Talking fruit, grumpy aunts and illusive space monsters? This is just a normal day for The Squirrels of Settledown Forest.
Tomorrow’s very own sports editor has taken a break from eyeing up final scores and ventured into the imaginary world of squirrels’ woodland home for his debut children’s novel.
The book, aimed primarily at 4–11-year-olds, follows the adventures of two squirrel siblings as they encounter a cast of colourful characters in the woodlands around their home and promises to be just as much fun for adults during bedtime hour.
David Lugg was born in Cornwall in the UK and spent his childhood enjoying the beaches and Cornish countryside. His upbringing has heavily influenced his writing and, although Settledown Forest is fictional, there are echoes of Cornwall throughout the book.
Talking about the release of his novel, David said, “The initial premise came from a walk in the woods. It was a classic spring day with sun and showers and the light shone between the tree trunks like hundreds of torches. It was a magical scene. It felt alive but also the perfect setting for a children’s book.”
David now lives in Praia da Luz and is blown away by the similarities of Cornwall to the west Algarve. “Nothing inspires me more than a walk on the coast,” he points out. “The resemblance between my homeland and my adopted home in the Algarve is remarkable. How can you not be inspired by vanilla-coloured beaches and dramatic cliffs? Both areas are spectacular and offer plenty of scope for creativity.
The Squirrels of Settledown Forest has already received praise from many school teachers and other children’s authors. Award-winning novelist Clare Helen Welsh is the latest to post a glowing review. “With a cast of curious, charming squirrels, talking fruit, illusive space monsters, grumpy aunts and much much more, this is a whirlwind book full of fun and laughter and plenty of twists in the tale (or should that be ‘tail’?).”
When not writing about squirrels, David is the sports editor for Tomorrow Magazine. “Almost all my articles are sports-related, so writing about the fantastical worlds of squirrels and hedgehogs is a great means of escape for me. If you loved books such as Winnie the Pooh or Alice in Wonderland, then I’m sure you are going to enjoy my debut novel.”
With two other books nearly completed, we are set to hear a lot more from David Lugg, but for the time-being, why not delve into the world of The Squirrels of Settledown Forest to find a funny and heart-warming adventure for children and adults alike.
The novel is available on Amazon from 27 September.
