Children need and deserve books by good contemporary authors. They can change how they view not just literacy and literature, but how they view the world, and themselves.
I am very excited to be giving a course shortly called Know your authors. It aims to expand key stage 1 and 2 teachers’ knowledge of excellent modern children’s writers, and to explore ways to use their books to promote reading enjoyment and support children’s learning and development. These are just a few of the authors I am particularly pleased to have included in what has become a very exciting list of seventy brilliant writers (many thanks to Heath Books for all their help in compiling it):
Bernard Ashley – an ex-headteacher, he’s been writing excellent books for years
Atinuke – because Anna Hibiscus is a truly delightful character
Malorie Blackman – no list would be complete without her; she has made so many fantastic contributions to children’s literature
Theresa Breslin – I am full of admiration for all her books, but Divided City has to be my favourite
Frank Cottrell Bruce – all his books are great: thought-provoking, funny and deeply pleasurable
Sharon Creech – Hate That Cat and Love That Dog are clever and funny, and in verse too
Cornelia Funke – such a great story-teller; Thief Lord is exceptional
Neil Gaiman – Coraline took my breath away, and I love his amazing picture books too
Sally Gardner – author of a wide range of excellent books
Jamila Gavin – Coram Boy is an extraordinary evocation of a very cruel bit of history
Morris Gleitzman – incredible, skilful writing that takes children to some very uncomfortable places
Emily Gravett – the creator of Wolves and Meerkat Mail has to be on my list
Sally Grindley – Broken Glass is fabulous
Eva Ibbotson – I know she’s no longer with us, but I couldn’t leave out the author of Journey to the River Sea; One Dog and His Boy is another very special book
Elizabeth Laird – everything I’ve read of hers has been important and haunting, A Little Piece of Ground perhaps my favourite
Hilary McKay – her books about Saffy and her family are especially enjoyable
Linda Newberry – her writing is consistently fine
Michelle Paver – Chronicles of Ancient Darkness are modern classics
Catherine Rayner – her picture books are beautiful and thoughtful
Philip Reeve – a wonderful story-teller whose writing spans a wide age range
Peter H Reynolds – author and illustrator of inspiring picture books; The Dot is superb
Rick Riordhan – he makes ancient mythology accessible and interesting
Michael Rosen – not just a terrific poet, but the author of very good, enjoyable and inclusive chapter books, and of the extraordinary Michael Rosen’s Sad Book
Louis Sachar – everyone knows Holes; he has written lots of other great books too
Andy Stanton – he’s got so many children reading, not least the girl above, who was very keen to show me his books when I was in her school library
Shaun Tan – because his picture books are quite outstanding, and unlike any others
David Walliams – his books are wonderfully Dahl-esque
Marcia Williams – she brings history, mythology and great literature to life, often in comic book style; My Secret War Diary is brilliant
Can’t wait to give the course!
