Chris Riddell

“The writing process isn't something I'm in love with. I'm an illustrator who writes.”

“I want to show how much fun you can have drawing... parents and children can draw together as a wonderful shared activity.”

“I don't feel uncomfortable in forbidding institutions, and work with, say, prisons or psychiatric institutions could be one of the things that evolve out of the Laureateship.”

“I want to bring drawing back to the basics, make it about the pleasure that it can afford and remove the notion that it's some kind of precious or difficult activity. It's another way of telling a story.”

“The computer is a tool, just like pencil or charcoal, allowing illustrators to manipulate images from their sketchbooks.”

“When I left art school and went in search of work, visiting publishers and showing them my drawings and illustrations, I was met with a polite and sometimes enthusiastic response but no commissions.”

“School librarians play such an enormous role in bringing children to books they are going to enjoy. It's a magic alchemy when that works.”

“I want to put the joy of creativity, of drawing every day, of having a go and being surprised at what one can achieve with just a pencil and an idea at the heart of my term as laureate. I want to make sure people have fun whilst addressing fundamental issues I care about passionately.”