Bretigne Shaffer's Blog

“A teenager goes on the run and flies with pirates in this middle-grade Victorian steampunk adventure.”

So says Kirkus Reviews, about Annabel Pickering and the Sky Pirates, Book 1: The Fantastical Contraption.

I published Annabel in November, 2019, only two months before my father passed away, and a few more months before “everything changed.” Fortunately—or perhaps NOT so fortunately—the themes in “Annabel” are pretty timeless, and if anything are more relevant now, in mid-2025.

One of my biggest fears in writing “Annabel” was that I would be too heavy-handed with the political and philosophical messaging. That it would come across as a lecture rather than primarily a good story with compelling characters that happens to have some strong liberty themes. Based on reviews from those outside of my own circles, I think I have succeeded here.

Here’s what Kirkus Reviews had to say:

“Thirteen-year-old Annabel Pickering lives in an alternative history version of Victorian England, where all mechanical devices are steam-powered and airships flood the skies... Annabel believes in England’s greatness and the sanctity of the queen. She’s never questioned the status quo. But then her parents are abducted—not even formally arrested—by the police. Suddenly everything changes for Annabel. She is forced to hide with the odd spinster from down the street (Miss Doubtweather) and her nonverbal niece and take flight with a crew of rough-but-kind pirates. Miss Doubtweather, it turns out, is part of a secret society of freethinkers, to which Annabel’s parents also belong. The pirates are more accurately smugglers; breaking the law, yes, but upholding their own moral code. The more Annabel sees, the more she must question her assumptions. But where will this get her? Will Annabel escape the Queen’s Guards and rescue her parents or spend the rest of her days in prison? Annabel… courageous, determined, and can think for herself. All told, she makes a good guide to the steampunk setting. This tale is well described and very imaginative, featuring not merely the standard elements, but also several novelties (such as the fabulous notion of using liquid to store information)…”

From my interview with Kirkus:

“This is heady stuff for middle graders, but Shaffer makes it accessible and age-appropriate. It’s also, she believes, essential for younger readers, particularly American ones, to think about the price individuals and societies pay when respect for authority turns into reverence.

“At this point in history, I feel that culturally, the U.S. is far more authoritarian than many other countries,” Shaffer says. “One example that struck me recently was seeing a sign in a restroom warning that employees were required by law to wash their hands after using the restroom. It seems to me that the American mentality has become such that we cannot conceive of accomplishing important things without force or of getting along together as a society without the threat of force everywhere.”

But as Shaffer shows in Annabel, force can be met with resistance, as explained by Annabel’s friend and confidante with regard to the bad forces at work in the government:

““The law is precisely as you stated,” Miss Doubtweather continued. “But there is the law, and then there is….” She paused, as if searching for the best way to articulate her thought….“There is what actually happens,” she said at last. “And it is not always in accordance with what the law says.””

A lot has happened since I published Book 1. My family now lives on the other side of the country, and I’ve got two new books, unrelated to Annabel’s adventures, that I’m hoping to finish up and publish by the end of the year. My plan is to get back to Annabel, and Book 2, in 2026. I will keep everyone updated with that, here.

In the meantime, if you haven’t yet read Annabel, and want to, you can purchase Book 1 here. If you do, please let me know what you think!

Originally published on FEE, December 13, 2019.

Kids solving problems and getting out of predicaments on their own without the help of adults (indeed, often with their hindrance) is a common theme in children's literature. But some books go even farther, diving straight into outright anti-authoritarianism. Good for them—if you're going to impart moral lessons in children's literature (not always a good idea), why not impart the ones that are most sorely neglected in the real world?

Here are sixteen that stand out:

1. Snow Treasure

The kids are the heroes in this thrilling WWII story, based on real events. Nazi troops have occupied a small Norwegian village. The townspeople fear that they will steal all of their savings—nine million dollars worth of gold—but they have no way of getting it to safety . . . except for a bunch of kids on sleds. An action-packed look at finding creative ways to work around official control and theft.

2. The Toothpaste Millionaire

Young entrepreneurs figure out how to make a better, cheaper, toothpaste, and become wildly successful. They also learn about corporate malfeasance when one of the big players doesn't like the competition. Fun for the whole family! (Unless you're a corrupt toothpaste dynasty family.)

