[QCrit] Middle Grade Cosy Contemporary - THE FANTAIL FLEET (31k/Attempt 1)
Note on genre - not sure exactly how to label this. "Cosy Adventure" also feels right, but it's real-life childhood adventures rather than pirates etc. "Cosy Contemporary Adventure" seems too long. Would appreciate any feedback on this!
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Dear <Agent>
I am seeking representation for THE FANTAIL FLEET, a middle grade cosy contemporary complete at 31,000 words.
>When two English city kids get dragged to the bottom of the world, middle of nowhere, they are distraught. Even worse, they’ve been dumped for the summer in a rickety jungle shack masquerading as a “holiday home” with a weird, barefoot grandfather they barely know. With zero phone signal, 11-year-old Noah can’t stop worrying that his mates back home will forget him, while 8-year-old Poppy is convinced the bugs will kill her before summer’s end. But then Grandad finds two old kayaks, and a whole new world reveals itself.
>Free from parents, screens and rules for the first time in their lives, the siblings overcome their fears and take to the sea. When they discover a secret beach accessible only by water, they claim it as their own and build a den as their summer headquarters–but soon discover that they are not the only coastal explorers. Best friends Elliot and Yuni from the nearby campsite have been visiting the same beach for years, and aren’t pleased to have newcomers interfering. So begins a battle of wits and tricks for ownership of the secret beach… until a prank gone wrong ends in a dangerous rescue mission, and their beloved kayaks are confiscated.
>As the summer comes to a close, a violent storm sweeps in and the siblings are given a second chance… if they can band together with their rivals to protect the coast and creatures they have all grown to love.
This novel is loosely inspired by SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS but set in modern, coastal New Zealand. It combines the outdoor adventures of THE FIREFLY SUMMER with the excitement of escaping tech & parents in AVERIL OFFLINE.
I grew up in England, before moving to New Zealand and later Germany. I currently live in Scotland where I am a member of a local kayak club. I have been writing stories all my life and in 2014 I won <competition>, consequently self-publishing a YA fantasy duology.
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With every jolt and every bar of signal that vanished from his new phone, Noah’s heart sank further. The gravel road rumbled under the car tyres, stones clanging against the bottom of the vehicle. A plume of dust rose behind them, hiding the last signs of civilisation.
“How long are you dumping us here for?” he asked again.
“We’ve talked about this, Noah,” said Mum from the driver’s seat. “It depends how long the renovations take. As soon as the new house is ready, we’ll come get you.”
Noah rolled his eyes and lifted his phone to message Yusuf, his best friend back in England.
Noah: Almost there. The road is literal dirt. Even school would be better than this.
He stared at the glowing screen, waiting for a reply–but it was the middle of the night on the other side of the world, and tomorrow was his friends’ first day back at school after Christmas holidays. Noah’s younger sister Poppy had not adjusted to the time change; she was snoring despite her forehead bouncing against the window.
The last bar of signal on Noah’s phone blinked and vanished. He groaned, stuffed it in his pocket, and gazed out at the cage of dense jungle that surrounded his home for the summer. No houses. No people. No shops. Just trees… row upon row of trees, shooting out of a waist-high sea of thick wet ferns. When Noah had first realised that Mum’s talk of moving down under was serious, he’d remembered a photo he’d once seen of Australia: shiny glass skyscrapers with rooftop restaurants, lining a beach packed with kids and surfers. But as soon as the plane touched down he’d discovered that New Zealand was Australia’s scrawny little sister, and had inherited none of the glitz or glam.