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Roald Dahl: ‘Children only read for fun; you’ve got to hold their attention’

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From the archive: Roald Dahl speaks to the Irish Times in 1982 about writing for children, his inventions and becoming an accidental art collector

irishtimes

“The fascinating thing – and I’ve never been able to understand this about a children ‘s book , a much-loved children ‘s book – is that it doesn’t stop. Yet someone like Graham Greene or Angus Wilson or Saul Bellow can write a first-rate novel, which will get a pretty big sale in hard covers the first year, when it comes out, a reasonable sale during the next couple of years and then it will go into a steady trickle, and that is literally all. I talked to Edna O’Brien some time ago. I said ‘You have lots of books out, and she said in her funny Irish accent, ‘But it’s hard to make a living from them. ‘
“Every year probably twenty first-rate novels are written in English. I think the answer lies in the fact that during that year there are no more than one or two first-rate children’s books written. And of course children read a book they like ten times; we read a novel once. Children, once they fall in love with a book, read it again and again. “

via Roald Dahl: ‘Children only read for fun; you’ve got to hold their attention’.

BBC plan to launch iPlay, a kids-specific streaming service

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kidscreenBBC Children director Alice Webb has revealed the pubcaster’s Big Digital Plan for Children, and at the heart of it is a kid-friendly version of the popular BBC iPlayer, an online and smart device streaming service for BBC’s slate of kids content.

The working title for the new kids on-demand platform, which will only contain age-appropriate content from CBeebies, CBBC and across the BBC, is iPlay. According to Webb, who has been at the helm of BBC Children’s since January, iPlay will act as a “single, online front-door for children to the wealth of the whole BBC and trusted partners beyond—giving content to children that matures with them, from a range of platforms in a safe and trusted way.”

Speaking earlier today in Salford, England, Webb said the goal is for the service to become a trusted guide and provide the UK’s 12 million children with a personal menu of their favorite content.

via BBC to launch kids-specific streaming service » Kidscreen.

David Almond: I never expected to become a children’s author

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from a piece written to celebrate the re-opening (aftger refurbishment) of Seven Stories: The National Centre for Children’s Books:

guardiansmallI never expected to become a children’s author. I was a grown-up educated adult and I thought my purpose was to write books for intelligent educated adults. But I’d been ambushed by a story called Skellig and my life and work had taken a totally unexpected direction. I found myself in a world where people really do believe that books and art can change people’s lives, that they can help to create a better world. I found young readers who, despite all the myths and mistruths, are active citizens, who really do read avidly and creatively, who are able to be both hilarious and deeply serious, barmy and profound. I found myself in a community of astonishingly talented and hardworking authors and illustrators. I found a literary home.

via David Almond: the tale of Seven Stories | Children’s books | The Guardian.

SoA Interview: Jake Hope on the Importance of Children’s Literature

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societyofauthors

Following the roaring success of World Book Day, the Society of Authors tracked down one of the masterminds behind this year’s flagship event, Jake Hope, to talk about children’s literature.

Jake Hope is a reading development and children’s book consultant. Impressively, he has judged nearly every major children’s book award in the UK, including the prestigious Carnegie and Kate Greenaway medals, the Blue Peter Book Award, the Branford Boase and, most recently, the Costa Children’s Book Award.

Jake has also co-ordinated the Lancashire Book of the Year Award, the longest running regional book award and one of few where young people themselves are empowered to do all the judging – choosing the shortlist in addition to selecting the overall winner.

Jake chairs selection panel meetings for Booktrust’s gifting initiatives and has led promotions for Seven Stories. He is a regular reviewer and commentator on children’s books and edits an online children’s book magazine, The Woodlander.

Jake also organises a wide range of events and activities as part of his career and in his role as a board member for Lancaster Litfest.

See www.bookeventsnow.co.uk for further information or follow @Jake_Hope on Twitter.

The full interview via SoA Interview: Jake Hope on the Importance of Children’s Literature | Society of Authors – Protecting the rights and furthering the interests of authors.

What’s the difference between a children’s book and a book with young characters that also appeals to adults?

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Kate DiCamillo is the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature in the US. The job takes her around the country to advocate for the importance of reading.
This is from a Q&A piece in the Baltimore Sun

baltimoresun

What’s the difference between a children’s book and a book with young characters that also appeals to adults?

I would posit that some books for children, like "Charlotte’s Web," deal with the central issues of what it means to be human that we keep turning over all of our lives.

But when I’m writing for children, I have it in my mind that I’m "duty-bound to end the story with hope." That’s a quote from [author] Katherine Paterson.

In addition, when I’m writing for kids I’m always aware of possibility and of magic. Impossible things can happen in stories for kids.

It makes me more hopeful myself, and more aware of possibilities. That’s why I love writing for kids.

via Newbery Award-winning author Kate DiCamillo comes to Park School – Baltimore Sun.

