To tell us what she used to read after lights out, today we welcome Hazel Edwards, author of many, many books, including There’s a Hippopotamus on Our Roof Eating Cake, The Gang-O Kids, and Outback Ferals.

Hazel Edwards, the Aqua-readaholic

Yes, I did read under the bedclothes with a torch. Didn’t have to use my pocket money for torch batteries because we lived in a country general store which sold everything.

But my favourite place for reading was, and still is, in the bath. So I’m an aqua-readaholic. Maybe a publisher will make waterproof pages in the future?

My grandfather had a lending library, so I could borrow Enid Blyton mysteries and then I moved onto spy stories. (If I were aged under 12 today, I’d probably read Deb Abela’s ‘Max Remy’ series.)

I like quest stories where you have to find something. That’s why I wrote the Gang-O Kids who solve mysteries while orienteering.

Now I write stories like Outback Ferals (published by Hachette) which has an eco-scientist Kyle who is trying to solve a pandemic mystery, or picture book Plato the Platypus Plumber(part-time) who is a problem-solver.

Also, I travel a lot so I listen to audio stories, especially mysteries.

– Hazel Edwards

PS I have dropped a few books in the bath, but don’t tell.

© 2010 Hazel Edwards

You can find out more about Hazel Edwards and her books by visiting her website – www.hazeledwards.com.

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Alphabet Soup magazine is celebrating the launch of Undercover Readers (our new reviewers club for kids)!  If you’d like to join the Undercover Readers Club, you’ll find an information pack you can download from the Alphabet Soup website. As part of the celebrations, we have a different children’s author or illustrator visiting Soup Blog each day until 29 June 2010 to talk about what they used to read after ‘lights out’ when they were growing up. So be sure to check back tomorrow!