Lisa Williamson came to writing via the stage, but had always enjoyed making up stories and started to write in earnest in between her acting roles. Her first published novels were pitched to the YA market, sharply observed, painfully honest depictions of young teens, with stories of friendships and all their complications, at their heart. Her debut novel The Art of Being Normal  won the Older Fiction category of the 2016 Waterstones Children's Book Prize. She followed this with three highly readable, realistic and wholesomely heartfelt novels confirming Lisa Williamson as a YA author of remarkable empathy.

Lisa then proved that she is just as adept at writing contemporary stories for younger readers in her new series Bigg School which follows the lives of children as they navigate the highs and lows of starting secondary school. Each title follows a different child in an ordinary class of kids, and all are perfectly observed, warm and funny stories of life in Year 7.

At the start of this new school year we are delighted to welcome Lisa Williamson as our Guest Editor. Lisa has shared her top reading recommendations and has picked a Book of the Month for September 2024, and begins with a letter to her readers....

Hello! 

My name is Lisa Williamson. I write books for children and teenagers and very excitingly, I’ve been invited to be this month’s guest editor!

Ever since I was tiny, I’ve loved books and storytelling. Growing up, I spent hours and hours in my local library searching for my next read. I just know that if LoveReading4Kids had been available when I was younger, I’d have used it A LOT!

I like reading all sorts of things, but as a child, my absolute favourite books were about ordinary kids navigating everyday life. It’s therefore not a surprise that as a grown-up these are exactly the sort of stories I write. My latest series Bigg School is all about the trials and tribulations of being in year 7, and borrows heavily from my own experiences at secondary school. When I sit down to write, I often picture 11 year-old Lisa and try to write the sorts of stories and characters I think she would have enjoyed and related to.

Below you can find out a bit more about me and the Bigg School series. I also share some of my very favourite books. You never know, one day they might be one of your favourites too!

Happy reading!

Lisa x

Do you see any of the Bigg School characters as the lead? Did one story come to you first?
One of the things I like most about the Bigg School series is the way the characters take it in turns to be at the centre of the story. Lola’s story (Best Friends Forever) came to me first. At that point, I had no idea the book was going to be the first in the series but the moment we realised it might be, I knew I wanted Daniel’s story (Double Drama) to be next. At the same time, I knew we hadn’t seen the last of Lola! She not only pops up in Double Drama, she also features quite heavily in Secret Crush (Astrid’s story). The fourth book in the series (Scaredy Cat) is going to introduce a trio of brand-new characters alongside some familiar faces from the first three books.

Do you have particularly vivid memories of the first years of secondary school?
 I do. In fact, Best Friends Forever was loosely inspired by something that happened to me. When I moved up to secondary school, I found myself in a different class from all my friends. Although I did eventually manage to make new connections, there were some definite bumps along the way! I vividly remember how big everything felt and how tiring I found those first few weeks in particular. Looking back, I don’t think I hit my stride until well into year 8, perhaps even year 9.

Are any of the characters you write about inspired by your own young self? Perhaps you feel a particular kinship with Astrid the would-be writer, or Daniel the potential actor? Or are there characteristics in all of them that you share?
I think there’s a bit of me in all the characters I write. Daniel’s involvement in the school play was definitely inspired by my own acting ambitions at his age. A lot of the other details though – Daniel’s home life, his rather toxic friendship with Ollie – are made-up. It’s the same with Astrid. Although her personality is very different to mine at that age, I think we can all relate to the pain and confusion that comes hand-in-hand with an unrequited crush. I was a very shy child and teenager, and so far, all of the main characters I’ve written for Bigg School have been quite loud and outspoken. This is why I decided to make a shy character the lead in Scaredy Cat (the fourth Bigg School book).

Would you write about any of the characters in their teens? If so, whose story would you tell?
At the moment I’m really enjoyed writing about 11 and 12 year-olds. It’s such an interesting time to write about – you no longer feel like a kid, but you’re not quite a teenager either. Having said that, it would be great fun to revisit the characters in perhaps year 10 or 11. Lola is very anti-romance so it would be interesting to see if that changes when she gets older.

