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'An amazingly golden time'

19 September 2011

'One child in Edinburgh asked me who my main competitors were. If Julia Donaldson didn't exist and her books didn't exist, then I wouldn't have the readers. If I didn't exist then Anthony Horowitz and Jo Rowling wouldn't have their readers. Children need lots of different books. Adult writers are a lot more competitive, but with children you need this vast amount...

It is such an amazingly golden time because there are so many good people writing. Now lots of adult writers are trying to write for children. People used to ask me. 'Don't you mind that Jo Rowling is taking all the attention?' And I'd say, 'What attention?' No one had the slightest interest in children's authors. There was no attention. She's created this whole renewed interest in children's books. Children's authors should be very indebted to her.'

Francesca Simon, author of the Horrid Henry books, in the Independent on Sunday