Meet the Judges 2022: Sophie Ellis-Bextor

Brighten up your Monday morning by meeting our fourth judge: singer and Kitchen Disco star extraordinaire Sophie Ellis-Bextor! Read on to discover what Sophie thinks about the joys of bouncy language, character voices and passing the joy of reading along through generations.

Thank you so much, Sophie!

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

My earliest memories are of going to my maternal grandparents’ house and finding all the books that my mum had read when she was small … picture books like Barbapapa and Bread and Jam for Frances. I loved the illustrations and it was lovely when my grandma would read them to me so I could understand better what the pictures were all about. I still have some of those books now.

Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell and Lillian Hoban, published by HarperCollins

 

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

My favourite was my mum as she would put on different voices for the characters which really brought the stories to life. Of course, I do the same thing now for my kids when I read so these things do pass along the line! I love reading stories to my children. 

 

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

An obscure one called Just Awful is possibly my favourite and I know my 6 year old loves it the same way I did. I don’t think it’s in print anymore and it’s just a small story of a boy hurting himself at school and the school nurse making him feel better, but I loved it. 

Just Awful by Alma Marshak Whitney, illustrated by Lillian Hoban, published by Addison Wesley (1971)

 

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

A book that’s fun for me to read aloud is pretty crucial. I love it when the language is really bouncy and pleasing. I don’t want to have to work too hard - the book and I should be on the same page, excuse the pun! Lovely illustrations which help the story move along and aren’t confusing are very important, too. 

 

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

I think it’s the way it involves and informs extra senses. You’re not just listening but being encouraged to walk into that world. Those images and that feeling stays with you longer than the words. 

 

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

The ongoing and immensely pleasurable relationship we have with picture books in our house. I’ve been reading picture books to my children since virtually day one and my eldest is nearly 18.  With a 3 year old in the house, there’s no sign of that changing anytime soon so I have a vested interest in finding something lovely to share with him. 

About Sophie:

Sophie Ellis-Bextor shot to fame as a vocalist on Spiller's huge number one single, ‘Groovejet’ and her worldwide smash hit, ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’. Her debut solo album, ‘Read My Lips’, was released in 2001 and sold more than 2 million copies worldwide. Her subsequent album releases include ‘Shoot from the Hip’ (2003), ‘Trip the Light Fantastic’ (2007) and ‘Make a Scene’ (2011). In 2014, Sophie released her album ‘Wanderlust’ on her own label EBGB’s, which was co-written and produced by Ed Harcourt. It proved to be a critical and commercial success spending 3 weeks in the UK top 10 and selling over 100,000 copies.

Sophie followed this release and collaboration with 2016's ‘Familia’, which saw her return to the dancefloor with her single ‘Come With Us’. In January of 2019, with Ed Harcourt as Producer and Amy Langley (of Dirty Pretty Strings) arranging, Sophie released orchestrated versions of all her hits and past single releases with her orchestral greatest hits album ‘The Song Diaries’. In 2020, her Kitchen Discos, performed at home during lockdown with her five sons and recorded by her husband, musician Richard Jones, were watched and enjoyed by 40 million around the world. Following the performances, she released her latest album ‘Songs From The Kitchen Disco’ in late 2020 on Cooking Vinyl, bringing together Sophie’s hits with many other songs from her phenomenally successful lockdown Kitchen Disco performances, garnering further critical acclaim and yet another top 10 UK album chart position.