Q&A with Laura Ellen Anderson
We are so grateful to Laura Ellen Anderson for taking time during a very busy publication week to answer our questions about Rainbow Grey, Battle for the Skies!


What can you tell us about Rainbow Grey, Battle for the Skies?
Battle for the Skies is the third and final adventure in the Rainbow Grey series. The Weatherlands are still under threat and Ray knows she may have to face her arch nemesis again – the terrifying Tornadia Twist! But Ray doesn’t contemplate quite HOW far Tornadia will go with her evil plans. It’s not just big evil plans, it’s probably the BIGGEST POSSIBLE EVIL PLAN! Ray Grey is the Weatherlands (AND Earth’s) only hope for light in the skies once again. Ray really learns to embrace her power in this story and the bond between her, Snowden and Droplett has never been stronger. We also meet some brand new characters!
Why do you think so many young readers love Rainbow Grey? What do you hope they love about her?
When speaking to wonderful readers of my books, they mention how much they love the adventure, the sense of friendship between Ray, Snowden and Droplett, and also the cute sidekicks such as Nim the cloud-cat (and Squashy the pumpkin from Amelia Fang!) The fact there’s a strong female lead has appealed to many readers and I hope it has inspired them. I really hope that readers of Rainbow Grey can feel empathy towards the characters and root for Ray throughout her epic journey! I hope that they feel empowered after reading, to take on some of Ray’s advice – to never give up! Ray struggles with reading, and it always takes her a lot longer to read something than everyone else, but she doesn’t let that stop her. She never gives up and she always gets there in the end.
How long did each Rainbow Grey adventure take to write and illustrate?
It can vary from book to book. The very first book took around a year to properly complete as I experienced a bit of a creative block! But like Ray, I didn’t give up no matter how tempting it was at times, and ended up making a book I am really proud of. Usually it takes a few months to write the story, and a few months to illustrate it all. The editing stage and finishing touches can often last a few weeks too, just to make sure everything is as tip top as possible before it goes off to print.
Fans of yours will know that you love retro toys. Is there a little bit of that woven into the Rainbow Grey stories?
I’m sure there’s probably some childhood nostalgia woven into the Rainbow Grey books without me even realising it! I like to use my memories of childhood to inspire me, and that real sense of cherishing & appreciating all the special things.
Will there be more from Rainbow and her crew?
‘Battle for the Skies’ is the third and final for now, but never say never. I have ended the series at a place I’m really happy with, but it also leaves the door open to potential future books in Ray’s world. You never know what the future holds!
Rainbow Grey Battle for the Skies is published by FarShore and is available now!