Dahl named best children's author

Roald Dahl has been voted Ireland's favourite children's author in a poll published to coincide with Unesco's World Book Day.

Some 70 years after the acclaimed author was first published, the writer behind such classics as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda and James and the Giant Peach, has been named by both parents and their offspring as the greatest writer of children's books.

In the World Book Day survey, Dahl came ahead of fellow authors Julia Donaldson, JK Rowling, Enid Blyton and Jeff Kinney.

Derek Landy, who is famous for the Skulduggery Pleasant series of books, was voted as the most popular Irish author of children's books.

The World Book Day poll results are based on a sample of 705 nationwide responses. The survey was facilitated by bookshops, children’s organisations, teacher organisations and libraries all over Ireland as well as through various social media.

Now in its 15th year, World Book Day is celebrated in over 100 countries worldwide and annually teams up thousands of schools and pre-schools in Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales with bookshops and libraries for everything from sponsored dress-ups and competitions to big events with their favourite authors and illustrators.

As well as events all around Ireland, World Book Day is today hosting its first literary online festival - 'The Biggest Book Show on Earth' - featuring some of children’s best-loved authors including Landy and fellow Irish author Eoin Colfer.

More than 500,000 groups and individuals in over 25 countries around the globe have signed up to view the show being streamed live to their computers.

A free World Book Day App for teenagers, containing specially-written short stories for World Book Day as well as videos and news, has also been released.

“World Book day 2012 is our most dynamic World Book Day yet. Our aim is to make sure that all children, regardless of circumstance, have access to books and to the magical worlds and wonderful benefits that reading opens up," said Bob Johnston, spokesman for World Book Day Ireland.