Jenny McLachlan

Jenny McLachlan is a British author of children's fiction. She writes fantasy adventures and young adult novels. She is best known for The Land of Roar series. The series became a Sunday Times bestseller in August 2019.

Jenny McLachlan studied English at university. She later trained as a secondary school teacher. She became Head of English at a secondary school. Teaching led her to begin writing fiction.

McLachlan started several stories but left them unfinished. The plot for Flirty Dancing later came together. She described the story as vivid, "like a film running in my head." Personal events then delayed her progress on the novel.

McLachlan married during this period and travelled widely. She had two children during the following years. She continued developing characters despite these interruptions. She eventually planned three further books in the series.

In 2013, McLachlan attended the Winchester Writers' Festival. She submitted Flirty Dancing to agent Julia Churchill at A.M. Heath. Bloomsbury signed her to write four books in the series.

McLachlan later began writing for younger readers. The Land of Roar series launched in 2019. It follows twins Arthur and Rose, who discover a fantasy world. The land, called Roar, was one they had imagined as children.

The series expanded across multiple books between 2019 and 2026. Later instalments introduced dragon riders and magical schools. The fifth book, Dragon Riders of Roar, continued the story. In it, Rose, Arthur, and Win train as dragon riders.

Dragon Riders of Roar sends the trio on their first mission. They encounter a cursed island inhabited by witches. They investigate a ghostly mystery within the land of Roar. An unknown pursuer follows the group throughout.

The Land of Roar has drawn praise from other authors. A. F. Steadman, author of Skandar, called it fast-paced. She described it as "immersive and full of adventure." Author Emma Carroll also praised the series.

The series targets readers aged eight to twelve. Publishers have compared it to Skandar and Percy Jackson. It has also been likened to How to Train Your Dragon.

Beyond the Roar series, McLachlan has written other works. She created the Dead Good Detectives duology. She also wrote and illustrated Stink, a picture book. Her Flirty Dancing series remains part of her earlier output.

Jenny McLachlan continues to visit schools as an author. She delivers talks and workshops to students. She lives by the seaside and enjoys cycling. She also runs over the South Downs.