Children’s and Teen Choice Book Awards winners announced – CNN.com

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Winners of the [US] Children’s and Teen Choice Book Awards were announced Wednesday night at the seventh Children’s Book Week Gala in New York. It’s part of the celebrations during the 95th Children’s Book Week, the nation’s longest-running literacy initiative.

These are the only awards chosen by children and teens in support of their favorite books, according to the Children’s Book Council. Each year, about 13,000 children across the United States read newly published children and young adult books within their classes through the International Reading Association, in partnership with the Children’s Book Council.

via Children’s and Teen Choice Book Awards winners announced – CNN.com.

Book of the Year, kindergarten through second grade

Winner: “The Day the Crayons Quit” by Drew Daywalt, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers

Finalists:

“Alphabet Trucks” by Samantha R. Vamos, illustrated by Ryan O’Rourke

“Chamelia and the New Kid in Class” by Ethan Long

“Mustache Baby” by Bridget Heos, illustrated by Joy Ang

“Bear and Bee” by Sergio Ruzzier

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Book of the Year, third through fourth grade

Winner: “Bugs in My Hair!” by David Shannon

Finalists:

“Bean Dog and Nugget: The Ball” by Charise Mericle Harper

“Cougar: A Cat With Many Names” by Stephen Person

“The Matchbox Diary” by Paul Fleischman, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline

“Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant’s Tale” by Duncan Tonatiuh

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Book of the Year, fifth through sixth grade

Winner: “National Geographic Kids Myths Busted!” by Emily Krieger, illustrated by Tom Nick Cocotos

Finalists:

“Hokey Pokey” by Jerry Spinelli

“Prince Puggly of Spud” by Robert Paul Weston

“Lawless: Book 1” by Jeffrey Salane

“Battling Boy” by Paul Pope

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Book of the Year, teens

Winner: “Allegiant” by Veronica Roth

Finalists:

“Clockwork Princess” by Cassandra Clare

“Eleanor & Park” by Rainbow Rowell

“Smoke” by Ellen Hopkins

“The 5th Wave” by Rick Yancey

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Illustrator of the Year

Winner: Grace Lee, “Sofia the First: The Floating Palace”

Finalists:

Victoria Kann, “Emeraldalicious”

Anna Dewdney, “Llama Llama and the Bully Goat”

James Dean, “Pete the Cat: The Wheels on the Bus”

Oliver Jeffers, “The Day the Crayons Quit”

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Author of the Year

Winner: Rush Limbaugh, “Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims: Time-Travel Adventures with Exceptional Americans”

Finalists:

Veronica Roth, “Allegiant”

Rachel Renee Russell, “Dork Diaries 6: Tales From A Not-So-Happy Heartbreaker”

Rick Riordan, “The House of Hades”

Jeff Kinney, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck”

Judith Kerr Confident E-books will not replace print

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E-books will not replace printed children’s books, bestselling children’s author Judith Kerr told the BBC.

Some books are “alright” as e-books, but only if they’re the type of book that is read once then cast aside, she said. “I don’t think printed books will ever disappear, they’re a totally different thing.”

via Judith Kerr: E-books will not replace print for children | The Bookseller.

E. Lockhart on embracing the young adult inside her

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If you write for kids, you will not get respect from universities, and you will not get it at literary-type cocktail parties, either. For a long time, I wanted that kind of validation more than anything else, even after I began publishing my stories.

The turning point was when I was ready to go on the academic job market. I had published two books for children and a commercial collection of essays for adults, all from major publishers, and was advised by the professor overseeing my job applications to leave the books off my curriculum vitae — in other words, to pretend to be a more serious person than I was. To him, the children’s books and even the essays were not accomplishments but shameful evidence of my lack of conformity to the university’s academic ideals.

That was when I decided to take seriously the person I actually am rather than try to be a person whom others define as serious.

Leaving academia to write fiction for children and teenagers was a return to that person I had been — the one who laughed easily, who liked makeup and baking and dance. I stopped being afraid of being thought silly or weak and instead pushed myself to be more than competent at the things I loved best to do.

I am true now to what brings me joy and to what I do well — and most of the time, to hell with the rest.

http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-ca-jc-e-lockhart-20140413,0,6754799.story#ixzz2yeSuASZQ

 

Anne Fine: It’s hard to write for a generation I don’t quite understand

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Ann Fine feels out of touch with today’s children:

When asked how children’s books had changed over her long career, Fine told the Telegraph she was beginning to realise the difficulties of writing for a new generation.
“I suspect, and this is only personal intuition, that a lot of writers who are beyond 30 or 40 now are not so into the social media, instant contact world children live in now,” she said.
“If I ask myself what childhood is like, ten or 12 years ago I could do it. I could still carry on understanding children who were reflective, know how they consider their own conscience, how they relate to their parents.
“A lot of authors have lost confidence to understand what it’s like to be reared now. I’m finding it quite hard to write for the generation that I don’t really understand.”

via Anne Fine: It's hard to write for a generation I don't quite understand – Telegraph.