I have many letters from children, teachers, parents and would-be writers. I seem to answer letters and emails more often than I eat, sleep or write, which is why this website has been set up. I want to avoid answering things! Sleeping is my favourite activity.

I’ve been a writer for many years, but for many more years I worked in a university, teaching teachers how to teach reading and writing. So this website is about me, my life, my opinions, my books, my teaching and my feelings about being a writer. I read aloud several of my books on this website, and in my bossy fashion I have also included a spoken lesson on how to read aloud well.

Because I’m a writer, the site works like a book with chapters and a ‘contents page’. To find your way around, just turn the pages. If you want to browse, keep going back to the contents page. At the end of the site you may like to leave a message, but do remember that whatever you write in the guest book will be able to read by everyone in the world.

A huge thank you to Jo and Jesse Reynolds at Virtual Artists, and Annette at Niftycorp, who designed this magical website without ever losing their cool.

Now to the beginning…aha!