John’s answers:
What is the picture book that have you enjoyed reading with someone else most, and why? Oh, gosh. There’ve been many, but if I have to choose one, it’ll probably have to be the obvious one: The Grufflalo by (of course) Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler. Both my children loved it when little; my son, at age three, asked for it so many times he could recite the whole thing by heart - and yet, thanks to the perfect poetry of the text and the sheer fun of the illustrations, I never got tired of it. It’s such a joy to read aloud; in my view, if children’s literature was accorded the respect it deserves in the UK, Julia Donaldson would be universally recognised as the genius she is.
What's your favourite thing about each character in your shortlisted book? Am I allowed to say the illustrations? I love how Thomas has brought out Bertle’s honesty and vulnerability about his feelings, Hertle’s kindness, and the friendship and sense of fun they share, as well as Gerda’s warmth, wisdom and compassion.
Which picture book would you give as a gift to your main character, and why? Michael Rosen’s Sad Book, without a doubt. It would help Bertle - as, I have absolutely no doubt, it’s helped thousands of children - to know that however he’s feeling, that’s okay; and it’s okay to show those feelings, too.