Book Nook: Guardians of the World Gates

I recently had a chance to review Guardians of the World Gates (Book One), fantasy adventure to help youngsters on the autism spectrum to love books, with understanding.

Susanna Elliot’s first new fantasy adventure for young adults ‘Guardians of the World Gates’ - subtitled ‘The Watcher at Crow Forest’ - sees the main characters, twins Jay and Jill, off on a rather scary journey through a deep dark woodland following mysterious footprints. The intrepid pair’s mind-sensing ‘Talents’ are awakened as they approach the enchanted World Gate. But what is behind it . and who is the strange character lurking nearby calling himself The Watcher? The book is intended to encourage young people to read easily and fluently, says the author, who’s spent many years teaching reading, particularly those with reading difficulties. It’s been inspired by Susanna’s 10-year-old granddaughter, an avid lover of fantasy action and mysterious tales.

 This was a book unlike a lot of other fantasy books. The twins are on the autism spectrum, and the author wanted to reflect positively on their characteristics, and it's less common to have a book featuring autistic children. Secondly, this book was written specifically for struggling readers, with very little description and extraneous literary devices. More accomplished readers might find the book childish and too simplistic, but for readers who can struggle to follow the plot, it makes for a much cleaner and simpler reading experience, while still having a satisfying plot. Interestingly enough, my neurodivergent kids actually liked reading this book more than I did - so it just goes to show that it can resonate with the target audience.

There's a World Gate in Crow Forest. World Gates can only be seen for three nights in midsummer when a Guardian Circle is needed to protect the entrance to the mysterious Secret Worlds at the time of opening. Jay and Jill are staying at Crow Forest Farm when they notice strange happenings. What are Uncle Sam and Auntie Mo getting up to at the dead of night? Who made the large footprints in the forest? Why are the talking crows arriving? And who or what is The Watcher?

A walk in the forest with the dogs Sniffy and Finn and the little cat Sharp turns into an adventure when, in a clearing, Jay finds something hiding in the roots of a tree. Little do they know that being near the World Gate has turned on special mind-sensing powers - for all of them. With these talents they can join a Guardian circle - but can they seal the World gate and prevent a disaster in Crow Forest?

Susanna Elliot's father had a bookshop and as a little girl she found magic worlds hidden in the pages of books. Later, studying science, revealed even more interesting secrets. Then for lots of years she had great pleasure helping children and young adults to find their own unknown talents. Much later less exciting stuff followed involving miles of writing with charts and diagrams and no plot at all. She now has fun helping the smaller people in her family have adventures finding the hidden worlds behind the secret doors in her garden.