CULTURE
MONSTER TALENT
JULIA DONALDSON
The prolific children’s author on creating her best-selling tales – and getting the family involved
S
mall children quaking in their boots about starting or returning to school could try turning to Julia Donaldson for comfort.
In her latest book, The Baddies, illustrated by her regular collaborator Axel Scheffler, the best-selling children’s author has created another charming tale of triumph over adversity as a brave little girl unwittingly outfoxes a troll, a witch and a ghost who are trying to steal her handkerchief.
“I don’t think she’s fazed, just fearless and quite trusting,” says Julia, 73, of her heroine, who’ll help children see that not everything is as scary as it seems. “It shows her facing a new, unknown situation and dealing with it, and being unscathed.”