“But what I would really like to do now is write children’s book.”
“Like ‘Pollyanna’?” I suggested. “Or ‘Possum Magic?”
“A bit more edgy,” she said, “Like ‘Where the Wild Things Are’, like the poems of Shel Silverstein.”
“I see.”
“What drove you to this.”
“The kids books in doctor’s waiting rooms. I want to throw them in the fish tank. I reckon I could write better than that. I’ve started one already.”
“You have? What’s it about”.
“A lizard. A Gilbert’s Dragon. I’ve called it ‘Gilbert Goes to Hollywood’.I’ve already written the first paragraph. Would you like to hear it?”
“Sure.”
” ‘Gilbert had always wanted to go to Hollywood. Ever since he sat on Julian’s lap and watched ‘Godzilla’ on TV. He wanted to be a star. An animal star. The Tom Cruise of lizards.’ “
- have you ever wanted to write a children’s book?
- Have you started one? how does it begin?
- what’s your favourite children’s book? favourite children’s author?
John Malone 
Nothing beats Roald Dahl’s Matilda for me.
The most relateable book I read as a child. And I read quite a few 😉🖤
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Yes, I gave two story ideas, one that I love more than the other, and I agree about Roald Dahl
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do you reackon you’ll try to develop one of those stories, Beth?
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i do –
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that’s good, Beth 🙂
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I agree. How could she have not mentioned Roald Dahl? Though now I like his adult tales almost as much, like ‘The Landlady’
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Pollyanna is a long standing favourite of mine. I loved Roald Dahl as a child but now struggle with him for my kids. 😆 Oversensitive adult, clearly. But in the way of recent picture books the Hairy McClary series is gorgeous. And Julia Donaldson does some amazing stuff. There are some true gems among the general ordinariness which may be represented in waiting rooms.
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Yes. I’m a great favourite of Julia Donaldson. She has some fabulous rhymes. Love ‘The Gruffalo’ 🙂
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I have written one. It’s called “Grandma’s Piano.” 😊
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of course; that’s great; a children’s picture book — if that is what it is — is a darn hard thing to write: I know; I’ve tried twice and failed each time
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I’ve never been one to write a children’s book, but growing up, I was super engrossed with Enid Blyton’s books, especially The Magic Faraway Tree. Ah, just typing this comment gives me a great sense of nostalgia.
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I loved Enid Blyton a lot too, when I was a kid. And the fact that she has been derided fot not actually liking children seems cruel to me. Sometimes, and some kids, wow, there can be a hard time trying to like the little ‘darlings’.
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Enid Blyton, like Agatha Christie, so I’ve been told, still has a devoted following — and she is a great story teller
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My goal is to write children’s books. What a wonderful start to yours. Laura Numeroff (“If you give a Mouse a Cookie” and so many more), Shel Silverstein, and Laura Ingalls Wilder, are a few I have always admired. When I was in my 20’s I began my dream by creating a character called Henry the Hedgehog (lots of history from my childhood lol). As I’ve grown older, my characters, settings, and ideas have evolved. I began blogging as a way to begin writing more as I continue to focus on kid’s books. My own two loved Dr. Seuss and The Boxcar Children Series. 💚
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funnily I’ve never read a children’s book on hedgehogs so yours could be a first. I love Shel Silverstein’s work and Dr, Seuss. thanks for your comment on Gilbert: it’s actually from one of three short stories I’ve had published on Julian’s pet. I always wanted to write more for a collection but never got around to it: somehow I lost the magic. I hope you’re more successful 🙂
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This is so good. I relate to some of these feelings very much.
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you could write a really good children’s book: you have the imagination, the playfulness with language
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Love it! Gilbert the lizard, who wants to be Tom Cruise of animals…
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I’ve actually written the story of about 1000 words and it has been published in a national children’s maga zine when I wrote for children
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My mom was once in a writing group focused on children’s books. She used to share her drafts with me. It was fascinating to see the specific considerations for a children’s book, like the pairing of the text with the illustrations. The publishing considerations for the children’s book market were also interesting to think about.
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yes, children’s picture books can be tricky. I hope mum persists with her writing. It is so fulfilling 🙂
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