Reimagining Agatha

As a father to an 8-year-old boy, I’ve noticed a frustrating trend: modern children’s literature often feels like a race to the bottom. It might be a hot take, but between the talking animals, the demigods, and the endless "fart humor," finding a story with real substance is a struggle. It’s a bit of a mess.

I grew up on Agatha Christie. I loved the pacing, the sharp intrigue, and the way her mysteries forced me to think. However, I first read her work in translation, which simplified the prose. When I tried introducing the original English versions to my son, I hit a wall: we simply don’t speak that way anymore, especially not 8-year-olds!

So, I did what any creative dad would do: I transcreated it for the modern age.

These images are from my adaptation of The Secret of Chimneys. While I’ve made some structural changes and linguistic updates, the soul of the mystery is intact. My son is finally hooked on a story that feels grounded in reality, and we’re actually enjoying reading together again.