Quentin Blake: We need more disabled children in picture books

As he launches his latest book, Sir Quentin Blake says there should be more illustrations of children with disabilities in children's literature.

"They're just not there," he says.

After being asked to submit illustrations of children using mobility aids for an exhibition three years ago, the well-known illustrator started to realise the level of under-representation and wanted to do something about it.

In his only video interview since launching the book, Blake says that there has been lots of talk about how disabled children are "coming in on the edges" and so decided to create a story where they don't remain on the sidelines. "I just thought well, we'll just do it about them," he says.

The Five of Us features children with what Blake calls "special abilities", who end up having to rescue their bus driver when he falls ill during a trip into the remote countryside.

On disabled children in books more generally, the illustrator famous for having drawn classic characters like the BFG and Willy Wonka in Roald Dahl stories, says: "We can't have a quota and we can't have a token. But one day I hope it just comes naturally, it's not something I would have to think about."

For a subtitled version click here

Video Journalist: Kate Monaghan

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