Guiding Reading Activities | Building Your Own Fantasy World - Peters
Sorry, but you already have a basket with that name. Please use something else.

BACK TO NEWS

Calling young adventurers: read our fantasy worldbuilding Q&A with author Kieran Larwood

Building your own fantasy world with fantasy fiction books for teenagers

June 19th 2024

Seven years since his legend began, Podkin One-Ear will traverse The Five Realms on another epic quest this September. To celebrate his imaginative storytelling and rip-roaring adventures, we asked award-winning author Kieran Larwood for advice on how children can create their own immersive fantasy worlds. Read on for his top tips and our suggestions for creating a fantasy realm with your pupils!

Kieran Larwood | Author

Kieran taught in a primary school for fifteen years before becoming a full-time author (and sometimes illustrator) of a series of young adult novels that link across The Five Realms. Kieran has won the Blue Peter Best Story for and the Prix Sorcières for The Legend of Podkin One-Ear. He is inspired by a life-long love of fantasy stories, which all began when - as a young boy - he picked up a copy of The Hobbit and saw the map inside. It just goes to show: you never know where opening a book will lead...

Where did the idea of the fantasy realm for Podkin One-Ear come from?

The original idea came from flicking through my sketch books. I love to draw and doodle and I found that I had drawn lots of different versions of heavily-armoured rabbits over the years (I don’t know why!). It made me start thinking of a fantasy world with rabbit tribes living in warrens and battling each other.

Creative writing activity: Start with a character

Like Kieran Larwood, encourage your pupils to start their worldbuilding journey by drawing!

Depending on the confidence of your pupils, you could simply prompt them to draw a person or animal that would live in a fantasy world. Inspire your pupils by showing them David Wyatt's illustrations from Podkin One-Ear, or other examples of characters from classics like The Hobbit or fantasy graphic novels such as Juniper Mae: Knight of Tykotech City. 

If your children need more guidance or structure, you could break down each part of the character, from head to feet, and complete each stage as a class.

Illustration from The Legend of Podkin One-Ear, David Wyatt (2016)

World map from The Legend of Podkin One-Ear, David Wyatt (2016)

 

Do you have any planning “games” for generating ideas?

I have done lots of workshops with classes about how to draw a map of a fantasy world. I find it’s a really good way to start thinking about the story, and often helps to generate ideas. It’s a bit like a ‘story mountain’ except you can actually visualise the characters’ journey and plot out points along it where scenes are going to happen.

Creative writing activity: Visualise the character's journey

On your whiteboard or on a large sheet of paper, draw a landmass. You can use fantasy map generators online to help inspire the shape of the fantasy world.

Then, as a class, plot out potential trials and landmarks across the map that their different characters might encounter. Will they need to sail down a great river or swim across a sea? Fight nocturnal creatures in a spooky wood? What might be the end destination - a portal? A castle? 

Again, if your pupils need a bit more guidance, you could decide a set journey for the whole class to create together and follow. You could also watch Kieran Larwood's step-by-step guide to map-drawing.


How did you go about adding unique details to the realm of Podkin One-Ear?

I began by creating as much of the background as I thought I would need to start writing. So, I came up with a religion, different tribe names, a structure of society, some festivals, types of food, a bestiary… just enough to make the world convincing. And then, as the story has progressed through the series, I have added more and more.

Creative writing activity: Team up to worldbuild

Like Kieran, make a list of details you need for your class' world. Some suggestions include: festivals and celebrations, types of food and drink, a bestiary, education, transportation, and so on.

Pair up or group your class for guided reading activities. Give each pair or group 5 minutes to think about a different aspect of the world to design. While your pupils are giving feedback, you could add details to your world map, so your pupils have something to refer back to when writing.


The Beasts of Grimheart illustration (left) and Uki and the Ghostburrow illustration (right) by David Wyatt

What do you think is the most important question(s) a budding writer should ask themselves about their new world?

I think the most important thing to ask is ‘is it convincing?’ Can the reader visualise themselves there as if it’s a real place? If not, then try adding in more details– just everyday things that will make the place seem like it actually exists and has a real history of its own.

Creative writing activity: Tell the epic tale

Now your pupils should have an idea of the journey their character could take across the world, as well as interesting details about the world their characters inhabit. It is time for them to set off on an adventure with their character!

An alternative activity is for pupils to speak aloud their story, rather than write it straight away. Some children will find it much easier to speak aloud their plot ideas. They will be like the bard in The Five Realms!

Do you have any reading recommendations to inspire children to create their own fantasy worlds?

The greatest example of world-building has to be Tolkien’s Middle Earth, so I would always recommend The Hobbit. Ursula Le Guin’s Earthsea books are amazing, also, and there are many new authors out there writing fantasy fiction books for teenagers to encourage reading for pleasure in their spare time. I have recently been enjoying the Lightfall books by Tim Probert (graphic novels) and The Whisperwicks by Jordan Lees.

 

 

The Legend of Podkin One-Ear

As son of the rabbit warrior chieftan, Podkin knows he will one day lead the warren and guard it in times of danger. For now, he'll annoy his older sister Paz, and play with his baby brother, Pook.

Until Podkin's home is brutally attacked, and the young siblings have to flee. With danger all around them, Podkin must protect his family, uncover his destiny, and attempt to defeat the most horrifying enemy rabbitkind has ever faced.

Venture into Kieran Larwood's epic adventures across the Five Realms, with the seventh instalment coming this Summer!

£5.91   Save 26%
 
    📚 ENTER THE FIVE REALMS    


Adventure into new worlds with our junior fantasy picks

    📚 BROWSE FANTASY FICTION FOR PRIMARY    

 

 

Read next:

Supercharge your school's reading with comics and graphic novels

 

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Review our cookies information for more details.

More Info