Teach-Reading-and-Writing-Issue-21

20 | www.teachwire.net Clem sets off into the London underworld to get her dad back and find out who double-crossed them. By her side is her prisoner/sidekick Gilbert (whom the Spiders accidentally kidnapped). Gilbert, who has spent most of his life indoors like a hot-house pot plant, is thrilled at the chance to go on a real adventure. Together with a Jamaican taxi driver calledWinnie and Clem’s childhood friend Konrad, son of a Polish pilot, the two unlikely friends race to save the day. I’m dyslexic, and when I was at school I used to find some books very boring. So, when it comes to writing my own books, I add as many twists and turns as I can to keep readers on the edge of their seats. Clem Fatale is stuffed full of action scenes – from escaping a grumpy barman, armed only with a vinyl record, to breaking into a fancyWest End club. The characters are always the most fun to write – from the cockney, geezer gangsters to the cold, cruel villainous businessman. But my favourite characters have to be Clem and Gilbert; they are as different as pigeons and poodles. Clem is tough, stubborn and rather prickly, but Gilbert is often naïve, cheerful and friendly. Clemwill stop at nothing to find her dad, and her love, loyalty and determination make her the perfect main character. C lem Fatale Has Been Betrayed is the first book in a new thrilling adventure series about Clem Fatale, the youngest gangster in the city, set in 1950s London. Readers enter a fast and funny world of crooked criminals, glamorous nightclubs, secret alleyways and fantastic fry-up breakfasts. This story begins in the dead of night, when Clem and her dad Jimmy, a notorious jewel thief and leader of the Spider Gang, are on a heist. They’re out to pinch the Fool’s Canary, a rare yellow diamond belonging to the snooty LordWeatherdale. But when Clem’s dad vanishes on the job, the Spider gang have to scram. Clem Fatale Has Been Betrayed by Eve Wersocki Morris WAGOLL Clem Fatale Has Been Betrayed (£7.99, Little Tiger) is out now . DOWNLOAD RESOURCES AT Download your FREE , exclusive teaching pack to help you explore both this extract and the rest of the book with your class. tinyurl.com/tp-Clem HOW TO SHOW A DETERMINED MAIN CHARACTER GIVE THEM SOMETHING WORTH FIGHTING FOR When I create a new character, I make a character fact sheet. I draw a picture of them and scribble facts about them. For a determined character, it's important to know what is important to them: A friend? A parent? A pet? GIVE THEM A MISSION Once you know what your character cares about, take it away! Give them an emotional drive that will keep them going throughout the adventure. It will make the character more likeable if they’re driven by love, rather than selfishness. ADD ENERGY Use dramatic, energetic words to describe the character. For example, have them run rather than walk. Keep them moving forward in every scene. DON’T MAKE IT TOO EASY The most determined characters are the ones who get knocked down and have to pick themselves back up. Think about mini challenges the character can face along the way. GET IN THEIR HEAD Once a determined main character makes a plan, they won’t be able to think about anything else. You can show this in dialogue with other characters, or by describing your main character’s own internal thoughts. Photo © Yellowbelly Peer inside the mind of the author, and help pupils understand how to show a determined main character