Laura Ellen Anderson has a gift for creating quirky but immensely lovable characters and sending them on adventures that are exciting, comic, gorgeously illustrated and wonderfully inventive. 

She is the author and illustrator of the much loved Amelia Fang series, the magical Rainbow Grey stories and the hilariously silly Evil Emperor Penguin graphic novel series about the cutest evil genius in the world. It is clear that Laura always has lots of fun creating the characters and plots for her books, and her latest creation, Marnie Midnight is a joy to read. We are delighted to welcome Laura Ellen Anderson as our Guest Editor for the Month.

Hello wonderful readers!

I feel so lucky to be able to share my stories with you all. Ever since I can remember, I’ve been writing stories and drawing my own characters. To be able to invent a new world and bring a whole cast of characters to life from my imagination is one of best feelings!

When I create my books, I focus on all the things I love in life, from cheeky pumpkins and Halloween antics, to the wonders of weather magic, the marvellous mysteries of minibeasts, and of course, my favourite lunar neighbour - the moon. When you write about things you’re interested in, and that you love, all of that joy shines through the writing, allowing the reader to enjoy all of those things too.

I often find that my characters become like my best friends. As they go on their adventures I learn more about them and sometimes I am faced with complete surprises! That is the beauty of being a writer – you never really know what the outcome of a story will be, even if you plan every last word. There are so many twists and turns, just like real life! Every sentence provides an opportunity for something new; something exciting, keeping me on my toes! I never, ever get bored of writing stories and illustrating them. It’s like creative food for me! And I hope that my stories can feed YOUR imagination and inspire you to follow your wildest dreams.

Always be inspired and read books that bring you joy!

Laura Ellen Anderson

Q. Marnie Midnight and the Moon Mystery is the first in a new series about a little moth who has the most magical adventures. Tell us a bit about Marnie and her friends from the Minibeast Academy.

A. Marnie Midnight is kind, loyal and enthusiastic moth, but most importantly she is determined to follow her dreams! Marnie believes in what she wants to believe in. I have had SO much fun creating my very own version of the minibeast world with Marnie Midnight, and her best friend Floyd Flombiddium (part bee-part ladybird & the joyful face of Flombiddium’s Famous honey) and Star Vonstrosity – princess of the seven ant hills and NOT to messed with. These books are my love letter to the moon, the moths and to always staying true to yourself.

The second in the series, Marnie Midnight and the Great Critter Contest, is released this month with more fantastic adventures.

Q. In amongst the gorgeous illustrations and exciting storytelling, Marnie and her friends learn a lesson that winning isn't always the most important thing. Do you like to include a message within your stories?

A. I always like to include a gentle, heartwarming message within my stories. Whether the characters are vampiric creatures, weather people or minibeasts, I try to make them relatable in some way. I think it’s so important for readers to be able to empathise with a character they’re reading about and come away from a book feeling fulfilled. My hope is that readers will take away something positive from my books and interpret the text in their own way. Certain aspects of my work may mean one thing to one reader, and something else to another. But as long as it brings joy and inspiration, that’s what really matters.

Q. Marnie Midnight is perfectly pitched at children starting to independently read for pleasure. What is the secret to making the ideal chapter book?

A. I think what makes a chapter book popular can come down to a few things. Chapter books that are jam-packed with illustrations, vignettes and fun borders are always appealing. They bridge that gap between picture books and older middle-grade novels. The illustrations break up the text, making it seem less daunting when beginning to read independently. I find it’s great to have short, snappy chapters that keep the reader wanting more, sprinkled with adventure, fun and the odd bit of peril!

Q. In between her studies at the Minibeast Academy, does Marnie Midnight enjoy reading and does she have a favourite author or book?

A. Marnie LOVES to read. She is a big fan of anything to do with the moon. In Marnie’s minibeast world, her favourite author is Lunora Wingheart, the brilliant moonologist who flew all the way to the moon to discover the ancient book of moon spells! But in our world, I’m pretty sure Marnie is a big fan of a beautiful picture book called ‘Moon: Night-time Around the World’ by Britta Teckentrup.

Q. Hopefully we don't have to wait too long until book 3! What is next for Marnie?

Book 3 will be publishing in Spring 2025 – so I’m sure that will be here before we know it! Marnie and her friends have another BIG adventure waiting for them. We find out a bit more about Floyd’s past, meet a lovely human and maybe we’ll finally find out what kind of bug Ron is!

