Cerrie Burnell
Cerrie is a well-loved and popular CBeebies presenter and one of the few visibly disabled presenters on television. She was named in the Observer’s top ten children’s presenters and also featured in the Guardian’s 2011 list of 100 most inspirational women where she received praise for tackling disability head on. Cerrie's original play 'Winged' was performed in 2007, and she toured her one-woman show 'The Magical Playroom' last year. She published her debut children's picture book, Snowflakes, in 2013.
What is your favourite children's book of all time?
Northern Lights by Philip Pullman. The world he creates is extraordinary: it's as dangerous as it is magical and full of bleakness and hope and unforgettable characters.
What books do you remember enjoying as a child?
I remember my grandmother reading me Alice in Wonderland, if I close my eyes and think back I can still hear her soft lilting voice reading the text and the cry of gulls just outside her window.
Who are your favourite children's authors or illustrators?
Probably JK Rowling, Philip Pullman and Timothee de Fombelle who wrote an utterly amazing book called Toby Alone.
What books do you most enjoy sharing with your children?
At the moment, I'm reading my daughter a mixture of picture books and slightly older stories. There's a book we love called I Had A Favourite Dress by Boni Ashbourne and Julia Denos: it’s a great little story set in a New York-esque city about a little girl who outgrows her favourite frilly, twirly dress.
