It is so exciting to see the Narzat and his friends go on their next adventure together!
Ever since the Narzat was released last year, readers have been asking me about when they can return to the fantastical world of the Jumble Jungle Wood—a place full of weird, wild and wonderful creatures. From the fearsome Ravenoserous to the feisty Looky Lizard (a reptile who communicates entirely in sign language), or the mischievously muddy Narzat himself, it was fantastic to see the response from children (and adults!)
As a primary school teacher, I’d originally written the book to read to my first class—I knew that I wanted a fun and original adventure, with plenty of humour and heart. I wanted Dahl-esque villains who readers would love to hate, unexpected twists, and a unique setting to base it all in. Certain characters were inspired entirely by the world around me. For instance, the Narzat himself came to life after a particularly muddy walk with my son. Meanwhile, the Looky Lizard was inspired by my work in a school with a hearing support centre for deaf children—I’d seen two children having the most eloquent conversation entirely in British Sign Language, and this inspired the insightful and expressive character.
As an author, I’ve felt so lucky seeing how much children and adults have enjoyed these characters and the world of the book itself.
When writing the Narzat and the Shifting Shadow, I was eager to explore where I could take readers next. I knew that there were many more places to visit within the Jumble Jungle Wood, and I also knew how much people had enjoyed the despicable villains of Lord and Lady Snide in the first book. So… how to explore further and include a cast of enjoyably vile villains? It was whilst reading Treasure Island that the idea of ‘jungle pirates’ popped into my head—and the crew of the Shifting Shadow were born!