3. Pippi Longstocking

Beloved Pippi is a nine-year-old girl with extraordinary strength and no parents, which is "…of course very nice because there was no one to tell her to go to bed just when she was having the most fun…" When the police come to take Pippi away to a children's home, she tells them she already has one, and then plays tag with them, traps them on her roof, and sends them away with cookies.

4. Charlotte's Web

Just because something is in print doesn't mean it's true. And controlling what people believe is one of the greatest tools of every authoritarian. Even a little spider knows that.

5. Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has come under the control of the Ministry of Magic, and students are prohibited from learning the magical skills they will need to defend themselves against evil.

Harry Potter and his friends decide to take matters into their own hands, forming a secret group and teaching each other the skills they need. This volume contains one of the best ever depictions of a petty, vindictive, authoritarian personality, in the deliciously detestable Dolores Umbridge.

6. Little Town on the Prairie

The seventh book in Laura Ingalls Wilder's classic "Little House" series chronicles the early years of a settlement becoming a town. The townspeople solve problems and resolve disputes on their own, and narrowly escape having their burgeoning literary society bogged down by politics and bureaucracy. A testament to what people can accomplish when unencumbered by "organization."

7. Three Lads and the Lizard King

Can an economist write children's fiction? It is a question that has dogged literary critics for ages, and economist Robert P. Murphy puts it to rest here, with his tale of three boys who enter a magical world to fulfill a prophecy and destroy the evil Lizard King.

The boys choose their powers (no prizes for guessing what happens when one chooses the power to create money just by wishing for it) and set off on an adventure filled with danger, friendship, a few lessons in economics, and a unique insight into the desire to rule others—and its cure.

8. Yertle the Turtle

"I am the ruler of all that I see!" proclaims King Yertle the Turtle, before convincing all the other turtles to form an enormous tower so that he can stand on them and see more and more things. When the bottom-most turtle complains, he barks back, "I'm king, and you're only a turtle named Mack!" Finally, Mack has had enough, and burps Yertle down off the tower and into the mud.

An inspiring story that only applies to turtles.

9. The Butter Battle Book

An arms race between the butter-side-uppers and the butter-side-downers is the stage for exploring the absurd reasons for hating others that ordinary people are given by those hungry for war.

10. Horton Hears a Who

One of the most disturbing children's books you'll ever read. Maybe because it hits a little too close to home these days, when a few ill-intentioned people can convince mobs of monkeys and even baby kangaroos to go after those who don't see the world the way everyone else does. Fortunately, Horton knows what he knows, and he doesn't give up on his tiny friends.

11. The Drinking Gourd

What do you do with evil laws that turn people into property? You break them. That's what young Tommy learns in this fictionalized account of a boy and his father defying the Fugitive Slave Law in order to help a family of escaped slaves find freedom.

12. Huckleberry Finn

Huck's soul-searching about the evils of slavery and the distinction between what is legal and what is right is one of the most important passages in all of children's literature. It's a conversation all children should have with themselves at some point. (Be sure to read the uncensored version, because a history tidied up is a history forgotten.)

13. The Boy Who Dared

Good citizens don't listen to foreign radio broadcasts—it's illegal in 1941 Germany. But that's what 16-year-old Helmuth Hubener does, and he learns something interesting: His government has been lying to the German people. Helmuth tries to spread the truth by printing leaflets, but he is discovered, charged with treason, and ultimately beheaded. A true story that raises important questions about what it means to be a "good citizen," the morality of being "law-abiding," and the risks that can sometimes accompany exposing the truth.

14. The Wizard of Oz

Lost in a strange land with no idea how to get back home, a young girl and her friends put all their hope in the Wizard—the ruler of Oz who can make their dreams come true. After risking life and limb to please him, they learn that he is no better equipped to fix their lives than they are, but that he does have some shiny trinkets to hand out.

Best possible lesson anyone could ever learn. And the earlier the better.

15. The Hunger Games trilogy

The state pitting its victims against each other to keep the focus off of itself. And the violent revolutionaries becoming the new state. What more needs to be said?

