What Kids Really Think

Lit Crit sites are great for finding out what adults think of your book. But what if you’re writing for kids?

Getting a healthy dose of constructive criticism from your peers is invaluable, but surely its children’s opinions what really matter if you’re ever lucky enough to see your book in the YA section of Waterstones.

With this in mind, I decided to put Dr Rumbolo’s Travelling Freakarium to the test and give it to a real live youngster to read!

Waiting for her verdict was just as nerve wracking than when a grown up opened its pages for the very first time.

This is the e-mail I received from Georgia, aged nine, from Bucks, who according to her SATs has the reading age of a 13-year-old.

Dear Sasha,

Its Georgia here. On July 13th I spent half an hour on the sofa reading your book. I know you want the truth about it and I’m going to tell You.

I loved it and I found it very funny when he fell in donkey poo and I think you have used lots of powerful adjectives like “ The oil lamp spluttered, fighting to stay alight.”

It would be great if you made this into a movie and my favourite bit would be at the end with the chicken-girl.

I want to ask some questions. Please could you send me the other chapters so I can carry on reading it? When will it be coming out and where can you buy it?

You wanted your opinion from a child and you got it.

Love from, Georgia