Children's book writer and poet

Representation in children's literature

I was ten years old when I first fell in love with a boy. It was incredibly wonderful, but also confusing and oppressive. I thought I was crazy, the only one in the whole village. I wasn't the carefree child who could enjoy the feelings of love.

Diversity as a given

People sometimes think I only write about gender and sexual diversity, but I write about a variety of topics. Many people see The Farmer and the Vet as a picture book about homosexuality, but for me it's simply a book about love. […] For me, gender and diversity often play a subordinate role. The problem in The Farmer and the Vet isn't the homosexuality itself, but the farmer's shyness in expressing his love.

"This is simply the world as I experience it. I see non-binary people around me, so for me, the leap to writing a poem about a non-binary person isn't that big."

Unjustified accusations and hate campaigns

I think literature, and especially children's literature, can foster greater empathy. People need to see how things can be done differently. Always being yourself, no matter what other people say or think. That's what I try to convey in my work.

Writer who matters

The louder the world shouts that you can't be yourself, the more you have to show that you are. I feel very strongly that my books matter because they can truly help children. It's sometimes difficult to find hope in this world, where there's so much hate and intolerance. But I find hope in children's reactions. Like the children in primary school who use "The Lam That is a Piglet" to express their feelings to their classmates. That's what I do it for.

Laura Meijer