Bribing children to read with rewards and keeping them in at break for not reading at home won't help them discover the joy of reading. Sharing stories as a class, dedicating time to read, talking about books together, enjoying poetry and being a reading role model will.

#NewIllustrationoftheDay David Tazzyman’s pirates from There’s a Beach in My Pants! by Michelle Harrison (out 6 June) to tie in with my 4thSundayamonth Sunday Times kids’ book feature today: How Pirates Got Nice ⁦Times Books⁩ ⁦Simon & Schuster Children's Books⁩ thetimes.co.uk/article/from-c…

“I am Rebel” by Ross Montgomery is wonderful.

Rebel is the truly best of dogs and his journey to find Tom is who goes off to join the rebellion is a fantastic story. Full of adventure, memorable characters and with Jaxon truly beautiful friendship that makes both better. Fab!

I was told, at school, that doodling meant daydreaming. Not concentrating hard enough. But I draw my way into every story I write. First I scribble a map then I sketch a wiggly line through it, which becomes my plot, then I hurl various obstacles at my characters 😈 #EmberSpark

Two of my favourite children’s authors - Emma Carroll 🇺🇦 and Ross Montgomery - have said some very lovely things about EMBER SPARK 💚🐉💚 Emma’s new book, THE HOUDINI INHERITANCE, comes out this summer, as does Ross’ REBEL. Both are excellent.

Retweeting for the Sunday people! How reading can helping with eco-anxiety 💚

Thanks to Louise for giving me space in
Armadillo magazine to talk about eco-anxiety and the responsibilities that come with writing for young people! With reference to some of my favourite reads Hannah Gold Piers Torday Nizrana Farook 🍉 Kiran Millwood Hargrave FRSL **UPDATES ONLY**

armadillomagazine.co.uk/single-post/wh…

Join Chloe for her 12-week Writing for Children course, starting next week in The Common Room, Newcastle!

You'll build all the core skills needed to write stories for children and hear from guest tutors Emma Carroll 🇺🇦 and Piers Torday. 📚

Sign up 👇

faberacademy.com/product/writin…

Great thread

Off the top of my head, I'd add Hannah Gold, Anthony McGowan and Piers Torday! I'm sure I've forgotten someone - apologies! 😀👏🌳

Well this is rather wonderful

Piers Torday This is so true. Those old pocked sized Puffins that the author references really aren't that short - e.g. Joan Aiken - they just squeezed them in to a smaller (and much more pleasing) package. I'm certain the physical size of books puts readers off more than the word count.

Piers Torday David Andress As this piece illustrates. fastcompany.com/91071102/harpe…

Pointing out just how remarkable this achievement is. For a non celeb author to achieve these sales is amazing. Honestly amazing!

I think I’m right in saying Escape Room wasn’t a Waterstones Book of the Month either -which is usually a big sales bump too. Bravo Christopher Edge

Just a side note - the size of these so- called ‘bricks’ is also a publisher choice - if a sustainable typeface was used they would all be 20% smaller, lighter, cheaper and easier to read 🤷‍♂️

When it comes to the somewhat perplexing discussion on here about the relative merits of the differing lengths of children’s books (which like all books ever written come in a wide variety of sizes) - I can only say it’s what you write with it that counts

I *may* have mentioned I have a book out soon (ahem, out in North America 17 Sept) and US readers can nip in quick to get 25% off through the lovely people at Barnes & Noble Barnes & Noble Basic Books #BNPreorder #StraightActing

barnesandnoble.com/w/straight-act…

Today is UK publication day for The Book-Makers: A History of the Book in 18 Remarkable Lives! If you can’t read the whole book, here it is, epitomised, in a thread …

Lovely, thoughtful, wise and wry piece - and the writing wisdom reported here, “I have only one piece of advice for you. Have a vision and cleave to it,” is about the single best example of that genre I've heard. Leave everything else to everyone else.

Incredibly proud to see Mark Gatiss 💙 recognised for his work in The Motive And The Cue at yesterday's #OlivierAwards2024 . The campaign to get his surname pronounced correctly (it's Gaytiss - just think gay) goes on...