When I was a child, the authors of the books I read were mysterious people. Little in the way of biographical detail was appended to their stories, there were no signings in shops, no question and answer sessions at literary festivals, and no school visits. Today's young readers have access to the writers they enjoy in a much more direct way, and with authors on tour, like pop groups, fame increases and fan clubs proliferate.
Last year Julia Golding visited my younger daughter's school to talk about The Diamond of Drury Lane, her fast-paced historical novel for children of around ten years and upwards. She was an instant hit and was so much enjoyed by Harriet and her classmates that several of them went to see her appear at last summer's Edinburgh International Book Festival where she talked about the two series of books she's working on and involved her audience in games based on her characters.
Set in late 18th. century London, the story centres on the orphan Cat who has been brought up in the colourful surroundings of Sheridan's famous Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. The plucky heroine demonstrates great loyalty and courage in her exciting adventures in and around the theatre, and the reader gets an easily digestible and vivid lesson on the issues of slavery, women's rights, republicanism, and social equality together with much fascinating social history.
Reading this book at Harriet's request, I can quite see why she pounced on the sequel, Cat Among the Pigeons, and is eagerly awaiting the arrival of the third in the series, Den of Thieves
