Famous men cashing in on children's book market??

[mids2019]

David Walliams, David Baddiel, now Ben Miller.....rich university educated men getting in on a lucrative market or simply making the most of their talent?

Personally I feel I would like my children to read books from relative unknowns (I guess JKR would have originally fitted this bracket) to allow new author to establish a career (as these guys have already had theirs)

I was surprised that Paul O'Grady has written a children's book. Although he is a published author and I have read his biographies that I found interesting.

Tom Fletcher has actually written some pretty good books!
I didn’t actually realise it was the same person till the other week!

Totally agree. Came across a great local author Jen Carney recently and her books are so much better written but of course she doesn’t get the publicity that the big guns get.

Run a bookshop. David Williams to a certain age.
Julia Donaldson very young readers. Michael purogho contast.Diary of a wimpy kid comes and goes also dogman. Roadhl dahl constant. Some still love Enid Bylton. Always let them choose themselves.

It doesn't matter if we find them "terrible" because we aren't the target audience.

@InFiveMins

Thought this the other day when Tom Fletcher was called an "author" on Strictly, it's just ridiculous. What on earth makes them qualified to be able to write books?

But he is an author as he has written books!!

Why shouldn’t celebrities write children's books if they want to? Publishers are in the business of selling books and will always sign up authors with name recognition who will shift units. Nobody is forced to buy them.

As books they’re not that great to be honest in my opinion...
I’m not a massive fan myself.

I don't like DW's books, I'm not even a fan of the TV adaptations. But it doesn't matter. Our children will find their own gate to the written word, be it David Walliams, Judy Blume, The Beano, Oscar Wilde or Dr. Seuss.

Why shouldn't men write children's books? What a very odd thing to get upset about.

Acht Katy price had a squillion pony books out a few years back.

To me anything that gets kids reading is good.

David Walliams books are awful. Not funny just mean. The way he describes over weight people is disgusting.
His publishers are taking one of the characters out of all future editions of his Worlds Worst children books because it's racist.

Why do you need to be qualified to write a book?

I cannot stand David Williams books. I love Tom Fletcher, his books are great. My new favourite author is Rob Bidulph. He had my class transfixed for over an hour talking about how to write and draw. Real talent there!

If it gets David Walliams off our screens let him write. He totally gives me the creeps 🤢

@redfernstation it wasn't Because of You was it? Because that is one of the worst books I have ever read in my life!

Emma Carroll's books are great for any kids who like historical fiction.

And we read Beswitched by Kate Saunders very recently which is a time slip boarding school tale. Really good fun with an unexpectedly moving ending.

We’ve got loads of David Walliams books and every single one is a pile of shite, my ds absolutely loved them for a while so he was given them as birthday and Christmas presents by well meaning relatives.
Tom Fletchers books are really good, my 3 have all enjoyed them, he is a songwriter though so he does know how to write a story I suppose!

I don't think for people such as Charlie Higson and Simon Farnaby who have a well established background in writing for film and TV that it's a particularly big stretch for them to write books too. We're reading the Wizard in my Shed at the moment and it's hilarious.

Jacqueline Wilson on the other hand which my DC seem to hoover up are dire in my humble opinion.

I don't know, I think having children as the audience is about as close to a meritocracy as we can get.

Children don't give a damn about who was on TV or a pop star (especially not before they were born). If children don't like the books their parents won't buy the next one.

But I agree, these 'authors' would be making it hard for actual writers to get their foot in the door. For publishers, the marketing does itself for free when a celebrity dips their toe into anything.

It's not about them being men. It's about a massive amount of money and publicity going to a tiny percentage of authors which means the choice for children to read becomes more and more limited. Interesting article www.theguardian.com/books/2020/dec/12/famous-first-words-how-celebrities-made-their-way-on-to-childrens-bookshelves

The website booksfortopics.com is brilliant for suggestions of what to read based on age/genre etc.

David Walliam’s books are horrible, mean and bullying. He has no credentials for writing kids books at all. Just thinks he can make a quick buck

It’s interesting, I let my dc pick any books they like. They don’t have a clue who David Baddiel, Walliams or Ben Miller are yet they have picked out their books to read among many lesser known authors. I don’t have an issue with it because I want them to read a variety and develop their own tastes.

DS was too old to get on to the David Williams etc books - never really got into Harry Potter though many did & I think she is apart from those authors. - If it helps anyone DS loved Mortal Engines

I can see why those who are already well known would be more accepted by publishers - Let us hope that genuinely talented writers have a breakthrough moment ( e.g. JK Rowling)