Famous children’s author Sharna Jackson is talking to us from Rotterdam, aboard her sailing clipper Anna Maria, where she lives and writes.
The British author, best known for her massively popular High-Rise Mystery series featuring young crime solvers Nik and Norva, has helped create the new, interactive Mystery Academy – School for Young Detectives at The Story Museum in Oxford, which opens on July 18.
‘It was lots of fun developing the characters – I’ve loved every minute of it’
Having written a new story which is framing the Mystery Academy – School for Young Detectives, young visitors can help find headteacher Miss Moyo who fails to turn up to her school open day, by following the clues.
The experience will take the young detectives through a headteacher’s study, forensics lab, dressing up area and even behind a bookcase in their quest to solve the mystery.
Visitors will also have a chance to explore the history of the detective genre, with some of their favourite characters and authors; from classics like Sherlock Holmes and Inspector Morse, to contemporary authors such as Robin Stevens’ “Murder Most Unladylike, Mini Grey’s Hermelin and Mark Haddon’s Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime.
So has Sharna enjoyed the process? “It was lots of fun developing the characters, with so many objects and clues, as well as burrowing into Miss Moyo’s past, with a bit of light peril and intrigue thrown in to keep things interesting. So I’ve loved every minute of it. It’s the best thing I’ve done in years,” she says.
Collaborating with The Story Curators, a group of 12 young people from all over Oxfordshire, who work on The Story Museum‘s live projects, Sharna says: “I love that The Story Museum lets children’s ideas feed into their concepts. They helped design the rooms and are an incredibly talented bunch with really youthful insight.
“So it’s been a huge privilege to work with The Story Museum on this, but what makes the mystery genre so exciting is that you can always find the culprit, get justice and survive, alongside lots of cliff-hangers and page turners, because a high stakes crisis always hooks you in.
‘I’ve always wanted to show children what you can do when you set your mind to it’
“That aside, I’ve always wanted to show children what you can do when you set your mind to it, because there is so much untapped talent out there and books and stories are a great way in. We need to break down the boundaries around books, because every book has its place – whether you like picture books or Manga.
“There is also magic in the mundane. Lead characters don’t always have to ride a dragon and fly off into the future.”
Is that why Nik and Norva solve crimes on the Tri Estate, in South London in Sharna’s High-Rise Mystery series? “Well I come from a black, working class family from Luton and when I started writing I discovered there were only 1% of black or brown main characters which I thought was sad. So I decided to mix it up a bit.
“And council estates always get a bad rep but there are so many great community initiatives going on, and that’s what I wanted to show. It’s not all stabbing and needles.” And then she laughs: “Although I did then write a series set on a council estate where people die.
‘when I started writing I discovered there were only 1% of black or brown main characters which I thought was sad. So I decided to mix it up a bit’
“But Nik and Norva are funny, clever and a bit sneaky and naughty, so they tick all the boxes. Plus they need to solve the mysteries before the adults mess it up, and can sneak around in a way adults can’t.
“But for me, I wanted to see young, black female detectives doing the legwork, and thought it would be good if they lived on a council estate for a change. Young detectives tended to come from boarding schools, so the council estate was a very deliberate choice.
“And anyway, writing murder stories for children isn’t a modern phenomena, the Famous Five and Secret Seven were doing this way before, and Robin Stevens (best known for her Murder Most Unladylike series who shares The Story Museum’s Mystery Academy – School for Young Detectives) is also responsible for the huge resurgence in children’s crime books.
‘you can lose yourself in books and stories at any age’
“So Mystery Academy is a way of helping kids to thrive – especially those who are disengaged, disadvantaged and generally don’t think arts, culture, reading or writing is for them, because you can lose yourself in books and stories at any age.”
And with a new crime series for young people set in London coming out in 2028 and a CBeebies programme coming up on TV, you’ll be seeing much more of Sharna Jackson.
Mystery Academy: School for Young Detectives opens at The Story Museum on July 18. Go to https://www.storymuseum.org.uk/explore/mystery-academy