Q. How important is humour to your stories?

A. I love writing funny books. For me, humour is very important in my writing; balanced with the right amount of emotion and sincerity. I’ll try not to add humour for no reason. I like to add the funny bits when I feel they will really be appreciated. I have always been very inspired by Pixar animated films, who have such a wonderful mix of humour and heartfelt moments.

Q. Vampires, witches and nighttime creatures - your books are filled with gothicy magic. Did you enjoy this sort of story when you were younger, and do you read gothic literature now?

A. I ADORED anything to do with magic and witches when I was a little girl. One of my most favourite books of all time is The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy. I was obsessed with the idea of attending Miss Cackles Academy with the brilliantly fun Mildred Hubble and even the fearsome Miss Hardbroom! I have always been drawn to witchy-gothicy style stories, and funnily enough, I’ve recently read a fantastically magical book called Threadneedle by Cari Thomas. I’m soon to start her much anticipated sequel Shadowstitch. I can’t wait to delve in!

Q. In addition to Marnie Midnight, you have created a number of other brilliantly fun adventure stories including the best-selling series Amelia Fang. For those new to your stories, who is Amelia Fang?

A. Amelia Fang is a little vampire with a BIG heart. She is a kind character with a loyal pet pumpkin, and when she grows up, she wants to be a pumpkinologist and help out poorly pumpkins. She goes on lots of wonderfully wacky adventures with her best friends, Florence Spudwick (a rare breed of yeti NOT to be confused with a beast), Grimaldi Reaperton (the cutest grim reaper you’ll ever meet) and Tangine La Floofle the First (Future king of Nocturnia, and ALWAYS living his best life!) Amelia Fang always makes time for her friends, and no matter what, will always see the best in everyone.

Q. What's in your summer reading pile?

A. LOTS! I am excited to start Shadowstitch by Cari Thomas. I have lots of books on the go at once… I am currently reading Dreamstalkers by Sarah Driver, and an early copy of Witchspark by Dominique Valente, which is due to be published soon. All of these books are oozing with magic with a sprinkle of gothic beauty! There are so many I want to read!

Q. What does LoveReading4Kids mean to you?

A. LoveReading4Kids is like the superhero of the book world. Helping to get more books into schools is an incredible thing – better than magic I’d say! LoveReading4Kids can and will change so many lives for the better. As a creator AND an avid reader, I appreciate your hard work and can’t thank you enough for recommending my books to schools. Thank you for providing a safe, secure and positive place we can buy books and do good at the same time.

As our Guest Editor, Laura has these five BRILLIANT books to recommend to her readers:

The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy
One of my favourite books of all time, The Worst Witch ticks every box for magic, friendship and fun! Mildred Hubble will win your heart and you’ll forever want to go to Miss Cackle’s Academy.

Arkspire by Jamie Littler
Reading this book is like riding an epic rollercoaster and never wanting it to end! Action, adventure, MAGIC, incredible world-building and an other-worldly creature with attitude! It’s a page-turner and highly addictive.

The Beast and the Bethany by Jack Meggitt-Phillips (illustrated by Isabelle Follath)
An absolute bundle of beastly hilarity, I LOVE this book so much. Quite the dose of dark humour, but always with a twinkle in its eye. Isabelle’s illustrations bring the characters to life perfectly.

Victoria Stitch: Bad and Glittering by Harriet Muncaster Gloriously gothic with delicious scene-setting and wonderfully illustrated characters. This story takes place on a miniature scale, but makes a HUGE impact, and will leave you hungry for more glittery goodness (or should I say, badness) from Victoria!

Mr Penguin & the Lost Treasure by Alex T. Smith Alex’s books never disappoint, and you are guaranteed a right laugh! Mr Penguin is no exception, with excellent illustrations taking centre stage and a fabulously twisty mystery at its heart.

And Laura has chosen Colin's Castle by Holly Swain as her Book of the Month for August 2024.

As soon as I saw the cover for this book, I knew I'd love it. I fell head over heels for the character of Colin the vampire straight away. Holly Swain has created such a unique picture book that is bound to become a favourite for years to come. It reminded me of the wonderful picture books I used to read as a child, filling me with nostalgic joy! Colin's Castle is gentle and hilarious, and the illustrations are full of so many wondrous little details. Colin is a utter DELIGHT.

You can find Laura's bestselling chapter books and picture books below, with extracts to take a peek inside the books, reviews from our Kids Reader Review Panel and some brilliant how-to-draw activity pages. Click on the books and find out more. 

Follow Laura on social media:
X: @Lillustrator
Instagram: laura_ellen_anderson