崖の国物語〈8〉真冬の騎士 (ポプラ・ウイング・ブックス)

The world-building feels so imaginative and detailed — I wonder how much of it was planned out from the start or developed as the story progressed.

The protagonists seem to face huge dangers with such ease — is that typical for middle-grade adventure stories, or was it a conscious choice to keep the tone light?

There were moments that made me laugh but also some intense scenes — I’d love to know how they managed to keep that balance for young readers.