Andy Griffiths, the bestselling children's author behind the Treehouse series, has spoken about the decline in childhood reading, calling it 'a pity that reading is being lost through neglect'. In an interview at his childhood home in Melbourne, the author reflected on his own freewheeling upbringing and the importance of balancing play, gaming and books.
Griffiths, who has sold millions of copies worldwide, grew up in Vermont, a suburb then on the fringe of Melbourne. His childhood was marked by long, unsupervised days exploring the local pine forest and Dandenong Creek. 'It was one of those childhoods where you’d go out in the morning and didn’t really have to come home until it got dark,' he said.
His mother, a midwife, ran the secondhand book stall at the school fete, filling the house with donated books. Griffiths often had first pick, reading everything from fiction to philosophy. 'They’re really precious reading experiences, because they’re not necessarily what you would have given to a kid, but they just opened up the world to me,' he said.
Despite reports that children, especially boys, are reading less, Griffiths remains optimistic, meeting thousands of children each year. He believes parents have a key role in ensuring a balance between outdoor play, gaming and reading. 'While you’re getting that intense experience, you’re gaining literacy skills, which make such a difference to every aspect of your life,' he said.
Griffiths, who also worked as a bottle shop worker, punk vocalist and English teacher, noted that his own childhood was a 'golden age of reading', but not because children spent all their time with books. 'We had many spare hours growing up that couldn’t be filled with anything,' he said, adding that there are now more books for children than ever before, catering to varied readerships.
