As well as books, Alan Dapré has written...

100+ scripts  for TV including  BAFTA nominated Brum & Boohbah,  Plays & stories for BBC Radio. Poetry. Magazine articles.

Alan Dapré is an experienced children's author, with 63 published books. His plays have been broadcast on BBC Radio, and used in schools. Formerly a TV scriptwriter, whose work was BAFTA nominated, Alan often crafts his imaginative stories and poetry while walking his rescue dog, Max.

“I spent my early years in a foster home, before entering various children's homes. The noise and rules took a lot of getting used to, so I took comfort in books.

Stories sent my imagination soaring. I was free to roam new worlds and words. I discovered the fun of rhythm, rhyme and reading out loud.

A turbulent time at boarding school followed, where I was singled out and bullied for my Care background and appearance; having long outgrown my school uniform. Provision for children in my situation was patchy. More positively, in my final year, I won prizes for Art and Drama, and this spurred me on to go to university. One of the first children from Care ever to do so.

Mid-1980s, I studied Creative Arts then took a PGCE at Nottingham Trent University. Determined to give something back and prove that school can be an empathetic experience, I taught Primary age children and, in time, became a Deputy Headteacher.

I wrote my first play for Radio 4 while teaching. At the turn of the millennium, I left and started originating, writing & producing for a TV production company, on shows such as Brum, Boohbah, Blips & Tronji.

I subsequently moved to Scotland and began freelancing; writing chapter books and picture books. These days, I combine writing with author events. I aim to share my stories in an accessible way, with wordplay, props and participation; tailoring elements for each audience.  

I regularly visit book festivals, libraries and schools, where I deliver lively interactive events based on my published books, and childhood experiences in Care."