TONIGHT'S TV PROGRAMME FROM THE BRITISH LIBRARY WITH JULIA DONALDSON

Julia Donaldson 

How lucky I've been  to receive invitations from publishers and agents to interview some of the most famous writers and entertainers over so many years. It has been exactly ten years since I was asked to meet Julia Donaldson who created The Gruffalo  character which has been such a wonderful series for children. 

There's a Gruffalo Trail in Brentwood's Thorndon Country Park, Essex which is a delight to visit for all the children who love Julia's fascinating hero. Julia uses rhyming couplets to tell her stories and this certainly helps the flow when reading to small children. The Gruffalo films have been extraordinarily successfull, too. Julia works hard at her craft, which follows many years of writing and seeing her work performed on stage and film.  Even before we used phones that perform so many functions, I have always carried a camera and Julia's photograph was snapped in Chelmsford, Essex in 2011. Julia's creations have gone from strength to strength and it was a great pleasure to meet her in my own city.  

 The programme from the British Library tonight was wonderful for me, as I was a regular visitor there after the Library moved to London's St Pancras area. Even before this, I loved the previous British Library blue Reading Room room when it had been part of the British Museum in Bloomsbury.