One was ‘tall, gangly… sports loving and adventure seeking’ as a child, while the other was a ‘freckled, ballet-dancing red-head who loved reading’, but both grew up to be authors and after being widely published for their non-fiction, both are now shortlisted for the Readings Children’s Book Prize with their debut novels for children aged 7-12.

Meet Tony Wilson and A.L. Tait.

Find out what sparked the ideas for Tony Wilson’s Stuff Happens: Jack and A.L. Tait’s Race to the End of the World, and which book they both listed as one of their childhood favourites, by reading these short interviews (clue: hippos).

You can find our interview with A.L. Tait

You can find our interview with Tony Wilson

All 6 books on the shortlist are available to purchase in a special pack for a discounted price. You can find the pack here.

Last year’s winner was Julie Hunt with Song For A Scarlet Runner.

This is the second year of the Readings Children’s Book Prize. More details can be found here.