Meet the Judges: Janet Ellis

Our second ‘Meet the Judges’ Q&A is with the multi-talented actress, presenter and author Janet Ellis! Read on to find out which small people she loves reading with now, and why books have always been so special to her.

Thank you so much for answering our questions, Janet!

What is your earliest or best memory of reading a book as a young child?

The House at Pooh Corner. My mother reading it to me,  doing all the voices and sharing the illustrations- even today, those black and white E. H. Shepard pictures are evocative and take me straight back to that time.

The House at Pooh Corner, written by A.A. Milne, illustrated by E.H. Shepard (Egmont)

Who was your favourite person to read with as a child? Who do you read picture books with now?

I loved being read to and I didn’t mind who was reading! Cosy at home with Ma or sitting in a classroom (Mr Wain in particular was a great reader), I didn’t mind. But reading with small people now - my grandsons, mostly - is a huge pleasure. I read a story on Jackanory a few years ago and it was such a joy to imagine all those children watching and listening.

 

What was your favourite picture book as a child, and/or of all time?

I loved Babar, I had a wonderful picture edition of Peer Gynt (I know!) and I remember Harry the Dirty Dog very fondly. But I think it’s the Orlando the Marmalade Cat series - especially the holiday story.

Orlando the Marmalade Cat by Kathleen Hale (Warne)

What sort of books are you hoping to discover when reading for the Prize? What are you looking for in a winner?

The best pre-school books ought to appeal to us grown-ups, too, so I definitely want to love our winner as much as I know children will. They have to bear repetition, of course, but the best ones get even better with familiarity.  When I reach for a much-loved book to share with my grandsons, we’re all instantly full of happy anticipation.

What do you think the best thing about picture books are?

When I think back to the picture books from my childhood- or my own three children’s bookshelves -  they’re full of memories. They were the start of my finding out about the world. They fired my imagination, introduced me to stories and inspired me to tell my own. Those early words and pictures are just as vivid, just as special and just as comforting to me as they ever were. 

Sharing a picture book with a little one is the beginning of a magical journey.

That shared experience starts with the book’s cover and lasts well beyond the final page.

What motivated you to be involved in the Prize this year?

My love of books, which started very young and a huge sense of excitement about what the writers and illustrators will reveal.  The Prize is a fantastic, annual opportunity to shine a light on an often neglected area. The young readers of these books probably won’t write fan letters but their creators are national treasures! When the Prize was launched , I was immensely moved that Oscar’s parents chose such a generous, warm and lovely way to remember and honour him.

About Janet:

Janet Ellis trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Her first appearance on TV was in a Jackanory Playhouse, opposite Frank Thornton. She has appeared in theatres up and down the country and on TV everything from Doctor Who and The Sweeney to Jigsaw. She presented Blue Peter for four years in the Eighties, where, amongst many other exploits, she remade the iconic parachuting films that John Noakes had made before and held the Civilian Freefall (female) record for some time. Since leaving, she has worked as an actress, presenter, broadcaster and writer. She recently appeared in Makes, Bakes and Outtakes, a play celebrating Blue Peter’s sixtieth birthday, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Her first novel, The Butcher’s Hook, was published by Two Roads in 2016. Her second, How It Was, also published by Two Roads, came out in August 2019. She is currently writing a third novel and presenting a podcast about children’s literature called Twice Upon A Time.

She has three children, including the singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor, five grandchildren, and an Italian Spinone dog called Angela.