Malorie Blackman
Malorie Blackman
Malorie Blackman, OBE, is a British writer who held the position of Children's Laureate from 2013 to 2015. She primarily writes literature and television drama for children and young adults. She has used science fiction to explore social and ethical issues. Her critically and popularly acclaimed Noughts and Crosses series uses the setting of a fictional dystopia to explore racism...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionYoung Adult Author
Date of Birth8 February 1962
CityLondon, England
life
A film of my life would never happen!
believe books disabled diverse people reflect sexual society though
I believe we need more culturally diverse books - about disabled characters, though not about their disability, about people with different sexual orientations, or a boy who is a cross-dresser. We need to reflect the diversity of our society.
became floor grew looked love reason session sit teacher
I remember, when I was at school, we would have a 10-minute storytelling session where we'd all sit on the floor cross-legged, and the teacher would read. It became something we all really looked forward to. That was part of the reason I grew to love stories.
inspired love opened stories taught
A love of books has opened so many doors for me. Stories have inspired me and taught me to aspire.
You can have all the talent in the world, but without determination, you won't get very far.
good
A good book is a good book. End of story.
books grew invisible life reflected totally
I loved reading when I grew up but did feel totally invisible because I couldn't see myself and my life reflected in the books I was reading.
believe
I believe each individual can have a say and make a difference.
books creative kinds poems responses starting stories tapping teenagers teens themselves using
What I wanted to do was use literature and different kinds of stories and poems as a springboard, tapping into the creativity of our teens - I wanted teenagers to come up with their own creative responses to literature - using books themselves as a starting point.
cover james remember saw state thief whine
I remember going into a bookshop, and the only book I saw with a black child on the cover was 'A Thief in the Village' by James Berry, and I thought, 'Is this still the state of publishing?' Then I thought, 'Either I can whine about it or try to do something about it.'
boys lived sixth suddenly suppose till
I suppose I've always lived in my own head. I didn't discover boys till sixth form. Then suddenly it was, 'Oh! Boys!'
exercise walking
Reading is an exercise in empathy; an exercise in walking in someone else's shoes for a while.
believe few however learn might mistakes move past time wish
I don't believe in regrets. There are a few things I'd do differently, but I can't go back in time and redo them, however much I might wish to. All I can do is learn from past mistakes and move forward.
diverse graphic horizons narrative promoting stories translated writers
I try to widen the horizons of every child I meet, and part of that is promoting diverse forms, be it graphic novels, stories told in a narrative voice, or more translated books, as well as more diverse writers and more diverse characters.