Books Books: Middle Grade Books: Mystery

Hannah Edwards

From debut author, Ashley Hards comes Hannah Edwards Secrets of Riverway, a modern, neurodiverse reimagining of Shakespeare’s Hamlet starring a young girl with undiagnosed ADHD that offers readers a fresh take on a familiar classic, with a mystery twist à la favorites such as Nancy Drewand Sammy Keyes. The Book Tour is hosted by Publicity Prose.

About Hannah Edwards

Hannah Edwards secrets of riverway book cover

Title: Hannah Edwards Secrets of Riverway

Author: Ashley Hards 

Publisher: Fabled Films Press 

Pub Date: September 10, 2024 

Ages: Middle-Grade, 9-12 years

Find it: Amazon | Bookshop | Website | Goodreads

Hannah has a lot on her mind. Her father—the Canola King—is missing and no one in her rural farming community seems to care, especially her evil Uncle Fergus. So when her best friend Sam Castillo tells Hannah he thinks he saw her father’s ghost down at the old Riverway Mill, she decides to take matters into her own hands. 

On the edge of going from a “good kid” to a “bad kid”, Hannah stops pretending to pay attention to her endlessly boring classes. With Sam, their sidekick Tim the Hall Monitor, and eventually a whole lot of Riverway frogs, Hannah embarks on a journey to solve the mystery of her father’s disappearance. Along the way, she uncovers secrets, confronts challenges in school due to her ADHD, talks to a ghost, and learns the true meaning of determination and friendship.

Told through Hannah’s secret journal, the book features a fun and unconventional mix of listicles, transcripts of recordings, some straight narratives, and even an Epic poem that will get kids excited about reading and uses a font that increases legibility and readability for readers of all abilities. Blending mystery, adventure, and coming-of-age themes, Hannah Edwards is a compelling read for anyone looking for an engaging story with plenty of heart.

October is ADHD Awareness Month 

Over 9.8% of kids in the US have ADHD, with girls both under-diagnosed and under-portrayed in the media. Author Ashley Hards was declared to be “gifted” at age 8 and was diagnosed with ADHD at age 22. The world she creates in Hannah Edwardsis deeply rooted in her own experiences. While Hards masterfully and authentically represents ADHD, it is not the focus of the story, but rather another element of her characterization.

Classroom Resources 

Fabled Films Press has numerous classroom resources under the supervision of educators and professionals to support the book, including:

  • Neurodiversity Discussion Guide by Dr. Dawn Jacobs Martin, PhD
  • Common Core Language Arts Guide by Pat Scales
  • Tween Activity Kit with word games, crafts, and writing activities (print at home)
  • These resources and more are available on the Website

About the Author

Ashley Hards was declared to be “gifted” at age 8 and was diagnosed with ADHD at age 22. When forced to sit still in class, she found books and writing to be engaging subjects, especially Shakespeare. She received her BA and MA in English Literature from McGill University, where she teaches writing and continues her research on Shakespeare and ritual.

Always the adrenaline lover, Ashley enjoys skiing, mountain biking, and opera. She spent many weekends driving across Alberta and hanging out at a ski hill near Pincher Creek. The vision for Hannah Edwards developed over many dark, stormy nights. This is her debut book. 

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Reimagining Hamlet as a Middle Grade Novel by Ashley Hards

     Hamlet might seem like an odd choice for the inspiration for a middle-grade novel. But my exposure to Hamlet made me certain that it was the perfect work to reimagine for Hannah Edwards Secrets of Riverway.

     I distinctly remember my first experience with Hamlet in high school. After we read the first act of the play, our teacher asked, “How old is Hamlet?” Most of the class assumed that Hamlet was a young adult, and we were shocked when our teacher revealed his age: 31. To us, Hamlet seemed like a moody, procrastinating teenager!

     Yet, as I interpreted the play, I stopped laughing at Hamlet and started sympathizing with him. Hamlet’s sensitivity to rejection, his tendency to mask himself, and his crushing pattern of procrastination all felt very ADHD to me. In my middle-grade novel, Hannah Edwards displays similar characteristics. However, they are not tragic flaws, and throughout the novel Hannah learns to embrace her neurodiversity to overcome adversity.

