Joanne Harris, who wrote Chocolat and is now writing for children, said that it would be "depressing beyond anything" if Price wins on April 9. "If this is an award for people who write books then it should be open only to people who write books, not to somebody who lends their name to a book, or who would have written a book if they had time but didn't."... ...
However, the current Children's Laureate has leapt to Price's defence. Michael Rosen said that Roald Dahl was a rarity among children's writers in producing books that were purely his own work. "We get too hung up about authorship. None of us writes a book entirely on our own. We get help from editors, or ideas might come from conversations with our families, or children. The issue is whether the book's good, not who has written it. If Jordan or any of her helpers have written a very good book then absolutely good luck to them."What do you think?
Full shortlist:
That's Not My Penguin Fiona Watt
Horrid Henry and the Abominable Snowman Francesca Simon
Katie Price's Perfect Ponies Katie Price
Born to Run Michael Morpurgo
Kiss Jacqueline Wilson
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