A number of adult writers now write books for a younger audience including Kathy Reichs, John Grisham, Philippa Gregory & Neil Gaiman. But this is the first time that Ruth Rendell has ventured into the wilds of writing for younger readers.She has just published a lovely little hardcover book full of stories about her cat Archie, the neighbours dog, Archie as well as numerous other cats & dogs who live in her street.
Initially, Rendell planned the book to be read by new-to-English adult readers and illiterate adults, but the marketing is now pushing this as a younger readers early chapter book.
Which explains a lot about the curiosities within this sweet little book.
The narrator voice sounds rather old-fashioned, the writing is very precise and clear and there are no children present anywhere, at all. Each vignette is beautifully crafted, delightful and quaint in a very English way.
I suspect adult lovers of cats and dogs and Ruth Rendell will snap this little treasure up, but I'm not a 100% sure that younger readers will appreciated the ye olde world charm so evident in this book.
I've heard that writing a children's book is harder than one realises. Curious to see how established writers succeed in this genre. Good subject choice,,,cat's and dogs are always ' reader magnets' !
ReplyDeleteI'm always intrigued by kids books by adult writers. Margaret Atwood has one. I'm just about to read one by Ian Fleming. There are many others of course. I didn't know that Kathy Reichs or John Grisham had. I'll certainly keep an eye out for this one. I'm always a sucker for cat stories.
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