     When I started to write my book, I created two outlines: first a scaffolding of Shakespeare’s Hamlet and then the outline for my book, Hannah Edwards Secrets of Riverway. I compared the two act by act and scene by scene to ensure that my book was as thematically and structurally close to Hamlet as possible. The final version has broken free from Hamlet’s mold, but two main themes remain:

    Action and Inaction

     Hamlet’s inability to act is one of his main struggles: even after his father’s ghost appears and tells him to take revenge on his uncle, Claudius, Hamlet waits to make sure that he has the right villain. Hannah experiences a similar difficulty, not only with taking revenge on her uncle, but also with schoolwork like book reports.

     Both protagonists are plagued by this inability to act. They are highly motivated “golden children” who feel that they should be achieving goals but need to wait for the right time to start. This perfectionism is highly characteristic of ADHD and one of the reasons why Hamlet was such an inspiration for this project. Luckily, Hannah is propelled into action by her supportive friends, so she manages to save the day in time!

     Family

     Hamlet’s family is highly dysfunctional: his father seems just a bit too perfect; his uncle is just a bit too slimy; and his relationship with his mother is famously problematic. Nevertheless, Hamlet remains preoccupied with family bonds—the duty of the son to the father, the connection of the wife to the husband, and the relationship between the mother and the son are all major drivers of the plot.

     These themes are important for my middle-grade novel as well. Hannah feels obliged to solve her father’s disappearance long before meeting his ghost. Her relationship with her mother is also important: she is preoccupied with her mother’s ability to move on after her father’s death (and annoyed by Fergus’s constant “dinner” visits), and much of Hannah’s energy is spent hiding parts of herself from her mother and seeking her mother’s approval. In the end, Hannah repairs this relationship by revealing her true self, which can be especially difficult for kids with ADHD.

     These are just two similarities between the texts. Hamlet-lovers will notice lots of other Easter eggs in the chapter titles and even some similarities between the characters! But you don’t need to know Hamlet to enjoy Hannah Edwards Secrets of Riverway, and despite what Hannah may tell you, Riverway does have its own charm (once you give it a chance).

Praise for Hannah Edwards

“A strong retelling that…captures the middle-grade spirit, this debut novel is perfect for fans of mysteries, ghost stories that feel rooted in the real world, and strong characters who make internal revelations as well as strides in their worlds.”—Booklist

“Hannah Edwards is the best book I’ve seen that authentically and comprehensively illustrates the experience of ADHD in girls, which presents itself differently from boys, and often goes undiagnosed.”—Tori Kelley, Ph.D., President and Founder of Central Florida Mental Health

“Hannah is no ordinary sleuth and this mystery has so many layers to it. Her neurodivergent world touched me deeply and I would love to read another riveting detective story about this fantastic girl.”—Therese Stanford, Bookseller, Oblong Books, Millerton, NY

My Thoughts

What do you get when you combine Hamlet and a modern-day neurodivergent ghost story? Hannah Edwards of course! 

This middle-grade mystery takes place in Hannah’s boring town but the author brings Riverway alive with vibrant descriptions. Hannah’s dad is missing but then her BFF Sam, sees a ghost that resembles him. Ready to solve the mystery of what happened to her father, problems at school get in the way. 

Hannah can’t concentrate and moves constantly. Not wanting to be less than perfect, she doesn’t share her problem. As a result, her ADHD is undiagnosed. Told through Hannah’s journal entries, we learn what she is thinking. The story is realistic, coming from an author with ADHD. What’s not to love about neurodivergent kids paired with a mysterious ghost story in this coming-of-age story? Perfect for schools and libraries.

Hannah Edwards Giveaway

  • Five (5) winners will each receive a hardcover of Hannah Edwards Secrets of the Riverway, alongwith a SIGNED bookplate and a bookmark!
  • US only
  • Ends September 22, 2024 at 11:59pm ET
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hannah Edwards Book Tour

Fabled Films Press creates original content for young readers and middle-grade audiences that combines strong literary properties with high-quality production values to connect books with generations of parents and their children. Each property is supported by websites, educator guides, and activities for bookstores, educators, and librarians, as well as videos and social media content. Fabled Films Press has published two critically acclaimed children’s book series: Pippa Park by Erin Yun and The Nocturnals by Tracey Hecht. Learn more about the publisher on their social media platforms. 

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Follow along to see what others have to say about the book.

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