Books have the power to transport us out of our own world and into another. They give us the opportunity to immerse ourselves in different cultures, experience different emotions and discover new things without ever having to travel a mile, which is why they’re so important for children’s development. We all want to encourage our children to read more, so today we caught up with Joanne Hutchinson, author of toddler books ‘Og’, Hagwitch and Hettie the Talking Yeti for some top tips.
Your books bring a whole new dimension to well-known mythical creatures – where do you get inspiration for your characters from?
Joanne Hutchinson: I draw inspiration from the world around me; the characters I have created emanate from family and friends, sometimes a nickname, a characteristic or trait that then becomes a character. I also live in the Countryside and have woodlands right on my doorstep, so I use all of these things coupled with imagination to create a world that is vivid, bold and entertaining.
The rhyming element of your books is one of the things that make them so spellbinding for children. Does this side of things come easily to you?
JH: I love writing in rhyme, and to be honest, it is something I have always done even when my eldest children were very small. It was therefore a natural progression that when I took the plunge and wrote my first book Og it had to be in rhyme and I had such a positive reaction to the book that I decided to continue in the same vein.
‘Og’ really inspires young children to appreciate books, what do you think the importance of reading is for children?
JH: It is vital for children to lose themselves in a good book, to let their minds imagine, create and explore all realms of make-believe and for them to experience the story as if they were participating in it. Quite simply; books are a wonderful portal of escapism. In a world that has been turned upside down, where routine and structure has changed and where children must be feeling the strain mentally and maybe even more so than their grown ups, we should indulge their beautiful imaginations and let them explore books and delve into a world of fun and excitement. Not only are we looking after children’s mental health with a good book, we’re raising empathetic little people who can figure out a character’s emotional reaction to events and even connect and feel this emotion as well.
As a mother yourself, do you have any tips for parents trying to encourage their children to read more?
JH: Reading is such a special time for children; it helps strengthen that emotional bond and connection, so make time to read to them on a regular basis. Also, help them choose books that they are interested in; if they enjoy the story they will want to join in. You can also read in different environments – out for a walk, on the television – it’s about building confidence so they will want to read.
For more information about all of Joanne Hutchinson’s children’s books, visit her website here.
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