Alex English is the writer of Yuck! Said the Yak, a new picture book from Maverick Arts Publishing. She spoke to StoryWorld about writing, children and, er... Yaks.
Tell me about Yuck Said the Yak!
Yuck said the Yak is written by me and illustrated by the lovely Emma Levey. A
fussy yak comes to stay with Alfie, but says YUCK! to
everything he is offered. Can Alfie find something
to make the yak say YUM?!
Why did you write a picture book?
I’ve always written, but it was only when I took a class in writing for
children at CityLit that I got the confidence to have a go at picture books. I
love playing around with words and I am very silly, so picture books were a
natural thing for me to write. Plus it’s nice to have written something my
little boys can enjoy.
How did you go about getting it published?
I sent my manuscript in to Maverick’s slushpile. Then I completely forgot
about it and was thrilled when, six months later, I heard that they loved it
and wanted to publish it.
What are the challenges of writing for children?
Children are very discerning. Your writing needs to grab them
immediately because they won’t cut you any slack if it’s boring. With a picture
book every single word needs to be right. Luckily, I like a challenge.
Which writers are you most inspired by?
I try to read very widely. Recently I’ve enjoyed There’s a Shark in theBath by Sarah McIntyre, The Three Robbers by Tomi Ungerer and Do Not Enter theMonster Zoo by Amy Sparkes. But I get inspiration from all around. I first saw
my yak in the Natural History Museum and thought, ‘what would a yak say?’.
What has the reception of Yuck said the Yak been like?
It’s early days yet, but so far, so good! It’s very exciting that the
book is out in the world and children are enjoying it.
Are you working on new anything at the moment?
I am busy writing a novel for 9-12 year-olds, editing the
sequel to Yuck said the Yak (which will be out next year) and dreaming up new
picture book ideas all the time.
Thanks Alex! Click the links above to buy Yuck! Said the Yak. Find out more about Alex on her website, www.alexenglish.co.uk
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