What’s Your Favourite Book Nikki Johnston?

Click to rate this book!
[Total: 0 Average: 0]

Magenta’s Tartan Socks
Author: Nikki Johnston

Nikki owns Oh My Giddy Aunt, an online store packed with whimsical charms and treasures. We asked her about her favourite book:

“My favourite book is Magenta’s Tartan Socks – illustrated by Mitch Vane and written by… me!

It wasn’t the first children’s book I had written but it was the first that was published. Having a book published was a huge thrill and since then I’ve read it to thousands and thousands of children. It is still a huge thrill every time they laugh at the end of the story.”

magsocks

“The book is about a little girl called Magenta who has tartan socks, spangly bangles, frilly knickers, an over-active imagination and an annoying little brother. I wrote it after a friend (really called Magenta!) told me that when she was little she made up stories about the exotic countries her hanky had come from.

The little brother bit came from my own life. I have two of them – although they are slightly less annoying now. My nieces still try to figure out if the annoying little brother in the story is their dad.

As I was writing it over 15 years ago I read (changed it), reread (changed it), reread (changed it) and reread it. Then the editors read and changed it several more times! I needed to take a very deep breath the first time I read it to an audience but fortunately the response was positive.

Sadly the book is now out of print, but thanks to the generosity of the illustrator Mitch Vane people can download it free of charge from my website and Magenta and her little brother can live on!”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *