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
believe
I believe each individual can have a say and make a difference.
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.
good
A good book is a good book. End of story.
You can have all the talent in the world, but without determination, you won't get very far.
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.
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.
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.
life
A film of my life would never happen!
anxieties book child cover front publishers putting white
Any anxieties publishers have about putting a child on the front cover of a book who isn't white is very old fashioned.
great laureate
Being the Children's Laureate has been educational, sometimes hectic, but most of all, great fun.
allow
Books allow you to see the world through the eyes of others.
children others
Books teach children to see the world through the eyes of others and empathise with others. It's about the story.
children
Children find prescriptive reading lists daunting, and they are a dangerous thing to have in schools.
child enthusiasm hope love
I hope to instill, in every child I meet, my love and enthusiasm for reading and stories.