It’s Day 11 and we’re talking to Michelle Magorian!
Michelle Magorian is one of our most respected children’s writers of historical family stories. Her first novel Goodnight Mister Tom won awards across the world and has been translated into eleven languages. Many of her books have been adapted for film, television and the stage. Michelle spends considerable time researching her books and enjoys this process, ensuring her writing is the best it can be. She has written for Barrington Stoke who produce accessible books for readers of all ages and abilities.
Name three things on your Christmas list this year! Gingerbread men, mince pies with Greek yoghurt and lebkuchen.
Christmas is a time of family traditions – what are your best (or worst!) family traditions? Decorating the Christmas tree (best).
There are wonderful stories shared at Christmas time. What is your favo
urite story to read at Christmas? We have so many Christmas stories from all over the world. We always have a lovely pop up version of a Nativity scene on a mantelpiece but the story which keeps recurring year after year is A Christmas Carol.
If you could have Christmas dinner with anyone (alive today or person from history) who would it be? My mother. She loved feeding people and had the kind of laugh that made other people laugh too! She died when I was in my twenties.
You have created some wonderful characters in your stories. If you could give a book to any of your characters for Christmas, who would it be and which book would you give them? Josie from Impossible! I would give her We didn’t mean to go to sea by Arthur Ransome
(I loved Josie – such a great character!)
Your latest novel ‘Impossible’ features London theatre in the 60s. If there was any play or production (in theatres now or from history) you could go and see during the festive season what would it be? Black Comedy by Peter Shaffer (1965) I saw it at the Old Vic when I was a drama student and it made me howl with laughter. It takes place in a blackout but the audience can see everyone stumbling around on stage.I think we need more laughter in our lives especially when it’s cold outside.
(Couldn’t agree more! Laughter is definitely the best medicine.)
Reader’s question from Harry, aged 10, Dartington Primary, Devon: I cried when Zach died in the Blitz in Goodnight Mr Tom. Did you ever feel like crying when you were writing the story? Yes. I had to go for long calming down walks between writing some of the scenes in the book. Harry, the area around 
Dartington appears in one of my books called Back Home!
Turkey or goose? Turkey
Real or fake tree? Real
Mince pies or Christmas pudding? Mince pies
Stockings – end of the bed or over the fireplace? End of the bed – Red pillowcases.
Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve? Both!
Thank you for participating in our festive Q & A! Have a Happy Christmas.
You can read my review of Impossible on the Bookshelf.
Find out more about Michelle at www.michellemagorian.com
favourite story to read at Christmas? My very favourite (and one of the most magical stories of all time) is The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde. If that doesn’t bring a tear to your eye you’re probably a robot. Or an alien. Or an alien robot.
orst!) family traditions? We always watch ‘The Snowman’ and ‘Father Christmas’ in the run-up to Christmas – with the wood burner glowing, we snuggle up on the sofa – it’s lovely. As a child, it was my job to decorate Mam’s Christmas cake with all the bits and pieces. I loved creating a story in my mind as I was doing it and I knew the story, even if no one else could see it. The worst has to be having spent years eating my Mam’s over-boiled sprouts and pretending I liked them (I hope she doesn’t read this)!
Reader’s question from the children at 
Carys Jones loves nothing more than to write and create stories which ignite the reader’s imagination. Based in Shropshire, England, Carys lives with her husband, two guinea pigs and her adored canine companion Rollo. When she’s not writing, Carys likes to indulge her inner geek by watching science- fiction films or playing video games. She lists John Green, Jodi Picoult and Virginia Andrews as her favourite authors and draws inspiration for her own work from anything and everything. To Carys, there is no greater feeling then when you lose yourself in a great story. We couldn’t agree more! And it is that feeling of ultimate escapism which she tries to bring to her books.
worth and Lumiere Pop! Figures and Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys. Though I’m pretty sure I won’t be getting the castle even though I’ve been very good this year!!
Reader’s question from the children at 
Jamie Thomson has been a writer of books and computer games for many years. He is now the minion and slave of the Dark Lord, Dirk Lloyd. He lives in the dungeons below his Master’s Iron Tower, chained to a desk, where he spends every day writing for his overlord. Or else. The Dark Lord is a comedic fantasy about a Dark Lord trapped in the body of a human boy here in modern day earth. The first in the series, won the Roald Dahl Funny Prize, 2012 and also made the top 100 kids books of the last ten years in the Sunday Times. Jamie has also written a series of comedy adventures in space, The Wrong Side of the Galaxy and A Galaxy Too Far. Jamie does fantastic workshops in schools and at festivals. He recently took part in the inaugural 
thebookactivist 