|
Michael Morpurgo has been named as the new Children's
Laureate succeeding his fellow author Anne Fine.
The announcement was made at 12.30pm today by Baroness
Blackstone, Minister for the Arts, at a ceremony at the
Waterstone's bookshop in London's Piccadilly.
Morpurgo was presented with the Children's Laureate medal
and a bursary of £10,000.
The role of Children's Laureate is awarded once every
two years to an eminent writer or illustrator of children's
books, to celebrate outstanding achievement in their field.
The illustrator Quentin Blake was the first Children's
Laureate, from 1999 to 2001, and the author Anne Fine held
the position from 2001 to 2003.
Morpurgo said of his appointment as Children's Laureate:
"Quentin (Blake) and Anne (Fine) had the right idea.
The best way is to be yourself and do what you do best.
So I shall tell my stories wherever I go, far and wide,
in this country and abroad, to teachers, to parents, to
children and to anyone who is interested, to show that literature
comes before literacy. And let's call it literature hour
instead - for we want more children, all children (grown
up ones, too), to discover and rediscover the secret pleasure
that is reading, and to begin to find their voice in their
own writing".
The judges for the Children's Laureate considered nominations
from children and a range of organization representing libraries,
critics, writers and booksellers.
A total of 53 authors and illustrators were nominated.
Children across the UK voted through forms in Waterstone's
bookshops and online via this website. Hundreds of votes
were cast by children, 50 of whom were invited to hear the
announcement and meet the new Children's Laureate at the
presentation ceremony today.
|
So
I shall tell my stories wherever I go... to anyone
who is interested, to show that literature comes
before literacy. And let's call it literature
hour instead
