MEET THE AUTHOR
Kristy Nita Brown is a Western Australian author, writing junior fiction books and delivering creative writing, independent publishing and film making workshops at libraries and schools. Today we’re pleased to be chatting to Kristy about the first book in her Mavey and Beth’s Double Act series: Where’s My Whistle?, illustrated by Alison Mutton.
The author provided Alphabet Soup with a reading copy of Where’s My Whistle?
About the book:
The Year Two song has whistling in it, and Mavey can’t whistle. To make matters worse, Mavey’s twin sister Beth has a mighty whistle. Terrified her classmates will laugh at her, Mavey and her family devise a plan to get Mavey whistling. Will Mavey learn how to whistle in time for the big concert? Or will Mavey’s toot stay mute?
First things first: can you whistle?
I can whistle. I remember my dad showing me how to whistle. We lived in the bush, so I had plenty of long car rides to practise. But Mavey and Beth’s Double Act: Where’s My Whistle? isn’t about me. It’s based on my eight-year-old daughter who can’t whistle. When she found out she was the only kid in her class that couldn’t do it, she was very upset. Together we searched the Internet for different ways to whistle. Do you know some adults can’t whistle too?
The book includes some interesting facts about whistling – did you write the storyline first or did all those whistling facts give you the idea for the story?
At the back of the book I included facts about whistling, a pan flute activity and the Skipping Song to play on the recorder. These came last. The story came first, from watching my daughter struggle with the feelings that come along with being unable to do something your friends can.
We learn that Mavey’s favourite subject at school is Music. What was your favourite subject when you were at school?
Music was one of my favourite subjects growing up because I played the flute. Every Saturday, I went to flute lessons at the Fremantle Music School. Then, on some Sundays, I performed with other kids in a small ensemble. My best friend at primary school also played the piano. We both loved music together. In high school, my favourite subject was small business. Because I sold lollies and washed the teacher’s cars, and made lots of money!
Do you have a tip for young writers who’d like to try writing their own chapter book?
My tip for young writers is to read as many books as you can that are similar to what you want to write. Then pick your favourite and follow the structure as you write your own story. Most chapter books have a similar number of chapters and word count. Usually, something happens in each chapter to move the story forward. At the end, the story is resolved in a way that the person reading it learns something, or feels good. Hopefully, following this structure will help a young writer get to the end, because I think finishing the story is the hardest part.
What’s next for Mavey & Beth?
I’m toying with a couple of ideas for the next Mavey and Beth book. I know the cover will be green and blue. I can picture the twins on the cover. But I’m not sure if the story will be about Mavey getting her ears pierced, a birthday party mishap, or a swimming lesson disaster. What do you think?
Where’s My Whistle is out now! Find a list of stockists at the author’s website.
AWESOME EXTRAS
Watch the book trailer for Where’s My Whistle? [YouTube]
Visit the author’s website for more about Kristy and her books
Visit the illustrator’s website for more about Allison and her books
And now AL Tait passes the baton to the next Friday visitor — James Foley. James is an illustrator and an author-illustrator. His most recent book is a graphic novel, Brobot.
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