Our visiting author is Julie Leung, author of the Mice of the Round Table series. Her latest release, Voyage to Avalon, hit the shelves on October 3rd. Julie LEUNG was raised in the sleepy suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia, though it may be more accurate to say she grew up in Oz and came of age in Middle-earth. She works in book publishing as a digital marketer. In her free time, she enjoys furtively sniffing books at used bookstores and winning at obscure board games. Her favorite mode of transportation is the library. We hope you enjoy her “little” take on P.O.V.

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One of the most fun aspects about writing the Mice of the Round Table series is the opportunity to envision how a society of small woodland creatures might repurpose a human-sized world to fit their needs. Rings became crowns, walnut shells became soup bowls, and socks became bedding. It wasn’t always easy, and many times I had to use visual references by Googling YouTube videos of real life mice to make sure the physics and the scale worked.

The more I got immersed in the minutiae, as it were, the more I appreciated the freedom of having a smaller point-of-view. I could focus on unique details like what color shoes Queen Guinevere might wear when a mouse runs across the floor. Best of all, I could imagine how the smallest of creatures might be able to play a critical role in a legend that we all know and love.

Here are some writing prompt ideas, inspired by my time writing Mice of the Round Table, to help encourage more of your own play with perspectives and point-of-views.

  • Take an everyday human-sized object like a ping pong ball, feather, or spoon, and reimagine how different animals might use it in their lives. What is a broom to an elephant, for example? A back scratcher?
  • Rewrite a famous scene from a book or play, but through the eyes of a very minor character. For example, how would the story of The Odyssey be different if written from the perspective of an anonymous crew member just along for the ride.
  • Tell a story from the perspective of a place or inanimate object through a period of time. How does a tire swing experience the seasons? What’s a day in the life of an art museum painting like?
  • Write about a family going through a journey or a tragedy but from the perspective of the family pet. For example, how might a dog cope with a road trip or a divorce?
  • Tell a ghost story but in first-person from the ghost’s point of view. Also, make the ghost an animal.

ABOUT THE BOOK 

A mysterious new threat sparks a dangerous quest in book two of the epic middle grade series Booklist called “a charming blend of Arthurian legend and Brian Jacques’ Redwall series.”

Young mouse Calib Christopher has nearly completed his training to become a squire to the Knights of the Round Table when news of a deadly plague comes to the castle. Soon all of Camelot is showing signs of the illness, animals and humans alike. Desperate to find a cure, Calib and his friend Cecily set off on a treacherous voyage to find the mythical, healing island of Avalon.

But even as their journey takes them over land and sea, back at home, Calib’s human friend Galahad discovers that the true enemy may have already found a way inside the castle walls…

Perfect for fans of New York Times bestselling series like Wings of Fire and Warriors, Mice of the Round Table brings to life a legendary world of animals and magic that kids will want to return to again and again.