Ciara Geraghty on Wanda Broom and funny fantasy books for kids

We are delighted to share a magical (and slightly mischievous) conversation with Irish author Ciara Geraghty as she talks about her hilarious new children’s book and this month's Parakeet pick, Wanda Broom — a laugh-out-loud fantasy adventure perfect for newly independent readers. In this enchanting story, Wanda’s mother is a disastrously clumsy witch whose failed spells force the family to move yet again, this time under the watchful eye of the World Wide Web of Witches & Warlocks. Packed with quirky characters, heart-warming friendships, and plenty of magical mayhem, Wanda Broom is a must-read for fans of funny fantasy kids’ books. Here Ciara shares the inspiration behind Wanda’s world, her favourite character to write, and which other funny fantasy books she recommends you read next.

What inspired you to write Wanda Broom?

I usually write books for adults and when lockdown happened, I got a bit of writers’ block and I found it difficult to work. I was going through some of my old notebooks to see if I could find something that might help. And that’s how I came across some notes I had written, way back in 2004, about a witch’s daughter named Wanda who just wants to be an ordinary girl with an ordinary family. I immediately started writing the story and my writers’ block vanished as if by magic!

Which character was the most fun to write and why?

I loved all of the characters for different reasons but I have a soft spot for Gran. She throws food at situations! The meals she cooks for Wanda and her mother sounds so awful (Beetroot ice cream anyone?) but she does it with love and finds lots of ingredients in nature which I think is pretty cool. 

If you could have cast any spell when you were at school, what would it have been and why?

There was one teacher at school who was a bit like Miss Flint except way worse. Turning him into a mouse with Luna in the classroom would have been fun to watch…

What lessons would you say Wanda learns?

Wanda doesn’t want to be a witch’s daughter. She doesn’t want to stand out and be different. So she keeps a low profile, keeps herself to herself. In spite of all this, she ends up making a friend in school. Tanya teaches Wanda that two is better than one when you’re up against the higher-ups in the World Wide Web of Witches and Warlocks. 

Can you tell us anything about what the future holds for Wanda and her family?

I have lots of plans for Wanda and her family but my editor gave me strict instructions not to divulge any of that just yet…you’ll just have to wait for the second book to come out (sorry!).

Why did you choose to write books for this age group?

To be honest, I just wrote the story as it came out of my head and onto the page. It was my editor who decided what age group it was suitable for. I mean, my mam read it and loved it and she’s VERY old…

Do you have a favourite place to write?

I write in the attic. I love it because it’s at the top of the house and nobody can be bothered to climb all the stairs to get here so I have all the peace and quiet I need to write.

Which other funny fantasy books for younger readers would you recommend our subscribers read next?

This is such a hard question. There are so many great books for kids these days. Look out for great Irish authors like Una Woods, Shane Hegarty, Nicola Colton and Sheena Dempsey, they’re all brilliant!

Copies of our Wanda Broom pack, including a copy of the book and loads of fun activities to go with it, are now available for individual purchase. Grab a copy while stocks last!