Lindfield author’s ghostly Halloween adventure launches in Haywards Heath

A Lindfield children’s author is launching the fifth book in his Space Ranger Fred series at The Orchards Shopping Centre in Haywards Heath on Halloween.

Matthew Newnham will be signing copies of Space Ranger Fred and the Ghostly Cries of Een on Saturday 31 October, with sessions at 1pm and 3pm. The sessions are timed around the centre’s magic shows, so families can enjoy both.

The book, aimed at readers aged 6 to 10, sends Fred, a young space ranger with a taste for science, to the mysterious planet of Een. Strange, eerie cries echo through the dark, and while everyone else fears the worst, Fred sets out to find the truth. It is illustrated by Richie Williams.

Like the earlier books in the series, the story combines adventure with STEM learning, encouraging children to ask questions and look for evidence rather than simply fear the unknown.

Mr Newnham, who has been building the Space Ranger Fred brand since 2015, said: “Halloween is the perfect time to show children that being brave and being curious go hand in hand. Fred doesn’t run from the ghostly cries. He investigates them. That’s the Space Ranger Fred way, and I hope this book gives families and teachers a thrilling, slightly spooky way to talk about science.”

Fred’s adventures have been shared with children in schools across the UK through Mr Newnham’s author visits, which he says have shaped the stories. “Some of my best moments have come from watching children work out the mystery before Fred does,” he said.

The book is available worldwide through online retailers and bookshops. Signed copies can also be ordered for readers anywhere in the world, and Mr Newnham is offering signed copies to influencers and creators who would like to share the book with their followers.

More information is at spacerangerfred.com.