16. Winnie the Pooh

Pure anarchy: A bunch of wild animals of varying species, all living out in the woods with no-one to rule over them, and all getting along just fine. Sure, they'll sometimes take an especially difficult problem to Christopher Robin, but he's more a trusted advisor than an authority figure. Sure, Rabbit will try to impose needless rules or restrictions from time to time, but it generally ends with everyone deciding it's time to go celebrate something with a picnic and cake in the woods.

(NOTE: And let’s not leave out Annabel Pickering and the Sky Pirates! From Kirkus Reviews:

““The law is precisely as you stated,” Miss Doubtweather continued. “But there is the law, and then there is….” She paused, as if searching for the best way to articulate her thought….“There is what actually happens,” she said at last. “And it is not always in accordance with what the law says.””)

Bretigne Shaffer was a journalist in Asia for many years. She is now a mom, independent writer, and author of "Annabel Pickering and the Sky Pirates" and "Urban Yogini: A Superhero Who Can't Use Violence." She blogs at On the Banks.

I.

As a result of ancient treaties, entered into many centuries past, and over conflicts long forgotten, the Queen of All the Faeries is bound, every one thousand years, to send some number of Faerie babies to live with the Goblins.

II.

A Goblin couple was to be sent a Faerie child.

“I wonder who it will be!” They gurgled.

They were so excited.

But they did not know what to do.

A second child was sent. And then a third. But they were Goblins after all. And did not know what to do.

They loved the babies as best they could, with their big clunky hands and their clunky, immovable hearts.

But all they knew how to feel was anger.

Even their love came out that way.

And so the little Faerie children built walls, to protect themselves. And they ran behind their walls to eat, so the Goblins wouldn’t take their food, or yell at them.

A fourth little Faerie child came, but she couldn’t stay. She went spinning and spinning away, never to be seen again.

And then the Goblins went quiet. Some would say they turned to stone. But they didn’t. They kept moving, but slowly, as if through heavy mud and mire.

“This is a bad place!” The Goblins wailed.

And they picked up the remaining three, and scurried away with them to the sea.

Two of the Faerie children clung together. The other stayed alone. But they all brought their walls with them.

One day, the first Faerie’s wings were strong enough, and she flew away.

“I’m never coming back! Never coming back!”

Soon after, the second, and the third:

“We’re never coming back! Never coming back!”

From far off in the flowers, and way up in the trees, the three Faeries could see the Goblins.

“I wonder what they’re doing now,” the Goblins would say, and “I hope they’re OK.” The Goblins still moved as if through heavy mud.

The Faeries watched as the Goblins fed themselves with their clunky hands, and tried to work machines they didn’t understand.

Whenever a big storm came to the forest, the Papa Goblin would put on his rain coat and stand outside for hours, watching with his big round eyes.

After a time, the three Faeries did come back. And they held hands and danced. And they made lovely meals and ate together with the Goblins, and showed them how to work the machines they didn’t understand.

When I wrote my children’s novel, “Annabel Pickering and the Sky Pirates,” I dedicated the book to Ross Ulbricht. This may seem like an odd choice for a children’s book, but I believe it is important for children to start thinking about these things at a young age. If for no other reason than that most of them are being bombarded with pro-state propaganda every day of their lives.

When I did this, I really did not have a lot of hope that Ross would ever be free. But I felt the need to do something, to show support where I could.

Today, seeing the image of Ross walking free for the first time in eleven years, I feel as if a weight has lifted off of me. Maybe off of many of us. I am under no illusion that Donald Trump’s presidency will save us, and I am well aware that the institution he represents is still the enemy of the people. But this is a very very good thing.

So right now, I am going to be happy for Ross, and especially happy for his mother, and worry about all of that other stuff later.

Welcome back to the world, Ross. You’ve been missed.

Last month, two of my short stories appeared in an anthology of sci-fi and horror short stories.

On Saturday, the anthology jumped to #1 in the Science-Fiction Anthologies category!

The anthology was put together by Alexander Semenyuk, and contains stories from sixteen different authors - all of whom, I beleive, are here on Substack.

