I wrote The Crocodile Lady whilst visiting a Crocodile farm (who knew they existed!) near our house. After looking at the crocodiles we went for a walk in the nearby forest and stumbled across a wooden hut. It was abandoned and almost hidden in greenery, but it caught our eye as we walked past.

I imagined who might live there if this was a story. The Crocodile Lady was born. I suppose it might also act as a cautionary tale – stranger danger and the old ‘don’t go with someone just because they offer you sweets’ phrase that parents parrot out to small children.

Many children enjoy reading and writing scary poems. Make a word bank of creepy, horrible words and then create a character to describe.

Perhaps you will choose a monster or a beast. But what would happen if you wrote a terrifying tale about a hamster or a bunny rabbit? Sometimes contrasting a character with traits you wouldn’t expect can be a lot a fun!

The Hideous Hedgehog or The Blood-Curdling Butterfly…