Historic site Star Carr at Flixton inspires new children's book

The Mesolithic site of Star Carr has inspired author Mary Edwards-Porter to publish her first children’s fiction book

The story follows the adventures of a family of friendly dragons and one human boy and his dog as they are swept away from their homes by a catastrophic flood in Doggerland, around 7000 years ago.

It is aimed at children aged seven and upwards.

“Doggerland was a real place,” said Mary, who was brought up in Norfolk and Suffolk and lives Lincolnshire.

“In fact it is still there, submerged around 7000 years ago. Rising sea levels and a tsunami off the coast of Norway drowned what had been a lush, temperate place, joining the UK to Europe.

"You could have walked from Scarborough to Denmark if you wanted to. I had always known about Dogger Bank, from hearing it on the shipping forecast. It is all that remains of the hills of Doggerland.

“When I discovered that evidence of hunter-gatherers and animals such as mammoths, had been found on the seabed, I was captivated.

"I started to research Stone Age life and it was then that I discovered Star Carr.

"I’m sure the lush, wildlife-rich land of Star Carr must have stretched out into what is now the North Sea. The landscape, huts, and way of life in my book have come about through my imaginings of life at Star Carr.

“It’s funny how nobody has ever mentioned Dogger dragons before, though, so I wanted to tell their story. They are not your usual fearsome dragons found in storybooks.

"In fact, they look a lot like giant newts for reasons which will be revealed in book three of the Dragons of Doggerland Chronicles. You’ll have to wait until 2023 for the answer to that.”

Book two Escape from Doggerland is in production,” said Mary.

"I’m hoping to get it out in time for the Christmas holidays or early next year.”

Mary has lived in Lincolnshire for 30 years. Her father was in the RAF and the family was based in Wattisham, Suffolk, Coltishall and Marham in Norfolk.

"I went to school at what was North Walsham High School. I taught in Felixstowe and Ipswich for 11 years before doing a six-month contract with the RSPB at Strumpshaw Fen in Norfolk in 1987,” she said.

Dragons of Doggerland” is published by BonnyBooks It is available online and in some bookshops.

It costs 6.99 and has 21 black and white illustrations by Megan Dobbyn.