Q&A with Caryl Lewis about Seed
The story starts like a real life read but changes subtly through the book to become more fantastical – was that always the plan, or did it evolve that way?
It was always my intention to make the book a mix of the ordinary and the more magical. As a child, I was always drawn to stories which involved a pinch of magic, I adored the tantalising possibility that this wonderful thing *might* actually happen. I think, over the years, it has become a hallmark of the way I write. I like to explore the magic at the edge of real life.
Where did the initial idea stem from?
The idea came from two places- my wonderful inventor Grandfather and my love of gardening! My Grandfather was an amateur inventor. He was a farmer and a yodeller- and when he came across any problem on the farm, he’d invent a machine to fix it. He was relentlessly optimistic and very fond of a joke. I thought he was the perfect kind of Grandad to give Marty, a boy who has lost his sense of wonder.
Children often equate having more ‘stuff’ than other people with being happier but here it’s clear that although Marty’s grandad lives in a small bedsit and has few material possessions, he is content with his lot – do you think some of today’s children need to learn to be happier with less?
I think it’s hard for children living in our consumerist capitalist society not to be drawn into wanting ‘stuff’ It’s hard enough for us adults! I don’t think it does us or the planet any good and it certainly doesn’t make us any happier. It is the real life connections, the conversations, the time spent outside or reading or just being together that seem to make my children happiest. That’s not to say that some meaningful ‘stuff’ isn’t nice, it’s a achieving a healthy balance!
Marty’s mother clearly needs professional help to support her in leading a more ‘normal’ life. Although we do discuss mental health issues in school, it tends to be in PSHE – should we discuss how to support good mental health more frequently in class?
Marty’s mother has issues that she needs to deal with. I think it’s important that Marty comes to realise that he’s not responsible for her mental health. That he can love her and support her but that her illness is outside of him. I think it’s really important that we discuss mental health freely in schools, in the way we speak about physical health- without stigma or fear. It is silence that breeds isolation and shame which can be at best distressing, and at worst devastating. And little things like learning mindfulness techniques or teaching children how to relax and switch off properly is so important in an age when they’re constantly ‘plugged in’. I’ve noticed that my children are much better at discussing mental health than I was at their age and that is a brilliant thing.
There is a lot of pressure on kids to grow up quickly today. While Marty and friend Gracie have very different home lives, they are both forced to be more independent than their peers and do not have social networks to support them. We usually encourage children to make lots of friends but should we really be encouraging them to go for quality over quantity?
I think we equate having lots of friends with success. The dream is to be ‘popular’ and the rise of social media ‘likes’ has exacerbated this. I think it’s important to normalise actually not needing or wanting a gaggle of friends– but enjoying a deeper connection with one or two. I think we should also talk to children more generally about friendships- about how they wax and wane and how they run their course. How sometimes, friendships stem from common interests but then fade away, and how all of this is actually fine and healthy and that you should be able to wish someone well on their journey.
We all know being outside in green spaces is good for our mental health and Grandad loves his allotment. Some schools are lucky enough to have gardening clubs or to teach Forest School, but should regular curriculum time be devoted to activities such as gardening in schools so that all children have the chance to connect with nature?
I know how squeezed the curriculum is, but I think it is so beneficial to include some ‘green time’. You don’t need a great amount of space. Mini tomatoes can be grown on windowsills, herbs can be grown in pots and green spaces can sometimes be put on roofs! It’s about being creative. It is so important to remember that nature is actually the greatest teacher. My daughter has a beehive of her own, and has learnt more about maths through keeping bees than being in the classroom! Maths and bees go together! You can study science maths and languages through nature and of course, as with Seed, nature is a fabulous starting point for creative writing!
Who are you more like? Marty or Gracie?
I am a bit more like Marty I think! There is an exchange in the book between Mr Garraway and Marty about Marty’s future plans that came from my life directly. Marty has never considered what he might be capable of, what he could achieve. I was exactly like that. It took a great teacher to point out that an interesting brain can take you anywhere and that I had the right to dream.
Are you a bit of a hoarder, or are you someone who finds it easy to throw things out?
I am very sentimental. Having three children and not keeping all of their doodles and drawings and poems is proving very challenging! I find it difficult to let things go, but I try and remind myself that memories made are the most important things.
What do you hope children will take away from reading Seed?
I hope they will find some joy in it. I hope it opens up the world a little for them and I also hope that they might go away afterwards and start germinating their own hopes and dreams!
We want to thank Jacqui Sydney, blogger at Mrs Sydney’s Famous World’s Smallest Library, for creating the questions for Caryl Lewis!
Mrs Sydney’s famous World’s Smallest Library
Seed by Caryl Lewis is published by Macmillan Children’s Books.