Bestselling children's author Julia Donaldson has revealed that she vetoed an ebook version of her most famous title, The Gruffalo, because she believes interactive book apps are detrimental to children's reading habits. Donaldson, whose rhyming picture books dominate top 10 lists, said she dislikes the trend towards digital interactivity in children's books.
Speaking from her home in Glasgow, Donaldson explained: 'I actually really don't like it for children's books. I think there are lots of pros to ebooks but I don't feel we have to be controlled by technology.' She warned that if every book becomes available as an ebook, there is a danger they could take over completely.
Donaldson's comments carry weight given her high profile and sales worth £10m last year. Eight of the top 10 children's picture books in 2010 were by Donaldson and illustrators Axel Scheffler and Lydia Monks. Liz Thomson, editor of BookBrunch, noted that others share Donaldson's doubts about adding value through interactivity.
Donaldson cited an example of an interactive Alice in Wonderland ebook where children could press a button to make Alice's neck stretch, arguing that such features distract from the text. 'They're just going to be fiddling with this wretched button,' she said. She compared the digital push to the abolition of the net book agreement, which led to discounting and reduced royalties.
Kate Wilson, who published The Gruffalo at PanMacmillan and now runs Nosy Crow, said she understands Donaldson's concerns but believes publishers must embrace where readers are going. 'We can't be a worthy antique as an industry,' she said. Donaldson admitted she may not even have the contractual right to veto ebooks, but her publishers have respected her wishes so far.
