Stephen Fry
Each week in First News, a national newspaper especially written for children, we feature a short interview with a “Reading Champion” who answers a few short questions for us on what they love about reading.
Recently we caught up with Stephen Fry, who has had success as an actor, screenwriter, author, playwright, journalist, poet, comedian and film director, but is perhaps best known now as the presenter of the BBC panel show QI.
What did you read as a child?
When I was a child I read all kinds of books. I especially loved Mary Plain by Gwynedd Rae, the classics Treasure Island, Alice in Wonderland and Winnie the Pooh.
If you could be any character from a book, who would you be?
If I could be a storybook character I would be Jim Hawkins from Treasure Island.
What do you love about reading?
The best thing about reading is that time and pressure and annoyances disappear. It’s instant travel and time travel.
What’s your favourite book?
My all-time favourite book is always the one I’m going to read next! I believe reading is so incredibly important in life. Everything I am comes from reading.
Do you, like Stephen, feel that everything you are has come from reading? Can you not imagine a life without books? Sadly, one in three children do not have one book of their own and so cannot appreciate the joy of reading. Give the gift of reading and you could help us introduce a disadvantaged child to reading, bringing them happiness and giving them better life opportunities.
