The Imagining Key

On a beautiful old brown wooden bookshelf...in a teeny tiny flat... On a HUGE planet surrounded by an endless universe of possibilities...stood three teeny tiny friends, Randolph, Koda and Little Jasmine. Armed with the fantastical Imagining Key, which hangs off Randolph's belt, they experience magical adventures and meet interesting characters who tell their stories - including the Elephantines and Furry Jumpers, and Hester, a fluffy Persian cat. As they imagine, their adventures unfold...Written by an English teacher, with 25 years of experience in encouraging reluctant readers to engage with reading and literacy, this petite and quirky novel is unique as a lyrical and contemporary storytelling piece. Keen to encourage children to develop their imaginations (in a Dyslexia-friendly format), Nina Harrison's poetic free verse novel is illustrated with vibrant real-time photographs of the characters who inspired and feature in the story, as well as short chapters which make it manageable for readers aged 7-12+. As a passionate vegetarian, the author is constantly mindful of the themes which are important to young readers, such as animal rights and ecology. She plays with language and form and presents her novel in a contemporary but accessible poetic form, to prepare children to be more curious and interested in the demands of their GCSE poetry syllabus. Parents can also use this novel to read collaboratively to their younger children, each being able to access both the language and entertaining images. Every chapter has a moral message which can be discussed after reading, whether it be around issues of otherness, love, or the natural world. Key themes encourage kindness, caring and compassion in the rounded and, at times, humorous narrative. Above all, Nina Harrison encourages the readers to explore their raw and endless imaginations, using the space around them to infer meaning. After all, "Imagination is more important than knowledge". And adventure is all about keeping the imagination alive and thriving.