Big Read

The best children’s book ever – and how to write it

Nadine O’Regan asks nine of Ireland’s most popular children’s authors to put pen to paper – and offer their take

‘Kids talk to themselves a lot. They make up little stories, characters, songs and the youngest ones spend much of their days with one foot in fantasy and the surreal’ – Shane Hegarty

One of the greatest children’s authors of all time, Roald Dahl (1916-1990) once published his views on how to pen a great book for children and young adults. They were as follows. “1. You should have a lively imagination. 2. You should be able to write well: you should be able to make a scene come alive in the reader’s mind. 3. You must have stamina. 4. You must be a perfectionist. 5. You must ...