Cork author: Milly has become part of the family

LEONA Forde, author of the Milly McCarthy series of books, aimed at seven- to 12-year-olds, has the good fortune to live in the same house as her co-creators – her four children.

“We are always imagining what might happen if Milly did this or that. One of my children will say they’d love to go horse riding, and very quickly we’ll start chatting about what would happen if Milly went horse riding. 

It’s like Milly has become a part of the family. My father jokes that he has 11 children, counting Milly among them.

It was always going to be a series for that reason, the author explains, because there is no end to the things Milly might get up to.

“Whenever I visit a school or do a talk in a library for World Book Day or whatever, a child will inevitably come up and ask me what Milly would do if she went to a farm or something.”

But certain children have greater ambitions than simply collaborating with her.

“I remember one little girl. She told me she had a great idea about Milly starting a babysitting service.

“She told me not to write it though, because she had plans to write it herself.”

Another attraction for all Irish children is that this is a supremely Irish story.

The Milly McCarthy series is sprinkled with cúpla focail and unapologetically Irish references, in a storyline that follows one calamitous, rebellious Cork cailín.

“I went to an English-speaking school, but I think it’s important to speak our own language. My children attend a Gaelscoil, and they use it when we are abroad. They also use it when they don’t want my five-year-old to understand. They’ll chat about getting ice-cream or staying up late or whatever. My youngest gets very frustrated but it’s certainly a great incentive for her to learn the language.”

The Irish words and references don’t exclude other markets, she asserts.

“We are lucky in that Ireland is so well-known now, and we have a huge diaspora. People in Australia have been in touch over the book. Relatives brought it there, and they love it. I have had reactions from all over.

One Irish woman in America told me she’s teaching it to her class there, as a way of sharing her Irish background.

There is also a short supply of Irish books in libraries, she says, so it’s nice to have an accessible sprinkling of the language.

“If somebody uses an Irish word in the story, somebody else will translate it. So, for example if the teacher says ‘Suig Síos’ in the book, I explain it by describing how the characters all sit down.”

Leona hopes the character of Milly is easily recognisable to Irish people.

“Milly is a typical Irish kid. We all know people like her. People with a heart of gold, but for whom nothing ever works out. I have four children and there is a little bit of rogue in all of them. Irish people are drawn to that.”

This fun and playfulness are important to the writer, who lives in Kinsale, and teaches English and history in the secondary school there.

“Irish people see the line and they wonder if you’re going to cross it. I wanted my character to have that little twinkle in her eye.”

How it all started

As part of her continuous professional training as a teacher, Leona Forde attended various online writing courses during the pandemic.

“I did one for children’s writing with Patricia Forde (no relation). Patricia sent me an email when the course was over, suggesting I pass my work onto a publisher. I wasn’t keen but she said if I didn’t send it, it would be a definite no, so why not send it.”

Not too long after, Leona Forde logged off a zoom meeting with Gill publishers, a three- book deal better off.

Her daughter’s voracious appetite for books also played its part.

“She loved Diary Of A Wimpy Kid. She devoured them and was always left waiting for the next one. She also read Big Nate and Tom Gates. 

She couldn’t get enough of short chapter books with illustrations, but she pointed out that they were all American or British.

That’s where Milly McCarthy came in.

“I wanted mentions of Gaelscoileanna, and tin whistles, and distinctly Irish references.”

Leona Forde also notices a more general gap in the market when it comes to these short, illustrated chapter books.

“There is an attitude out there that children should give up on illustrations and get onto chapter books, but I love illustrations. The huge boom in graphic novels shows us that young people love them too.”

Milly McCarthy And The Sports Day Shambles is published by Gill Books, available now, priced at €9.99.