Young Adult Authors Unplugged From Arroe Collins · Arroe Collins

The Hat Diaries Series Continues Into It's Third Book With Author Nadine Haruni

·12 min·1 clip

Nadine Haruni envisions Bradley Cooper and Jessica Chastain starring in the screen adaptation of her YA series.

Author Nadine Haruni discusses her middle-grade fantasy series, "The Hat Diaries," and the importance of Teen Read Week. Host Arroe Collins engages her in a conversation about writing and community reading. Haruni is the author of the three-book series featuring protagonist Ryan Rigby. The episode focuses on promoting Teen Read Week and encouraging personal reading habits. Haruni explains that her series blends fantasy with historical fiction, requiring significant research for authenticity. In the first book, Ryan uses magical hats to transform into roles like a surgeon or firefighter, necessitating study of professional jargon. The second book, "Discover the Portal," involves time travel to historical events. The third and newest installment, "Escape from the Adventure," presented a unique challenge with its three distinct narrators. Haruni details the research process for historical settings, like Germany in 1944, to help readers visualize the past. A pivotal moment in the series involves a diary being dropped near a portal, echoing an action taken by Ryan's grandfather. The author aims for universal lessons that appeal to readers aged eight through adult, similar to the Harry Potter series. She consciously writes G-rated content suitable for children but engaging for adults. An interesting insight is Haruni's method of embodying her characters, comparing it to method acting by figures like Joaquin Phoenix. She had to adjust her writing style for each narrator, considering their age and vocabulary. For potential screen adaptations, Haruni has envisioned specific actors for roles, including a Harry Potter-esque Ryan, Bradley Cooper as a baseball dad, and Dustin Hoffman as the character Merlo. Host Arroe Collins shares a personal anecdote about meeting Bradley Cooper, highlighting his down-to-earth nature. The tone is conversational and promotional, with a focus on inspiring reading and writing. The style is educational, offering insights into the author's creative process and research methodology. This episode would appeal to aspiring writers, educators, and fans of middle-grade or young adult fantasy. Listeners interested in author interviews and the craft of historical fiction would enjoy it. Those seeking critical literary analysis or debate might find the conversation too light and promotional.

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