I've got a great idea for a children's book. It goes like this:
one day x baby animal was hungry.
x baby animal went up to y grown up animal?
'can I eat your z?'
'no' says y grown up animal, 'baby x's don't eat z'.
so baby x goes to yy grown animal
'can I eat your zz?'
'no' says yy grown animal, 'baby x's don't eat zz'.
so baby x goes to....
the best thing about my idea is that you can slightly adapt it and make heaps more children's books. Like x baby animal could be a duck, or a pig, or almost anything. And instead of being hungry, the baby animal could be lost or lonely or almost anything. And because each page just repeats the same sentences they could be written by almost anyone. And because they are so formulaic they can be illustrated by almost anyone.
Give me a Reckless Ruby or The Tiger who Came to Tea or Fox and I'll read to you all day. Force one of these interchangeable, poorly illustrated and mind-numbing crapola books on me and I'll fall asleep before you, you poor child.
That declaration is sooo good. I once heard an interview with Jez Alborough and he was saying that he keeps in mind that it's adults who have to read these books over and over so he makes sure they're interesting and enjoyable for all.
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