The Guardian reports on Cressida's aspirations for children:
How to Train Your Dragon author Cressida Cowell named new children's laureate
The author and illustrator comes to role with ‘giant to-do list’, which includes making school libraries a legal requirement, and more time for creativity
Luckily, anyone who has read my books will know that I love a quest. A quest is idealistic: there are impossible-seeming obstacles and many people will tell you not to bother trying. A quest is also practical – in order to make progress there must be action.”
Cowell said she had witnessed a discrepancy in the distribution of resources while touring schools around the UK, particularly in libraries, which will be her first focus as laureate. In the face of closures up and down the country, she will be campaigning for school libraries to be statutory, and arguing that public libraries need to be funded properly.
“It really is impossible for a child to become a reader for the joy of it if their parents or carers can’t afford books, they don’t go to a public library, and their primary school hasn’t got a library,” she said.
Another wonderful author and illustrator, Jackie Morris, stands with Cressida as proclaimed via Twitter. Who is with them?
Jackie Morris
@JackieMorrisArt
30m30 minutes ago
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I would like to stand beside @CressidaCowell in making school libraries, WITH a librarian, a legal requirement for all schools.
It's where democracy in learning begins.