A good story can transport us somewhere, a bit of welcome escapism from our real-life concerns and if we also see ourselves reflected in the characters and their experiences, that story can also help us feel less alone.

And for children, increasingly engaging in life and friendships via quick-fire digital means – apps, social media sound bites, memes, reels and instant messaging - do they even want a book? Will it make any difference to their lives?

And this is especially important when dealing with some of the themes that our story covers – grief, loss, uncertainty, bereavement, loneliness and self-harming behaviours. These are challenging enough topics for grown ups to consider and manage in our lives – so where do children even start and where do we start with supporting them?

This is one of the main reasons we wrote Melva Mapletree and the Great Undoing, so that, as well as the fun, escapist element, it could be used as a creative way to deepen understanding of emotional topics and bring children and grown ups together in important conversations.
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And conversations like these are vital for our children right now.

In 2024-25, the rates of SEMH (social, emotional and mental health) needs amongst primary school children - the book’s main target audience – continued to rise for another year.

In Northumberland, the county where we’re based, in 2022-23, according to the office for health improvement and disparities, there were 490 young people admitted to hospital for self-harming behaviours, significantly higher than the national average. 

Melva Mapletree and the Great Undoing is available to buy now £9.99 on Amazon. ​