Amanda Craig shares some great children’s authors whose humour and sense of adventure will keep kids reading
If you are a parent, you may remember Roald Dahl, Joan Aiken and Terry Pratchett; their heirs include Anthony Horowitz (Alex Rider, the Diamond Brothers series; Cressida Cowell (How to Train Your Dragon, the Wizards of Once series); and Philip Pullman’s books for younger children (The Firework-Maker’s Daughter, Clockwork, I Was a Rat!). But there are dozens of other brilliant writers to discover.
Frank Cottrell-Boyce’s stories make you laugh and cry. Whether writing about two bereaved brothers and their stash of illegal money (Millions), or the first 11-year-old to go into space (Cosmic) or a boy whose missing limb and rebellious attitude to authority is exactly what is needed to rescue a marvellous lost invention (Runaway Robot), he is the real deal for children of eight and over.