving their community, family or friends. However, they still arrive home in time for a cosy tea, or similar, almost always involving favourite food. Such books play an important part in many children’s reading. They allow them to experience vicariously thrilling adventure, alongside fictional friends who can nevertheless feel very real, without ever leaving the safety and comfort of home. (That’s why the ‘back in time for tea’ ending is such an important trope.)
Much the same, but much better!
Now the mantle of earlier writers like Edith Nesbit, Enid Blyton and Malcolm Saville, has been magnificently taken up by Natasha Farrant. However, there are very significant differences between this contemporary author and some of her predecessors. For a start she is a much finer writer than some of them. Her story content is more imaginative and far more thoughtful too. This makes today’s young readers particularly fortunate; they can share all the excitement of ‘children’s adventure’ whilst experiencing wonderful quality writing at the same time.
This, her latest tittle is an outstanding example. Of course it meets all contemporary sensibilities and avoids sensitivities too, which many of these older books do not. With ecological awareness thrown in, what more’s to want?
All her earlier books are also well worth exploring.. The many children seeking this type of reading experience will be richly rewarded.