A Children's Book: Filling It With People
In writing stories for sons in the early 1970s, the challenge
arose of developing a group of central characters capable of capturing
youthful imaginations and stimulating a desire to follow their further
adventures. Personalities needed to be briefly but strongly sketched, as
young minds cannot be expected to read through subtle novel-length
character development, but it was important for the characters to have
thoughts and feelings as well as actions. It was realised that the
central characters in a children's book may be nominally adult, but they
are essentially children with whom young minds can quickly identify.
King Freddie the Umpteenth is conceived as a reluctant post-Magna Carta monarch. He would like to take all the important decisions but is constrained by his inability to read and write, although he feels this essential skill is really just within his grasp. Like all medieval kings he has an ambiguous relationship with his counterparts in neighbouring countries, cautious affection tinged with mistrust. His keenest affection is reserved for his pseudo Persian blue cat, Alexander. He relies heavily on his prime minister, Merlin the Whirlin, but is jealous of Merlin's ability to read and general astuteness.
Merlin is the wisest man in England and feels he has a firm hold on power because King Freddie cannot manage without him. Although short in stature, Merlin wears a tall pointed hat that reaches higher than Freddie's crown. He has a long white beard and wears a coat with a fur collar that reaches to the floor. Unfortunately, Merlin suffers from a compulsion to chew his fur collar, an addiction which he struggles to overcome. As a follower of Archimedes, he is prepared to tackle a difficult problem in the bath, and he takes a keen interest in all advances in science and technology.
George, the central character, is an impoverished knight who lives in a derelict castle in Gloucestershire. He has an old horse that should be put out to grass and a manservant, Jack, whom he cannot afford to pay. Even when he is appointed patron saint and minister for the environment, George's salary is too small to substantially change his situation, although Jack does get sixpence a week. He would dearly like to get a new suit of armour and a helmet with a visor that doesn't keep falling down. In fact, he would like to be like his predecessor as patron saint, Cuthbert.
Cuthbert is the quintessential medieval knight, dressed in a splendid suit of shining armour and mounted on a powerful white stallion. Cuthbert loves to joust although he isn't much good at it. He isn't much good at anything. King Freddie likes him but comes to realise his shortcomings, at one time trying to persuade him to apply for the job of coaching the French national jousting team.
Two other characters play important roles. George's manservant, Jack, is a retired seaman and 'Jack of All Trades', full of peasant wisdom and practical knowledge. He once sailed with Salty Biscuit, now Sir Salty Biscuit, First Sea Lord and principle nautical adviser to King Freddie. The rest of the cast are too numerous to mention here, and must await the reader between the covers of the book.
King Freddie the Umpteenth is conceived as a reluctant post-Magna Carta monarch. He would like to take all the important decisions but is constrained by his inability to read and write, although he feels this essential skill is really just within his grasp. Like all medieval kings he has an ambiguous relationship with his counterparts in neighbouring countries, cautious affection tinged with mistrust. His keenest affection is reserved for his pseudo Persian blue cat, Alexander. He relies heavily on his prime minister, Merlin the Whirlin, but is jealous of Merlin's ability to read and general astuteness.
Merlin is the wisest man in England and feels he has a firm hold on power because King Freddie cannot manage without him. Although short in stature, Merlin wears a tall pointed hat that reaches higher than Freddie's crown. He has a long white beard and wears a coat with a fur collar that reaches to the floor. Unfortunately, Merlin suffers from a compulsion to chew his fur collar, an addiction which he struggles to overcome. As a follower of Archimedes, he is prepared to tackle a difficult problem in the bath, and he takes a keen interest in all advances in science and technology.
George, the central character, is an impoverished knight who lives in a derelict castle in Gloucestershire. He has an old horse that should be put out to grass and a manservant, Jack, whom he cannot afford to pay. Even when he is appointed patron saint and minister for the environment, George's salary is too small to substantially change his situation, although Jack does get sixpence a week. He would dearly like to get a new suit of armour and a helmet with a visor that doesn't keep falling down. In fact, he would like to be like his predecessor as patron saint, Cuthbert.
Cuthbert is the quintessential medieval knight, dressed in a splendid suit of shining armour and mounted on a powerful white stallion. Cuthbert loves to joust although he isn't much good at it. He isn't much good at anything. King Freddie likes him but comes to realise his shortcomings, at one time trying to persuade him to apply for the job of coaching the French national jousting team.
Two other characters play important roles. George's manservant, Jack, is a retired seaman and 'Jack of All Trades', full of peasant wisdom and practical knowledge. He once sailed with Salty Biscuit, now Sir Salty Biscuit, First Sea Lord and principle nautical adviser to King Freddie. The rest of the cast are too numerous to mention here, and must await the reader between the covers of the book.
Older Children and teenagers will enjoy reading the humorous
tales of Saint George: Rusty Knight and Monster Tamer, as he serves as
minister for the environment under King Freddie and prime minister
Merlin the Whirlin. The first book of a trilogy will appear in September
2015.
http://www.bookguild.co.uk/childrens-c-3.html
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