Are you a fan of author Holly Webb? Having written more than 100 books for children, this prolific author remains a firm favourite with young readers, especially those who love a good animal story. Find out more about Holly, how she got started, and the books that have made her so popular with kids.
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A Profile of Author Holly Webb
How Holly Webb Got Started as a Writer
Holly was born and grew up in south-east London, but spent a lot of time on the Suffolk coast as a child. At around ten years old, she fell in love with stories from Ancient Greek mythology, which led her to study Latin and Greek, and eventually to read Classics at university.
Webb hadn’t planned on becoming a writer when she began drafting her first series, The Triplets. She explains, “I was working as an editor at Scholastic and we brainstormed this new series called The Triplets. I didn’t want to hand over the characters I had drafted to someone else to develop, so I decided to write the books myself.”
You may also enjoy: 11 Things You Didn’t Know About Holly Webb
Starting to Write
That was back in 2003. Later, Holly began writing animal stories for Stripes Publishing. She believes the success of these stories comes from the fact that they’re not only told from the human character’s perspective – the feelings of the cat or dog come through too.
“I enjoy building the story from the perspective of the child and the animal, and showing how their relationship grows,” she says. “Children also enjoy following how an animal might think.”
Holly Webb is something of a quiet publishing success story. Her books – including titles like Buttons the Runaway Puppy and Lost in the Snow, with their appealing animal covers – have sold in their thousands to young animal-lovers, especially girls.
Holly Webb’s Series Based on Cats & Dogs
Holly launched another series, My Naughty Little Puppy, focused on a girl called Ellie and her Jack Russell terrier, with a strong supporting role for Ellie’s brother.
The series sticks to cats and dogs rather than other pets, because dogs and cats have a level of independence that suits the kinds of adventures Holly likes to write. “I also think there is more bonding that goes on with a cat or dog, so they are easier to write about,” she adds.
Each book sets up a problem – the dog or cat getting lost, or needing a new home – and the child and animal work together to resolve it.
“These books describe the kind of responsibility that comes with owning a pet,” says Webb, “but they’re also about the fun involved in having pets – that’s the main thing. My children were in hysterics when they found the cat asleep in the recycling box the other day. Pets just become a huge part of the family.”
You may also enjoy: 10 Best Books by Holly Webb
About Holly Webb’s Family
Holly is married with three children, including twins. As a child, her own introduction to pets began with a cat called Rosie. Later, the family had two dogs, including an English bull terrier called Alice, with whom Holly built a particularly close bond.
“She got older and grumpier at the time I was a grumpy teenager, so we kind of suited each other,” Holly says. “The main thing that made her grumpy was that she hated sand, and we lived by the sea – she was a city dog really.”
Holly also had her own gerbils growing up, and when one died, her father bought a replacement without checking whether it was male or female. “A few weeks later they had babies. We put up a notice to give them away, and the local snake shop contacted us to ask if they could feed the gerbils to their snakes. We said no.”
Probably thanks to Rosie’s grumpy character, Holly has always believed that animals have strong views and feelings about the world around them – and that belief has helped shape her stories. “I felt that my animals thought about things that happened, and had their own stories about what was going on.”
Finding Something That Appeals to Children
Holly’s books are aimed at early readers aged five and up, and have helped turn many children into confident readers thanks to their appealing stories – and the fact that there are so many of them. Once a child is comfortable with one book, they can simply move on to the next.
As a parent herself, Holly understands how important it is to find something that appeals to children who might find learning to read hard work. “A friend introduced my six-year-old son to the Rainbow Magic books, and he became obsessed with them. They helped turn him into a reader, because I didn’t always have time to read him the next chapter – he had to read it himself. Now he’s moved on to Roald Dahl.”
“I don’t think you should worry about what your child is reading, as long as they’re reading. You could get them started with websites and gradually introduce other things – just be pleased they’re reading anything at all.” The family also make regular trips to the library together.
Another huge influence on children, Holly notes, is seeing their own parents reading and enjoying books. “Then they don’t see it as something difficult that only happens at school.”
You may also enjoy: 10 Great Stories for Kids You Should Have in Your Home
Does your child have a favourite Holly Webb book? Leave a comment below and let us know – we’d love to hear from you!
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books has Holly Webb written?
Holly Webb has written more than 100 books for children, spanning several much-loved series.
What age group are Holly Webb’s books written for?
Her books are aimed at early readers from around age five upwards, making them a great choice for children building their reading confidence.
What kind of stories is Holly Webb best known for?
She’s especially known for her animal stories, including series about cats and dogs such as My Naughty Little Puppy, told from both the child’s and the animal’s point of view.
Why did Holly Webb start writing children’s books?
She began while working as an editor at Scholastic, drafting characters for a new series called The Triplets – and decided to write the books herself rather than hand the characters over.
More Holly Webb Stories to Explore
- 11 Things You Didn’t Know About Holly Webb – fun extra facts about the author
- 10 Best Books by Holly Webb – where to start if you’re new to her stories
- 10 Great Stories for Kids You Should Have in Your Home – more reading ideas for young bookworms
Keep the Ideas Coming
Loved learning about Holly Webb? Save this article to come back to, and browse our other author profiles and reading round-ups for more inspiration on building a home library your kids will love.
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