So… yay us! And yay Substack, for being a pretty awesome platform that is not only committed to protecting free speech, but creates a vibrant environment where people can come together and create projects such as this one.

And of course, a big thank you to Alexander Semenyuk!

Just this morning, a new anthology of sci-fi and horror stories was released, with two of my stories in it.

The anthology was compiled by bestselling author Alexander Semenyuk, and contains stories from sixteen authors, many of them on Substack.

I also want to point out that – as I realized with a shock this morning – we are careening wildly towards Christmas (I’m sure you are as surprised and unprepared as I am) and this volume might make an excellent gift for someone in your life.

So might some of these:

Annabel Pickering & the Sky Pirates;

Urban Yogini: A Superhero Who Can’t Use Violence;

Urban Yogini: The Christmas Episode;

And let me add a truly wonderful anthology of essays on war and peace, titled “Why Peace?”, in which I have an essay.

I mention this one, not only because of my own essay, but because it is a real gem, containing works from such luminaries as Charles Pena, Coleen Rowley, Karen Kwiatkowski, Steve Kubby, Lew Rockwell, Paul Craig Roberts, Anthony Gregory, Michael Strong… and my dad. I really recommend this volume, even if you don’t read my piece.

What could be more appropriate for Christmas than a 610-page book extolling the virtues of peace?

I’ve just launched the “Fantastical Contraption” podcast!

The idea is for it to be a little corner of Old-Time Radio in the podcast space… with an ever-so slight classical liberal bent.

I’m starting with a reading of “Elixir of Fear” – the Halloween story that’s almost as scary as the last four years. Let me know what you think in the comments!

I walked on the beach today

and this is what I saw:

*

A young woman throwing a ball into the waves

for her dog to chase,

and another dog running breathlessly

into the water

to chase it too.

I saw a little girl walking on tiptoes

into the sea.

I saw two people working together

to build a huge sand castle

out of gloopy sand.

And I saw this

perfect little seashell

and I picked it up.

*

And this is how I know

we will not be beaten.

*

Because the forces of darkness

cannot make a perfect seashell.

The forces of darkness

don’t make dogs happy.

The forces of darkness don’t care about sand castles,

AT ALL.

And the forces of darkness will never,

EVER,

be able to stop little girls

from wanting to walk on tiptoe

into the sea.

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My fantasy novel, “Annabel Pickering and the Sky Pirates: The Fantastical Contraption” is featured on this week’s “Best Middle Grade Fantasy Books” list, over at Reedsy Discovery!

When I wrote “Annabel”, I was writing it with older children in mind: The “Harry Potter” age group. And of course, I look at all of those age groupings with an enormous grain of salt. There are more six year olds than you realize who are both ready for and interested in this kind of story, and likewise, a great many adults enjoy reading “middle-grade” fantasy stories. “Annabel” has gotten some great feedback both from children and young teens, as well as from adults, so if you’re the kind of adult who likes to read adventure fantasy, don’t let the “middle-grade” qualifier keep you away.

There are also – of course – strong political and philosophical themes in “Annabel”. But my hope is that those are more part of the background, and that the story and characters carry the show.

From the review on Reedsy:

If you had a chance to board an air ship that sailed the skies with pirates, would you jump at the idea or be fearful? Aren’t pirates supposed to follow a different code than most ‘normal’ law abiding citizens? It is this very reason that Miss Annabel Pickering finds herself among their company, and Shaffer certainly does make her journey fantastical!

As a thirteen-year-old girl, Annabel Pickering is far from perfect. She goes to school, she gets picked on, and she always avoids passing the spinster’s house on her way home for fear of even more torment from the mean girls. On one horrid day in particular, Annabel is on her way home when she sees men abducting her parents! Not knowing what she should do, her first instinct is to hide, but someone takes her from behind and drags her into a neighboring house before the men in black spot her. And to what house does she find herself holed up in…of course it’s the crazy old spinster’s house and her weird niece to boot! After some things are explained—but not much—Annabel must travel with pirates, escape the Queen’s Guard in a hotel, and forge friendships with those she would have never imagined in order to save her parents.

And yes, Book 2 is on the way! I’ll be posting more about that soon.