Celebrating the Magical World of Harriet Muncaster

On the even of Isadora Moon Day, Joanne Owen interviews Isadora’s creator, Harriet Muncaster for Books for Keeps.

Every so often, characters and story worlds emerge from the imaginations of children’s authors that transcend on-the-page boundaries to have tangible real-world impact.

Often once-in-a-generation phenomena, this is something that can’t be conjured from marketing meetings. Children tend to be decidedly discerning. They know what speaks to them and, when the note strikes right, they wholeheartedly embrace said characters and story worlds. Such is the case with the work of Harriet Muncaster, which has been delighting young readers for almost a decade, across four series (Isadora Moon, Mirabelle, Emerald, and Victoria Stitch), 37 languages, and counting. Not only are Harriet’s characters and story worlds utterly charming and sprinkled with magic, but they also demonstrate the real-world magic of children’s literature, not least as the nation gears up to celebrate the World of Harriet Muncaster on Isadora Moon Day, 22nd February 2025.

‘It feels mind-boggling, really. It’s just amazing. I do feel very honoured. I’m super-grateful people are joining in with it, and really, really grateful to bookshops for getting on board, ‘ says Harriet when we talk about Isadora Moon Day. When I raise the subject of why her stories might have struck that magical note with young readers, suggesting the key might lie in how she keeps in close touch with her inner child (through, for example, retaining a childhood passion for miniatures, mascots and make-believe worlds), Harriet’s answer is instant, ‘That’s just natural, the way I am’.

Natural authenticity runs through Harriet’s work, which feels real and magical, all at the same time. Indeed, while pondering the popularity of Isadora and co, Harriet wonders whether, ‘it’s the fact that the stories are quite rooted in everyday things, like visiting the dentist. They’re sort-of ordinary everyday things that a child might feel anxious about. I feel like a lot of the Isadora Moon stories, and Mirabelle and Emerald, are all around these quite — I hope — relatable things, where there’s that little twist of magic’.

Ultimately, though, Harriet ‘writes to be honest. I just write a book that I enjoy. I always say to children when they want writing tips, write what you’re passionate about, because I think that shines through. I feel like I just write what I’m passionate about and hope it resonates’. Harriet’s work certainly does have huge resonance, perhaps also because she’s utterly devoted to her world, explaining ‘I have to stay in a bubble in order to be creative’. That said, while Harriet’s creative process involves utter immersion, she’s just as passionate about engaging with readers in the world beyond her creative bubble: ‘I really love doing events, meeting children and readers, and seeing them dressed up’.

And therein lies another special phenomenon of the World of Harriet Muncaster — beyond the magic of her characters and story worlds, there’s the very real magic of how special stories and characters, such as Isadora Moon, possess a power to leap off the page to have tangible positive impact on children’s imaginations, as is joyously apparent at Harriet’s events.

Skip back to when Harriet was eight, and she herself experienced the transformative magic of stories while reading Jacqueline Wilson’s The Suitcase Kid. ‘The character, Andrea, has this little rabbit, Radish. It’s her little mascot and that — oh my goodness! — that inspired me so much. I immediately wanted a little mascot, and it really sparked something’. At this point Harriet introduces me to a significant miniature mascot she has to hand. ‘So, this is Celestine’, a name that will be familiar to readers of her Victoria Stitch trilogy. ‘And this is basically what sparked the whole of the Wiskling Wood. It all started with this little doll I made of Celestine, who I’d take on adventures, and all the time, the idea for the world was growing’.

At risk of (happily) being whisked away by Harriet’s passion for her Wiskling Wood world, I move to talk about themes — how Harriet’s books are suffused in kindness, and the fact that difference is celebrated as being something special, as embodied by Isadora herself. She is, after all, a glorious combination of contrasts and apparent contradictions that amount to something very special indeed — a part-vampire, part-fairy who loves both black and pink, and adores both the night and the bright outdoors. As we talk, the word ‘natural’ comes into play again, in that Harriet doesn’t set out to explore specific themes. Rather, ‘it’s the excitement of the story that comes first, you know. I love creating worlds and I really, really just want to create a safe place for children to come into — a magical world — and feel welcomed and accepted. I just want to create a world that children can enjoy being in and feel comforted by. But also, it’s sparkly — I love everything glittery and sparkly’.

On the subject of sparkly things, Harriet could not be happier with the TV adaptation of Isadora Moon. Blown away by the production team’s attention to detail, down to Isadora’s eyes being adorned with sparkly twinkles, Harriet is full of praise for the team. ‘They’ve been amazing to work with, and I’m honestly so happy with everything they’ve done. It’s amazing to see it on screen, and I’m really grateful they wanted to do it, and are doing such an amazing job’.

Back in the world of books, alongside writing more eagerly-awaited Isadora, Mirabelle and Emerald stories, Harriet is creating an all-new series. Set in Victoria Stitch’s Wiskling Wood world, and pitched to bridge the age gap between Isadora and Victoria, Harriet is especially thrilled to be fully back at the author-illustrator helm. ‘It’s been absolutely a dream to illustrate, and to create the whole thing. It’s more illustrated than any of my previous books, so it’s a big project, but I’m absolutely loving it’. Given Harriet’s track record of conjuring sparkling story worlds, there can be little doubt that readers will also absolutely love this new magical Wiskling Wood world.

Joanne Owen is a writer, reviewer and workshop presenter. With a background in children’s publishing, she’s the author of several books for children and young adults, among them the Martha Mayhem series, the Carnegie Medal-nominated Puppet Master, and You Can Write Awesome Stories.

The Isadora Moon, Mirabelle, Emerald, and Victoria Stitch books are published by Oxford Children’s Books.