The Address Book of Children's Authors and Illustrators

This comprehensive directory includes over 100 authors and illustrators of children’s books, from Joan Aiken and David Almond to Colin West and Benjamin Zephaniah. Each fact-filled A4 page includes an autobiographical section with paragraphs covering childhood experiences and adult working life. Anthony Horowitz, for instance, recalls teachers who had won prizes for cruelty. In addition we are presented with a book extract and a list of selected titles by the author/illustrator concerned. At the foot of each page is a ‘favourites’ section (‘book’ and ‘place’ – fine, I’m not sure about the relevance of favourite ‘colour’ or ‘food’, and the responses to the latter, suggest some authors themselves question the relevance). Where the Wild Things Are is the favourite book of both Margaret Mahy and Jenny Nimmo. The selection of a favourite ‘word’ is quite novel. Korky Paul’s favourite word is ‘serendipity’, as is Jackie Kay’s. Authors also reveal what they might have done if they had not become literary successes. A number have actually been teachers, and might still be if they hadn’t ‘escaped’ the profession. Most authors reveal their birth place and date and, helpfully, give a contact address, including e-mail, for children and or teachers to use.

Despite being a goldmine of information on authors and illustrators, the sections on how to use the book, how to write book reviews and on the National Literacy Strategy are unnecessarily patronising. More useful would have been to include details on an extra twenty authors, perhaps on the noticeably absent Michael Foreman, Mick Inkpen, Nick Butterworth, Jill Murphy and J K Rowling.