The Christmas edition of the literary magazine is devoted to writing for children. Roald Dahl is one of the world's most popular and successful children's writers.
Six of his books are current bestsellers. Bookmark visited
Dahl to find out about his own childhood, his gruesome and violent obsessions, the fascination of caning and of eating worms. Also revealed are the curious and macabre working conditions in which he struggles to perfect his bizarre books.
Janni Howker is a new young writer, already the winner of a couple of prizes for her first novel, The Nature of the Beast. Ian Hamilton talks to her and her teenage readers in Lancaster and explores the bleak landscapes and hard times which her characters confront.
Shirley Hughes creates her books with brush and pen. She talks about one of her best-loved characters, Alfie and through him Bookmark joins the world of very young children where the discovery of books and reading is one of life's big adventures. Directors
KATE MEYNELL. DONALD STURROCK PATCHY WHEATLEY
Producer ROGER THOMPSON
Executive producer NIGEL WILLIAMS
●FEATURE: page 9