14 raring2go.co.uk 15 Raring2go! WHAT’S ON Raring2go! PANTO DIRECTORY FREE 30-DAY TRIAL readingeggs.co.uk/bts30 Scan QR code for 30-Day FREE trial *This 30-day free trial offer allows you to add up to 4 children. You will be charged at the end of the trial period unless you cancel before this time. You can cancel any time by selecting the ‘Cancel Subscription’ option located on the ‘Manage My Subscription’ page in your family dashboard. Offer is valid for new UK customers only. Ages 3–9 Learning Maths Nurture an early love of maths with structured lessons and activities that build essential maths skills. Ages 7–13 Building Confidence Older children can continue building key literacy skills that will help them succeed in school. Ages 3–7 Learning to Read Children follow structured, one-on-one lessons that teach phonics, sight words and reading skills. Ages 2–4 First Steps Delight your toddler with fun games and activities that build alphabet knowledge and ready-to-read skills. Ages 5–10 Mastering Phonics Fast-paced lessons cover key phonics skills, perfect for both emergent and struggling readers. Try the multi-award winning online reading programme for kids aged 2–13. Reading Eggs makes learning to read easy and fun for young kids, and it’s proven to work in just 15 minutes a day. Perfect for back-to-school preparation and cleverly designed to grow with your child, 91% of parents see an improvement within just a few short weeks. Raring2go! READING Young adult author Alex Foulkes, has just released her second novel Rules for Vampires: Ghosts Bite Back, a ghostly spectacular just in time for Halloween! Raring2go! Editor for Burton and Ashby Alice Johnson caught up with the Stoke-on-Trent local. Local YA Author Releases Second Book in Rules for Vampires Series Q: Congratulations on the launch of your second YA novel! Tell me about what adventures Leo and Minna get up to in ‘Ghosts Bite Back’. A: Thank you so much! I’m so excited for everyone to join Leo and Minna again, as the ghostly activity in the Dreadwald didn’t end with book one! In ‘Rules for Vampires: Ghosts Bite Back’, Leo finds herself summoned to the Ghostly Realm to stand trial for the death of the wicked Orphanmaster. Unfortunately though, this happens on the night of the Blood Moon Banquet, which is a VERY fancy vampire event being held at Castle Motteberg this year. Leo must separate her body and her soul to venture to the Ghostly Realm with Minna, and return before Lady Sieglinde – her evil, powerful vampire mum – finds out she’s missing. Q: How does Minna develop as a character? A: Minna is a really important character in ‘Rules for Vampires’, and she’s absolutely at the heart of the story again in Ghosts Bite Back. We’re meeting a Minna this time who is figuring out what it means to be a ghost, really honing her abilities and finding her place in this new world. It isn’t easy for Minna, to say the least, and she has a lot of self-doubt. For Leo’s part: it can be really hard when your friend is going through something that’s totally different to everything you know. Ghosts Bite Back is really about Leo learning to properly understand what Minna’s life (or lack thereof) is like, now that she’s a ghost. Q: What kind of feedback did you have from young readers on the first book? A: The response to ‘Rules for Vampire’s as a new series has been really overwhelming! As a new author I’m really keen to receive feedback. It’s been so lovely to see young readers enjoying these characters and this world. My hope writing them was that readers might imagine that they are Leo and Minna’s friend, having adventures in the Dreadwald. The letters and drawings I’ve received seem to tell me just that! I do cry a lot. I’m quite a soft person and it makes me so happy that something we’ve worked so hard on has been so well-received. Q: Is this the start of a series of novels? A: We’re never saying never for a book three in the Rules for Vampires series! Q: What’s next for Minna and Leo as characters? A: I just HAVE to write more. I’m currently working on an extremely exciting new adventure, where Leo and Minna will be sent off to fancy vampire boarding school! Imagine a place where you learn both manners and vampire combat. It’s already looking HUGE and so exciting! In the meantime, I have a new project in the works that I’m hoping I’ll be able to talk about very soon – because I can hardly keep it in! I’m also continuing my journey in developing my visits to libraries, bookshops and (my favourite!) schools. If anyone would like a school visit where we get VERY VAMPIRIC all year round, please get in touch. I would love to meet you! Turn to page 29 to win a copy of Rules for Vampires: Ghosts Bite Back!
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDA0NjA=