Our fourth judge needs no introduction - as it’s the inimitable Cressida Cowell!
As well as being a former Children’s laureate, Cressida is of course the author and illustrator, best known for, among many other works, her How to Train Your Dragon series.
Cressida is of course now very busy putting all of her expertise to the test in taming the shortlist-to-be - so Cressida, thank you so much for answering our questions, too!
Credit Debra Hurford Brown
What is your earliest reading memory?
Going to the local library to discover exciting new books – which is one of the reasons libraries are so important, they make reading accessible from the earliest age.
Who is (or was) your all-time favourite person to read picture books with?
My children. I know parents are exhausted by the end of the day, but as the parent of 3 adult children, they’re some of my fondest memories. And books read to you in a parent’s voice live with you all your life.
Who or what do you consider to be the best picture book character ever, and why?
‘The Lorax. He’s a brilliantly entertaining character whilst also delivering vital messages about the environment and empowering children to know that they can make a difference. He also has a beautiful, lyrical voice: ‘I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees for the trees have no tongues.'
Oscar's Book Prize celebrates the very best picture books. What sort of stories are you hoping to discover while judging this year's shortlist?
I’m looking for a book that the children will love, obviously, but also appeals to the reading adult so that they enjoy reading together, to create those happy memories. I’m looking for something with skill, and heart and joy.
About Cressida:
Cressida Cowell MBE is the author-illustrator of the How to Train Your Dragon, The Wizards of Once and Which Way to Anywhere book series, as well as picture books. How to Train Your Dragon is also an Academy Award nominated film and TV franchise. Cressida is a trustee of World Book Day, a patron of Read for Good, an ambassador for the National Literacy Trust and the Woodland Trust. She has won many high-profile awards for her books, as well as her work championing literacy. She is an honorary fellow of Keble College, Oxford, and has an honorary doctorate from the University of Brighton. Cressida was Children’s Laureate 2019-2022.