I’d have been best friends with Matilda
ROALD DAHL FAN AND TV PRESENTER CLAUDIA WINKLEMAN IS ON A QUEST TO FIND THE BEST YOUNG STORY WRITERS
YOUR children probably enjoy listening to bedtime stories but what about writing their own?
Leading direct bookseller Book People is inviting youngsters between the ages of 5-11 to create a picture book on the theme of friendship. The winning author will then have the chance to work with leading children’s illustrator, Alison Brown, to have their book brought to life and published by Little Tiger Press.
The competition is open for entries now and the closing date is October 2. Here head judge Claudia Winkleman explains how she got involved and talks about her and her family’s reading habits:
How did you get involved as head judge for the Book People’s Bedtime Story Competition?
I WAS approached by Book People who told me all about the fantastic competition and the success they had last year with Isabel Harris’ fabulous book, The Moon Man, which I then read and absolutely fell in love with.
From then on I was really keen to get involved to help encourage more children to use their imagination and creativity to write their own bedtime stories.
What was your favourite book as a child?
MY favourite book was The Lorax (Dr. Seuss), just the rhyming, it’s just excellent fun and they are beautiful. We could all learn quite a lot from The Lorax.
What was your favourite bedtime story book when you were little?
I REALLY loved Beatrix Potter. I was slightly obsessed by Jeremy Fisher just because of his waistcoat and I liked Peter Rabbit.
I also really loved a book about a squirrel who sneaked out a lot, I think it was called Bob Bushtail’s Adventure. That was my go to book. I also had another book that I think was written by a Dutch author and involved a cow who had ribbons in her hair, I liked that book. The book that turned me totally onto books was Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
What were you like at school?
I WENT through a slightly naughty phase but I’d like to think that that lasted for about two days.
I was quite studious, my mum and dad liked us to work quite hard so I think I was probably a bit of a swot.
What was your favourite subject at school?
MY favourite subject was definitely, definitely history of art which I started learning at age 16. I also loved classical civilisation but I was slightly obsessed by neoclassical architecture and columns and I once did an essay about 5000 words worth just on the Doric column, which was my favourite. We had the most brilliant history of art teacher who just introduced us to Titian and Rembrandt and Jura and everyone in the class became obsessed because she is the best in the world, she is called Mrs Dale.
What are your kids’ reading?
MY kids are reading but only when I take their tech away.
My eldest son likes crime, he loves Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie. Anything that has got an ‘ooooo’ at the end. My daughter is really good at reading generally. And my youngest son likes Mr Men, Dr Seuss and The Gruffalo (Julia Donaldson) books, anything written by that amazing woman.
What are your kids’ favourite bedtime stories? THE three of them have had different favourites. The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo’s Child were always major favourites though.
Plus the Owl who was Afraid of the Dark. The small one would say that Green Eggs and Ham is his all time favourite. Do your children read in bed? BED, the sofa, while I’m making breakfast. If they love a book then they’ll read anywhere.
If they’re not hooked in it’s harder to force them...
Your father married children’s author Cindy Black when you were young, did she (and her work) encourage your imagination when you were growing up?
CINDY has the greatest imagination and is a brilliant children’s author. All my parents are extremely keen readers so that’s really all they cared about as I was growing up. It might have been slightly easier for me then as I didn’t have a phone or anything to distract me.
Do you have a vivid imagination?
I’D like to think so but I know there are better ones out there.
I like stories about animals being brave. Weird but true...
If you could be best friends with anyone from a book, who would it be?
I think I would have been Matilda’s best friend from Roald Dahl’s Matilda just because she would have been strong and supportive and funny and clever.
Which books have you read lately?
I’M currently reading the latest Grisham and it’s completely addictive.
I adored Bella Pollen’s book – highly recommend.
Have you ever thought of turning your hand to writing a book?
I’D be useless. I write a weekly column and think that’s enough! TO enter visit thebookpeople.co.uk/bedtimestory