Maria de Jong on Ride North and animal books for tweens and early teens

 

Witty, quirky and incredibly moving, Ride North is perfect for older middle grade readers and was an easy pick for our Macaw boxes this month. The story is set in New Zealand with brilliant characters (human and animal) and plenty of action and suspense – we loved it! Here author Maria de Jong tells us about being inspired by her sister and which other books for young people with human-animal friendships at their heart she recommends you read next. 

 

What inspired you to write Ride North?

 

Tooth was getting restless – if I hadn’t written him out of my head he would have kicked his way onto the page.

 

Are any of the characters or events based on real people and their experiences?

 

There’s a bit of my sister in Tooth, though I’ve never seen her open a gate with her teeth.

 

Would you say the book has a happy ending? Why or why not?

 

For the sake of a spoiler-free read I’ll have to go with an uncooperative ‘no comment’ here. Sorry!

 

What do you hope young readers will take away from the story?

 

A true friend goes the distance.

 

Can you tell us anything about what the future holds for Folly and Tooth?

 

A lighter heart for Folly, good grazing for Tooth?

 

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

 

It’s the age of ‘forever reading’. You never forget the books you loved at this time.

 

Do you have a favourite place to write?

 

I mostly write at a purposely small old school desk parked up against a blank wall to try and avoid clutter and distraction (it’s cluttered, I get distracted, sigh).

 

Which other stories for young people featuring human-animal friendships would you recommend our subscribers read next?

 

King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry  – the lifelong bond between a mute horse-boy and a swift-footed colt from Arabia;

Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver – will make you wish you had flint arrows and a bow and could speak wolf like Torak;

Race to the Death by Annelise Gray – girl chariot racer series puts you right in the Circus Maximus;

Old Blue by Mary Taylor – miraculous true story of how a conservationist and one black robin saved the rarest birds in the world;

The House at World’s End by Monica Dickens – ramshackle farmhouse! Animal menagerie! No grown-ups!!

 

Copies of our Ride North 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!

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