Ian Whybrow

As a child

I was born in Gillingham, Kent. My favourite object is a small wooden box, made from part of a beam in Shakespeare’s Birthplace by a man called Marshall who was doing repairs on the place in the mid-1850s. It was given to me by Mrs Penny next door when I was ten. She paid me a great compliment: “There you are. You like Shakespeare, I expect.” I’d never (consciously) read a word at the time, but I thought it was very nice of her to think that I might one day. When I was young, I wanted to be a sailor.

As an adult

Before I took up writing full time, I spent most of my working life in secondary education, as Head of English and Drama and later as Head of Sixth Form. Apart from my family, my passions - in no particular order - are: Herefordshire, where I retreat to write in a deeply rural Victorian villa; digging; walking with friends; swimming; cycling (especially in France); the poet Stevie Smith; the theatre; books, films and hedgehogs.

As an artist

One of a very small number of children’s writers to have topped the best-seller lists, I have written over 100 children's books and am published in 27 languages in 28 countries. My work includes: the famous HARRY AND BUCKETFUL OF DINOSAURS series (Puffin); pop-up books and picture books like QUACKY QUACK QUACK (Walker) - now in 7th edition; LITTLE FARMER JOE (Kingfisher); THE TICKLE BOOK and the SAY HELLO…series(Macmillan).Popular stories for middle-junior readers include A FOOTBALLER CALLED FLIP (one of a series of ten Books for Boys - Hodder) and the best-selling LITTLE WOLF series (Harper-Collins) The SNIFF series (Hodder) and THE UNVISIBLES (Holiday House) are for 11/12 year-olds. I have also been widely published as a poet.

Things you didn't know about Ian Whybrow

1. Being naturally shy and retiring, I don’t usually tell people that my name - Ian Edward Why brow - means Gift-of-God Noble Warfortress. (My parents had high hopes for me, clearly).
2. I’m married to a woman who can whistle for a taxi louder than any other person I know.
3. I like damson jam in my porridge.
4. I’m currently the 10th most borrowed writer from UK libraries.
5. I’m the 6th most borrowed children’s writer. Arrrroooo!
6. I can’t stand “reality” shows on tv.
7. My favourite colour (at the moment) is yellow.
8. I can spit cherry pips further than anyone in my family except Ellie.
9. I once kept white mice under my bed.
10. I think that there are few fruits more interesting than Russett apples.