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Why interactive books are so good for babies… and adults! 25/03/2025
Our Writer in Residence, Camilla Reid, shares the many benefits of books for babies.
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Camilla Reid announced as BookTrust’s first ever Baby-and-Toddler Writer in Residence 17/03/2025
Author Camilla Reid will take up post as BookTrust's next Writer in Residence – the fir...
Smriti Halls
Smriti Halls was Writer in Residence from September 2020 until March 2021. During this time, she focused on helping children navigate tricky times and new experiences - whether learning at home, solving friendship difficulties, getting to know a new sibling, or thinking about some of the challenges facing our world.
Smriti Halls is an award-winning, critically acclaimed children’s author, published in more than 30 languages worldwide. Her books include #1 bestseller I Love You Night and Day, I’m Sticking with You, Elephant in My Kitchen and The Little Island. With a cast of characters as varied as mischievous monsters and disgruntled geese, she explores relationship and identity; the personal and the political; how it feels to be in your own skin — and in someone else’s. Her books, often fast-paced and funny or lyrical and tender, are always full of heart and hope and speak to the child in all of us. Her picture book Rain Before Rainbows (illustrated by David Litchfield) was made available ahead of publication in partnership with Save the Children as a free e-book to support their work with families most affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Smriti works widely with children and adults in schools, libraries, festivals, bookshops and prisons to bring a love of reading and stories to the widest possible audience. She lives in London and is also published as Smriti Prasadam-Halls.
Speaking about being appointed as BookTrust's Writer in Residence, Smriti said:
'I am honoured and excited to be joining Booktrust as Writer in Residence from Sept 2020- March 2021. I have long admired the essential work that Booktrust does to get books into the hands of the very youngest readers, to engage parents, teachers and carers to build young readers and to effect positive change in the book world. It is a tremendous privilege to be part of the charity in this way.
I begin my residency during a period of uncertainty and transition for us all – a time when we have never needed books more. As a reader and a writer, I believe utterly in the power of books and stories to transform lives, to build bridges, to rebuild hearts, to give us the emotional language to negotiate the trickiest of situations and to bring hope and change in the world. In my role as writer in residence I’ll be encouraging us all, both children and adults, to find new, meaningful and resonant ways of engaging with books and bringing them to life… helping the words leap off the page and right into our lives… and helping us to inspire a new generation of children to find their books for life.'
Relive Smriti's storytime fun
During her time as Writer in Residence, Smriti decided to brighten up a lockdown half-term with a fun live storytime!
She was joined by Sarah McIntyre and Axel Scheffler for the event, which saw all three of them sharing their books.
Smriti read Elephant in My Kitchen, while Sarah treated us to Don't Call Me Grumpycorn and Axel gave a fabulous rendition of The Smeds and The Smoos.
You can relive all the fun by watching the video!
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Michael Rosen
Michael Rosen is one of the UK's best loved poets and authors for children - and during his time as the BookTrust Writer in Residence, he promoted the importance of reading and rhyming in the early years.
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Nick Sharratt
Author and illustrator Nick Sharratt has created illustrations for over two hundred and fifty books during his illustrious career, and used his time as Writer in Residence to celebrate the power of pictures and visual images in children’s books and the role they play in enriching a child’s reading experience.
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"Keep hopeful!": Smriti Halls says goodbye as Writer in Residence
As her residency comes to an end, BookTrust Writer in Residence Smriti Halls shares some final words of hope with us.
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Bringing Life to Books: Smriti Halls on celebrating South Asian and dual heritage families
Smriti Halls' new book is a hilarious celebration of everyday life in a South Asian family - but we have a long way to go to improve representation in children's books. She talks about the importance of bringing our lives into the books we read.
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"Don't sit on the baby!": Smriti Halls' guide to introducing a new baby to their big brother or sister
Time to embrace the mayhem! BookTrust Writer in Residence Smriti Prasadam-Halls shares her tips for introducing a new baby to an older sibling.
An enjoyable rhyming book with wholesome illustrations, Not That Pet! is perfect for young families considering bring an animal into their lives, and a lovely story about an everyday family and their dynamics.
A little girl travels through perilous landscapes, helped by the gentle animals that guide her towards the sunlight. A luminous book to help children at difficult times.
A young boy is rather perturbed when he discovers an elephant in his kitchen, munching her way through the chocolate biscuits. What's she doing there and how can he get rid of her? The important environmental message of this book is delivered in an accessible manner, and children are sure to delight in the cheeky animal antics.
Bear and Squirrel are best friends - but Squirrel feels like she needs a bit of space of her own. This adorable rhyming book about the ups and downs of friendship is pitched perfectly for 3-5 year olds who may be negotiating new friendships.
The message here is that compassion for others and strength in togetherness is what makes us thrive. The Little Island may raise as many questions as it answers, but that’s precisely why global ideas should be introduced to children at such a young age.
Little Monster claims to be sweet, but is proving to be anything but! Children will love the naughty monster snatching presents and hogging sweets, and parents will delight in reminding them not to be like Little Monster if they don’t want to end up feeling silly!
This marvellous non-fiction book, aimed at soon-to-be siblings, charts the month-by-month development of an unborn baby in the womb. Warm, cheerful illustrations depict different genders, ethnicities and family set-ups, giving it broad appeal.
This busy, colourful book flows with fun, rhyming text that is great for reading aloud. The detailed illustrations can be used to help identify many types of bugs, colours and flowers, making it a great learning tool for early readers.
A big, stunning hardback that pays tribute to a misunderstood animal: the wolf. There's a nice middle-ground, conservational message here that the wolf is just looking to survive, like everything else – including us.
Maybe playing together is better because two can have twice as much fun as one! This is an adorable book about letting others join in your games - and each page has hidden details that young readers will love to discover.
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Waterstones Children's Laureate
Find out about Joseph Coelho
Find out everything that's going on with the 12th Waterstones Children's Laureate, Joseph Coelho, as he takes on the job from 2022-24.