A Doodle A Day

Illustrator and author Chris Riddle, now a children’s laureate, wishes to encourage “drawing every day.”

17:57 10 June 2015

Chris Riddle, the ninth laureate and the creator of Goth Girl series, has taken over from Malorie Blackman. 

 

"I'm interested in illustration in all its forms," he said.

 

"Not only in books for children but in posters, prints and performance, as a way of drawing people into books and stories."

 

The 53-year-old political cartoonists has received his appointment on Tuesday at a ceremony at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) in London. 

 

Driven to encourage families to keep their own visual diaries, he said: "There comes a point where children decide that they can't draw. I want to say, 'don't stop drawing - carry on, and do a sketch a day.'

 

"I think stories can grow out of the visual. It can be an engine for literacy."

 

He also highlighted the importance of school libraries. "There's a danger we can become complacent and we don't need to worry about them.

 

"School librarians play such an enormous role in bringing children to books they are going to enjoy. It's a magic alchemy when that works."