I’m A. M. Dassu and I write books for children: everything from picture books to novels. I am beyond excited to be this month’s Guest Editor for LoveReading4Kids because this website is my go-to for reviews and recommendations. I love how each book is categorised and how straightforward it is to find out what age group it’s for and the themes and genres it explores. LoveReading4Kids make it easy to find the book you need - so easy - I have the tallest to-be-read pile. Seriously, it’s as tall as me!
When I was young, I loved books – being around them and admiring the art or photos in them. Even though I was a fluent and confident reader, I felt overwhelmed by long, dense texts and couldn’t start, let alone finish a novel, until I got to secondary school and read them with my class. I’m sure if LoveReading4Kids had been around then, they would have helped find me the perfect read. That’s why you’re so lucky to be here! You can find out more about what LR4K means to me at the end of this feature.
Below, you’ll find an interview, where I talk about my writing and my new book, Wild Journey. I also list my favourite children’s books of all time AND tell you what my Book of the Month is!
Let’s go on a little journey of our own. Happy reading!
Q. Wild Journey is a compelling collection written across five individual short stories. Do you enjoy writing in the short story format, and how does the process differ from creating your longer novels?
A. I love that I can see an end to a short story and because of its length, editing it is so much easier than a novel. But they are also more challenging because there’s less room for character development and your character somehow has to grow and develop in fewer words. Finding the right words is even more important!
With Wild Journey, I made the mistake of assuming the shorter word count meant it would be much easier to write. In reality, I had to research five different settings, come up with five different plots and five wildly different characters – I clearly like a challenge!
Q. Each story vividly captures its individual location. Have you visited all of these places yourself? If not, how did you go about your research?
A. I’ve been to all of them in my dreams, but only two in person. I have been on a desert safari in Dubai, so knew what that might entail, but I still watched YouTube videos by several travellers and tourists who detailed and captured the entire experience. I asked my friend who had been to Marrakech and the Sahara desert to read the story and she assumed I had also been, which was a relief! Researching the Asturias forests was harder as there isn’t much visual information. There is a lot more data on the treks and routes you can take, so I had to really dig to find out what sorts of plants you might find.
Q. Is nature, and the preservation of the wild environment, something that’s particularly important to you? Are you concerned about the impact of human activity on these spaces?
A. Yes, absolutely. We are destroying the planet with our excessive consumption. Starlings travel vast distances across countries and seas; I wanted to explore the different settings that starlings also encounter. I wanted to show how an environment that is very different to what we are used to can also be home, temporarily for us, more permanently for others. I hope the stories inspire readers to find out more about each location and perhaps play their part in preserving it.
Q. You decided to pitch this collection at a younger age group than your usual audience. What inspired that choice, and did you enjoy the challenge? (And can readers hope for more books for this age group?)
A. I have always wanted to write for this younger middle-grade age group, I find it freeing and full of wonder, and the subjects I can explore are limitless. I also loved writing in third person, which is something I never do in my novels. I would love to write more books for this audience. They are truly a joy to meet in schools too!
Q. In all of the stories you explore what 'home' means. What does 'home' mean to you personally?
A. Home, for me, is my family. It doesn’t matter where we are, if they are with me, I am home. In my writing and personally, home is where you are comfortable and confident to be yourself, where you are among people who love you and are there for you and help you feel safe. And that can be anywhere and with anyone; from the dining table in the school hall, to the park, to your living room. It’s all about connection, and I try to show that in my stories in various ways.
Q. The illustrations by Joe Lillington are beautifully crafted, with a striking two- tone palette throughout. How did your collaboration with Joe come about? Did you choose to work together, and what inspired the choice of orange? (it works beautifully!)
A. Joe’s illustrations bring the stories to life and give readers a chance to pause and use a different part of their brain to enjoy the stories. I love how his art and my words work in harmony. Zephyr found Joe and kept me updated with all the visuals and rough drafts Joe sent in, allowing me to be involved throughout and give feedback, even though Joe and I only met for the first time at the Wild Journey book launch! The art director at Zephyr chose the colours and she has done such an incredible job. I am so grateful for the beautiful production of this book.
Q. Joy Court, our LoveReading4Schools reviewer, recommended Wild Journey as an ideal classroom read. (Fight Back is also in our recommended KS2 list) Did you imagine the book might be used in schools in this way? And do you have any advice for teachers and librarians on how they can use Wild Journey to open meaningful conversations with young readers?
A. Thank you, Joy. I loved your review! I would like nothing more than for Wild Journey to be used in schools. There is so much to explore in each story and the entire book too; from the geography and varied locations, to looking at different people and languages, different animals, grief, anxiety, friendship, starting somewhere new from a place of comfort and familiarity, growing families, half siblings, how and why starlings migrate - and human beings too. And there’s so much more!
Q. Could you tell us about your own journey to becoming a full-time writer?
A. I have always loved writing but had forgotten how much after I left college. I wrote poems and short stories in my free time but didn’t really think about getting them published. I thought it would be too hard for someone who hadn’t studied at Cambridge or Oxford. Then 11 years ago, while writing some copy for a friend’s website, I rediscovered my love of writing for an audience and set up a blog which was nominated for the UK Blog Awards in the same year. That gave me the confidence to submit a piece to The Huffington Post for which I became a featured writer. My very first piece was published on the front page, alongside Barack Obama and Lenny Henry.
In 2015, I wrote a picture book inspired by my son’s school friend who always put on his socks before his pants and trousers in the murky, wet swimming bath changing rooms. Every week, I’d tell him to put his socks on last! One day, I was inspired to write a picture book about this boy, entitled Soggy Socks. I read it to my children that night, and they absolutely loved it, and so, I wrote a second, then a third story. I started looking into publishing them and I’ve never looked back. I have finally found the dream career I’d been looking for.
