Who is going to replace David Walliams if anyone? Is this good news for children's literature and new authors?

[mids2019]

I may be wrong but I have a sneaky feeling books by David Walliams may not be as popular as they were once were for various reasons.

If Walliams books are quietly dropped from stores do you think publishing companies will look for a new Walliams or will there be more diverse literature than Roahl Dahl knock offs?

I’m sure that is all true, but it doesn’t alter the fact there are numerous excellent authors out there who aren’t celebrities, JK Rowling wasn’t a celebrity, she managed to get her book published and look where that went.

I think we might be arguing at cross purposes.

I don't think we need any celebrity authors. There's a world of marvellous children's authors out there, and they have to struggle to first get their voices heard.

I'm just saying why there are so damned many. Anyone with fame is an easy sell to a publisher because there are so many inbuilt advantages that means disadvantages to other authors. Publishing houses are cautious.

Does anyone remember Sarah Ferguson, Madonna, Paul McCartney, Geri Halliwell, Meghan, and even Prince Charles (as he was then) and their children books? Most were bloody awful. Published because of the author's name not the quality of the book.

(Not to mention all the ghost written stuff)

Very true, I’ve read some of the books from celebrities and yes, often they are not great. Sad world really when being a celebrity makes it far easier to get your underwhelming work published ahead of other far more talented authors

Publishing isn’t a one-out one-in industry. It’s not like all the rival publishers were just not bothering because of Walliam’s existence.

My Daughter was really struggling to get into reading. It was only Walliams books that got her into it. Now she’s reading several books a week. I’ve even caught her up until midnight reading as she “just couldn’t stop” . She’s seven.

While they weren’t great works of literature, they did get kids reading. Hopefully someone else will write some good books .

For anyone looking for “silly “ books in the same vein; The Investagators is a comic type book with similar humour