Five minutes with... Edith Pattou

From the cover of North Child

6 December 2012

North Child is a beautifully-written fairy-tale for older readers, and one of our favourite books this month. We spoke to author Edith Pattou about where the idea for the story came from.

Where did the inspiration for North Child come from?

My favourite fairy tale as a child was the Norwegian story 'East of the Sun and West of the Moon'. It was only a few pages long but I loved the intrepid heroine with no name who set out on a formidable journey to rescue an enchanted prince. When I grew up I decided I not only wanted to give her a name but also tell her story, or what I imagined her story would have been.

How did you go about researching the novel?

As the story unfolded it led me onto all sorts of unfamiliar pathways, like mapmaking and the Arctic and weaving and compasses and Norway in the 1500s, etc., so I became a sponge, absorbing as much information as I could on all those topics. I found many many books, as well as internet resources, and I even went to Norway to research its history, as well as to experience traveling by ship through a fjord which was magnificent!

Why do you think folk and fairy-tales continue to have such enduring appeal for readers of all ages?

The word that immediately jumps to mind is 'timeless'. Fairy tales have classic themes of good vs. evil, as well as quests, enchantments, and finding one’s way in a difficult world.

Which books and authors have particularly influenced you as a writer?

I was profoundly influenced by C S Lewis whose Narnia books I discovered at a young age, as well as J R R Tolkien. I am also a big fan of the elegant writing of Rosemary Sutcliffe and the wonderful imagination of Diana Wynne Jones. I am also an admirer of American writers Robin McKinley, Ursula Le Guin and Lois Lowry.

Where and when do you write?

I write every day from 10 to 2 and the place tends to shift around, but lately I’ve been working in quiet rooms of local public libraries. I love libraries!

What advice would you give to an aspiring children’s writer?

My first bit of advice is to read voraciously, and then to commit to a schedule of writing at least a little bit every day. Also, I think it is important to keep a notebook and to finish things.

What are you working on at the moment?

I am working on the sequel to North Child. It picks up nine years after North Child ends and follows Rose on a new adventure.

And finally … (just because it’s nearly Christmas), what is your favourite festive children’s book?

An old classic that I loved as a child is The Story of Holly and Ivy by Rumer Godden. I am also very fond of Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry. And it wouldn’t be Christmas Eve without an out-loud reading of 'The Night Before Christmas'!

Take a look at our list of great children's books for Christmas

Edith Pattou

Edith Pattou is the author of three award-winning fantasy novels for young adults. She is also the author of the New York Times bestselling picture book, Mrs. Spitzer’s Garden.

She was born in Evanston, Illinois, grew up in Winnetka, and was a teenager in the city of Chicago where she attended Francis W. Parker School. She completed her B.A. at Scripps College in Claremont, California where she won the Crombie Allen Award for creative writing. She later completed a Masters degree in English Literature at Claremont Graduate School followed by a Masters of Library and Information Science at UCLA.

She has worked for a medical association, a clothing boutique, a recording studio, the Playboy Foundation, a public television station, a school library, two public libraries, two advertising agencies, and two bookstores. She has lived in Chicago, Los Angeles, Denver, Durham, NC, Cambridge, England, Stockholm, Sweden, and currently resides with her husband, Charles, in Columbus, Ohio.