I now write stories about ordinary people who do extraordinary things in exceptional circumstances, and I try to make them hopeful and empowering for my readers.
Q. Your books have received international acclaim - your debut Boy, Everywhere, the follow-up Kicked Out, and also Fight Back, have been listed for more than 50 book awards. Which of your books is closest to your heart, and do you ever plan to revisit the stories of Sami, Mark, and Ali?
A. Ooh this is not fair! It’s like choosing my favourite child – I can’t! Though I can say, I really enjoyed writing Wild Journey, because it was SO different to anything I’ve written before. I’m not sure if I’ll revisit Sami, Mark and Ali – I once said I’d never write a sequel to Boy, Everywhere, and then went on to write Boot It and Kicked Out, so I won’t say never, again!
Q. You’ve long championed inclusion, diversity, and equality in children’s literature, as well as refugee rights. Could you share more about The Other Side of Hope, the literary magazine you patron?
The Other Side of Hope is a literary magazine edited by immigrants and refugees, which celebrates the refugee and immigrant communities worldwide. It’s an extraordinary publication which brings together and publishes writers from all over the world. I’m honoured to be a small part of this project.
Q. When you are not writing, how do you like to switch off, or express yourself creatively?
A. I love to watch TV shows with my children. For a creative outlet, I like to bake or make interesting meals. I love going on long country walks, or for a bike ride.
Q. Finally, what does LoveReading4Kids mean to you?
A. LoveReading4Kids has been with me on my writing journey from the very start, and I’m so grateful for their support and the incredibly important and life-changing work they do. I love that a whole website is not only dedicated to children’s books recommended by former librarians and teachers, but also donates 25% of the cover price of every book sold to a school of the customer’s choice! Such a wonderful thing to do!
We are SO lucky to have you!
LR4K Guest Editor Book Recommendations
I’ve picked my favourite books for all ages, across all genres, all illustrated…
The Missing Piece by Jordan Stephens, illustrated by Beth Suzanna
This is a standout picture book for me because of its stunning rhythm, colour and illustrations. It’s an original story about Sunny whose grandma gives her a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle. When she discovers a piece is missing, she goes looking for it, only to find friendship and family along the way. It is an engaging, enjoyable, thought provoking, heartwarming story, and perfect for reading aloud or independently. Definitely one that children will go back to reread. I absolutely loved it!
Meet the Maliks by Zanib Mian, illustrated by Kyan Cheng
Maysa and Musa are twins, but total opposites. When Maysa isn’t allowed to go to the school trip, she tries to change her parents’ mind by entering the cookie competition, but there’s a mystery to solve! It’s an imaginative story for 7–9-year-olds, with an intriguing plot that keeps you turning the pages. It had me laughing out loud a few times!
Move over Jeff Kinney, we have a new corker of a series to howl over! I laughed on every page of this book, it’s so brilliantly written. Told from the point of view of Loki, who has played too many tricks and has been banished to live on earth as a child, his view on mundane mortal life such as school, lessons, dog walks, playground, even cereal are hilarious. It’s told in a gripping, diary format, where Loki earns or loses points for his behaviour. A complete page turner for 8–12-year-olds, it’s smart, witty and absolute genius. It should be in every school and library!
April lives with her widowed father who has, in recent years, become distant and lost himself in his work. When he takes her with him on a six-month-long research post in the Arctic, she is hopeful he will finally find time for her; she longs for friendship and adventure. Sadly, she soon learns on arrival that her father’s work schedule will mean she’ll see even less of him and he is as grief-stricken as he was back at home. She continues to look after herself, ration food and finds ways to entertain herself on the isolated, cold island. When she meets an injured polar bear caught in plastic drifting in the ocean, she is compelled to help him, and through their encounters she finds the warmth, attention and love she needs. It's a story about friendship, helping others and how that also helps us through our own struggles. I was blown away with this beautifully told, heartfelt story.
Splinters of Sunshine by Patrice Lawrence
For older readers, this is my favourite novel out of Lawrence’s five Young Adult books and I didn’t think that could be possible! Told from the perspectives of Spey and Dee, it’s a dual narrative that seamlessly intertwines and comes together. Patrice masterfully tells a well-paced story with incredible attention to detail. I didn’t ever think I’d be interested in wild flowers, but I was, and the more I read, the more I saw how important they are and how they can also relate to life if you can only see how. We’ve often talked about representation and how we are not a monolith, and this book shows how diverse Black communities are. It’s heartfelt, stunningly written with a brilliant cast of diverse characters who explore racism, identity, belonging, absent fathers, prisons, abuse, neglect and manipulation by gangs. Seriously if there’s one YA mystery you read, make it this one
LR4K Guest Editor Book of the Month
Swanfall was published on the same day as Wild Journey; both books take their characters on a journey of self-discovery. Pip lives in an isolated cottage and doesn’t really fit in at school. He longs to be accepted. At home, among the nature of the wetlands, he can be himself. Pip waits for the annual swanfall, when the flock of Arctic swans migrate for the winter. When three of his favourite swans don’t return, Pip notices strange footprints in the snow and a sense that someone is watching him. A beautifully told mystery leads to Pip finding the courage to explore, and become closer to his school friends to follow clues to an ancient Irish curse he thought was a fairy tale. Full of empathy and with immersive description, you’ll feel like you’re a part of this wondrous middle-grade story, and want to read all of Kirtley’s books!
With huge thanks to A. M. Dassu - our final Guest Editor of the Year. It has been a joy to share your wonderful books with our readers.
Find more books by A. M. Dassu below, including her debut Boy, Everywhere, a LR4K Star Book which will change you and stay with you.
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