Children find prescriptive reading lists daunting, and they are a dangerous thing to have in schools. Malorie Blackman childdangerousdaunt Change image and share on social
There is a saying: 'The child is parent to the adult', which means whatever happens to you as a child or teenager affects the adult you become. You are forged in your history. And fiction is an incredibly important force in shaping children, and that's why fiction needs to be diverse. Malorie Blackman adultaffectchild share on social
I read a lot of highly unsuitable books for an 11-year-old. I was desperate to read as widely as possible. I thought, 'There are so many places I am never going to get the chance to visit, but I can if I read them.' And I did. I could go anywhere in the world - and off it - by reading. Malorie Blackman bookchancedesperate share on social
I started reading seriously at seven or eight, books about myths and legends, the Narnia series. By the time I was 11, I had read all the children's books in my local library, so I moved on to 'Jane Eyre.' What I loved about Jane Eyre was that she didn't rely on her looks but her character. She had a spirit nobody could break. Malorie Blackman bookbreakcharacter share on social
What I want is to try and get across the idea that reading for pleasure is so beneficial. And turn children on who have maybe been switched off reading or never found a love of it in the first place. Malorie Blackman beneficialchildfind Change image and share on social
Reading is an exercise in empathy; an exercise in walking in someone else's shoes for a while. Malorie Blackman empathyexerciseread Change image and share on social
Books allow you to see the world through the eyes of others. Malorie Blackman bookeyeworld Change image and share on social
Children will go with any story as long as it's good, but white adults sometimes think that if a black child's on the cover, it is perhaps not for them. Malorie Blackman adultblackchild Change image and share on social
I'm one of the few adults lucky enough to love their job. And when you've got bills to pay, you get on with it! I like challenges. Malorie Blackman adultbillchallenge Change image and share on social
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. Malorie Blackman bookfeelgrow Change image and share on social