
I have a confession to make – I love reading children’s fantasy novels, particularly middle-grade fiction. Probably not all that surprising considering I am a primary school teacher librarian. However, one series has stood out recently and made me question – Is this the next big thing since Harry Potter?
Of course, I am talking about none other than the Nevermoor series written by Sunshine Coast author Jessica Townsend. The Nevermoor series features the trials and tribulations of the female protagonist Morrigan Crow. Morrigan, or Mog for short, is a cursed child who is destined to die at midnight on Eventide when she is whisked away to the magical land of Nevermoor by the mysterious Jupiter North. Here she discovers she has a mysterious magical power and becomes a member of the elite Wundrous Society.
The first novel in the series Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow is a multiple award winner that broke records in Australia as the fastest-selling children’s debut novel of all time. A movie adaption of the novel is currently in progress. The next novel Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrgian Crow followed a year later, prompting comparisons to J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter phenomenon.
It was in anticipation of Townsend’s newest release in the series, Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow that got me thinking. What is it about this series that is so special? What sets it apart from other novels? Could this be the current generation’s Harry Potter moment?
“Townsend has something of Rowling’s knack for memorable characters, of balancing darkness with whimsy and building from scratch the geography and politics of an immersive fictional world.”
Linda Morris, Sydney Morning Herald
For me it comes down to the ability of Townsend, as was the case with J.K. Rowling, to create the following:
Universal Appeal
The adventures of Morrigan and her friends in Nevermoor appeal to both children and adults alike. As well as broad appeal, the work of Townsend has experienced popularity and success around the world. For me, this is an essential ingredient. The ability to transcend audiences and markets is an important step in creating a transmedia success story. With the first Nevermoor movie in the works, it is only a matter of time before Morrigan Crow and Jessica Townsend are household names.
Quirky Characters
Like Harry Potter, the world of Nevermoor has many quirky and interesting characters from the antagonist Ezra Squall to the benevolent Jupiter North and Fenestra the Magnificat. The relationships Morrigan develops with the other characters, particularly her friends from the Wundersociety adds to the appeal of this novel. This was also the case with Harry and his friends from Hogwarts.
Darkness and Light
A good children’s fantasy novel successfully combines elements of darkness with lighter humorous moment sprinkled throughout. The presence of Morrigan’s antagonist Ezra Squall looms in the background as did Voldemort in Harry Potter. For me, the Nevermoor series strikes just the right balance – a little bit scary but not too much.
Escape to another world
Townsend has created a detailed, magical world that allows readers to escape from their everyday lives. The strange happenings of Nevermoor has both children and adults coming back for more. With another six stories planned in the series, Morrigan Crow is bound to become a household name.
Final Thoughts
As I begin reading Hollowpox, I do think bigger things are ahead for Morrigan Crow and Jessica Townsend. I may be a little biased, but how wonderful would it be for a series containing a young female protagonist written by an Australian author to be the next shining star in children’s literature? Afterall we could all use a little light relief amid a global pandemic.
There is definitely something quite clever and amazing about Townsend’s Nevermoor series. A recent podcast interview with Jess (https://thegarretpodcast.com/at-home-with-jessica-townsend/) reflected the extent to which this series uses the ‘darkness and light’ element you mentioned as a platform to make big issue topics, such as equality, exclusion and bigotry, accessible to her young readers. Despite the fantasy escapism involved in entering the world of Nevermoor, Morrigan, her friends and her new adopted family are confronting issues that face many in the real world. In a year like the one we’ve had, its refreshing that novels like this are being written! (From Penny Waring)
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Thanks Penny – I will have to listen to that podcast now. You’re right, Townsend is very clever at how she weaves fantasy with reality.
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This was a really interesting read. I am looking up this series right now! I have an 8 year old daughter, and am constantly on the look out for books to read with her that have strong female protagonists who will inspire her. It is refreshing to read about a series that has female characters, that is aimed at young girls that isn’t about fairies, princesses or unicorns. Every time I look for a new series, I seem to find books aimed at young boys. Don’t get me wrong, I love that authors have answered the call to write books that will engage boys in reading, but I do feel that the scales have tipped in the other direction, where every other series is about a boy with little to no strong female characters. I’ll definitely be ordering a copy of this book, and can’t wait for the movie to come out!
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I’m sure you will love reading it with your daughter!
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Oh Kelly, I am so pleased that you love the Nevermoor series too! Initially I had to ‘sell’ it as “like Harry Potter, but with a girl as the star – and did you know the author is young and from the Sunnie Coast?” However, I found that it still wasn’t being borrowed, and I couldn’t work out why. Then I found out that they wanted a copy to keep forever, and I can’t argue with that logic. My adult daughter is living so very far away at the moment, and Nevermoor is one of our shared loves. We were chatting on Twitter about a place in London she’d found that was linked to the books, and next thing @digressa was involved in the chat! Talk about connected learning. If you ever have a chance to watch her interact with students, she is one of the best – kind, respectful and so enthusiastic. There’s a fan fiction site too https://nevermoor.fandom.com/wiki/Nevermoor_(book_series) that might provide some inspiration for readers. PS Did you know not only does Nevermoor have a girl as the main protagonist; but there are also some normalised LGBTIQ+ elements? Gotta love Jessica Townsend, she tackles big ideas in such creative ways.
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I’m glad you love it too Anni! So many levels to this story. It will be a great fit for next year’s Book Week Theme – Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds.
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PPS Hollowpox – reimagines the role of the librarian in such brilliant ways. When I grow up I want to be a Bookfighter (p.245)
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oh I do so much miss being a TL!
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