Doors of imagination

Interview: Authors J.B. Cheaney and N.D. Wilson on the joys and challenges of writing for young readers | Susan Olasky

N.D. Wilson (left) and J.B. Cheaney

J.B. Cheaney, who writes frequently in the pages of WORLD, also writes books for children. In her most recent novel, The Middle of Somewhere, a precocious 12-year-old girl and her hyperactive little brother set out on a road trip through Kansas in a brand new RV with their reluctant, wind-prospecting grandfather. Veronica (Ronnie) hopes the trip will usher in a new, more exciting chapter in her life, but she finds that keeping her rambunctious brother from driving their grumpy granddad nuts takes all her energy and creativity. The result: unexpected lessons.

N.D. Wilson, son of pastor Doug Wilson, also writes novels for young readers. In his new novel, Leepike Ridge, 11-year-old Tom floats down a river on a piece of foam from a refrigerator box. When a part of the river flows underground, it carries Tom with it. Above ground, his widowed mother won't give up hope that he's still alive, even in the face of creepy suitors and treasure hunters who try to convince her otherwise. Meanwhile, Tom needs courage, optimism, and ingenuity to survive in a spooky underworld.