Which
children’s book are you currently reading?
Burn by Patrick
Ness
Can you tell us in two
sentences what the book is about?
It’s
set in an alternate 1950s USA, where Sarah and her father hire a dragon to work
on their farm, unwittingly playing their part in an ancient prophecy.
Meanwhile, there are dragon-worshiping cult members closing in who are being followed by two FBI agents. All eventually meet with Sarah and the dragon, turning the story on its head.
Meanwhile, there are dragon-worshiping cult members closing in who are being followed by two FBI agents. All eventually meet with Sarah and the dragon, turning the story on its head.
How much did you enjoy/are
enjoying this title?
I
absolutely loved it! It was fast paced and fresh with some great twists. While
not the main focus of the book, there was also a complicated yet touching gay
story thread running through it, which is something I always appreciate in
books I’m reading. Patrick Ness has a way of treating characters (and his
readers) with a respect that shines though on the page. He can push characters
to their limits without ever heading into contrived plot points.
What made you choose this title? Was it a review, advertising, the cover, the blurb, the author/illustrator, or the subject/genre?
Although
it was a book I had to read for work, I was a Patrick Ness fan long before I
started at Walker Books and I’ll read anything he puts out.
What other titles
are on your bedside table/To Read Pile?
I
have the unhealthy habit of stopping books part-way through, possibly never
returning to them, even if I was enjoying them. I often drop something I’m
reading for pleasure, to read something for work and then something shiny and
new will come along and grab my attention. I’ve just started the second in the Book of Dust series, The Secret Commonwealth by Philip
Pullman. Shamefully, I’ve only just read Charlotte’s Web, having loved the
movie as a kid but never actually reading the book. I’ve read about half of the
stories in Growing up Queer in Australia,
edited by Benjamin Law; plus of course, a never-ending pile of books for work!
How did you come by these titles: personal choice/request, publisher’s review copy, or other?
I
keep a look out for new books by my favourite authors and I love getting
recommendations from friends and others in the industry – but for the books I
mentioned above I picked them up when browsing bookshops.
Do you have a favourite genre? If so, what is it, and why do you prefer it?
I
have a few favourite genres. I like to
mix them up a bit. I love really whimsical junior fiction and middle grade,
I’ve had a long-standing love of horror (I was a non-reader as a kid – I
discovered Goosebumps, then quickly
went to the Fear Street series, then
on to Stephen King). I’m keen on a bit of pop-nonfiction like Jon Ronson and as
I mentioned earlier, something with a strong queer storyline.
Do you read from printed books
or some other medium? Please expand a little on the why of your choice.
Print
is always the first choice and I usually have an audio book on the go as well.
Reading for work is usually digital.