You are well known for your award winning YA novels including Paper Avalanche and The Art of Being Normal. What tempted you to write for this middle-grade (9-12) age group, and what are the different challenges and rewards?
The books I read between the ages of 9 and 12 left a real impact on me. Although I continued to read as a teenager, it was these books that truly made me a reader and cemented my love of stories. During lock-down, I was struggling to complete the YA novel I was working on and so took a step back and decided to write the sort of book 11-year-old me would have enjoyed. At that age, I loved books featuring ordinary children navigating everyday things like friendship, family and school (e.g. Just as Long As We’re Together by Judy Blume and Dear Mr Henshaw by Beverley Cleary) so that was my blue-print. The eventual result was Best Friends Forever. The initial challenge was adjusting my voice and tone to work for a slightly younger age group. A bit of trial and error was needed! Once I’d mastered that though, the writing process came really naturally. I remember so much about being 11 and have loved being able to pour so many of those memories and emotions into the Bigg School series. One of the biggest rewards has definitely been getting to meet a brand-new set of readers. The possibility that my books might have a similar impact to the ones I enjoyed at 11 is a privilege and a joy.

Did you have a favourite book or series that got you through your teenage years?
 Lots! I’ve already mentioned Judy Blume and Beverley Cleary, both incredible authors who never ever spoke down to their readers and always wrote with such warmth and honesty. I would also include Paula Danziger in this category (I loved her books about Marcy Lewis). In terms of long-running series, I was a big fan of the Babysitters Club books. I really liked the way that each book featured a different character as its lead. And finally, for a bit of escapism, you couldn’t beat Sweet Valley Twins and Sweet Valley High!

What is the book you wish you had written?
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. Everything about it is perfect and I recommend it regularly. I also adored Stead’s more recent Goodbye, Stranger. She’s a phenomenal writer.

One in three of all books sold is a children's book, yet children's books only get a fraction of the review space in the media. Why do you think this is - and what can be done?
Because our press is geared towards an adult audience, it’s easy to see how and why children’s book coverage is side-lined. It’s frustrating because so many wonderful children’s books don’t find their audience because they’re relying so heavily on individual booksellers making recommendations or word-of-mouth, both of which can take time to build momentum. I’d love supermarkets to be bit braver in their buying and stock more non-celebrity penned titles. It would also be great to have more TV coverage. There are now several book review shows for adults. It would be brilliant to have a kid’s version (or failing that, a kid’s segment).

What does LoveReading4Kids mean to you?
Choosing the right book for the right child can be overwhelming. I know I certainly would have really appreciated having access to a resource like LoveReading4Kids when I was younger. With so many schools lacking a full-time librarian or even a library, LoveReading4Kids is more important than ever in helping to plug this gap and give parents and teachers the knowledge and confidence to select books for the young people in their lives.

Top 5 Children’s Books of All-Time:

1. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead – the most perfect children’s book I’ve ever read. Read it and you’ll see what I mean!

2. Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson – Woodson is one of my favourite writers and this memoir of her childhood in the wake of the civil rights movement is beautiful and absorbing.

3. The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton – this story of a magical tree and its colourful inhabitants made me fall in love with books and reading as a small child. A live-action film is in the works, and I cannot wait!

4. Starring Sally. J Freedman as Herself by Judy Blume – Blume writes children like no one else. This tale set in post-war Miami is full of her trademark wit and wisdom. Glorious!

5. The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13 ¾ by Sue Townsend – easily one of the funniest books ever written. It captures the torture and joy of being a teenager perfectly.

My September 2024 recommendation: I’d like to recommend The Boy in the Suit by James Fox as my Book of the Month.

With money tight, 10 year-old Solo’s mum Morag is forced to come up with imaginative solutions to their money woes, like crashing funerals for a free meal! Solo meanwhile is desperate to fit in and be normal for a change – not easy when you’ve just gone viral for all the wrong reasons. With the cost-of-living crisis affecting more and more of the population, this book could not be better timed. Honest, funny and touching, Solo’s story will stay with you long after the last page.

Readers of the Bigg School books will be familiar with The Scribble Society, a creative writing club where the children can have fun and experiment with making up their own stories, much as Lisa herself had always enjoyed. Lisa has created a brilliant pack with ideas for creative writing sessions, designed to spark a love of writing - click on any of the Bigg School below and you can download your own pack...and start scribbling!

@lisa_letters

You can find a selection of Lisa's books below - read our expert review, download an extract and add it to your basket, knowing that with every purchase on LoveReading4Kids a school close to your heart benefits.