Hello! I'm Michelle Robinson and I write books for children.

I've written over 50 books so far and I just keep going. I love to perform my stories, sometimes dressed as my characters. In 2020 I won the Laugh Out Loud Book Awards alongside David Walliams. Never heard of him.

You can find out more about me and find some of my best writing tips below.
Michelle is signing books in the Waterstones tent after performing at Cheltenham Literature Festival. She is leaning in to allow a mischievous little boy to apply face paint to her face with a paint brush.
I love meeting my young fans

Fun Facts About Me

  • I have the same birthday as Roald Dahl (Sept 13)
  • I have a pet cat named Chicken
  • Some of my favourite books are Charlotte's Web, The BFG and Hop On Pop​
  • I live in a small village called Tatamagouche in Nova Scotia, Canada
  • I'm scared of ugly fish
  • ​One of my books went to space
  • I always make mistakes and spell things incorrectly 
  • I can't fart, so if we're alone in an elevator together and the air smells eggy, I'll know it was you
Michelle is holding a pen and smiling for the camera. Four happy school children stand beside her holding signed copies of The Day The Banana Went Bad.
Signing books at Stockport Grammar School after a whole school author assembly

What am I doing right now?

I'm either writing, editing, making videos, daydreaming, cooking, cleaning the house, going for a walk or having a video call with someone cool. That cool person might be one of my famous author or illustrator friends, or it could be YOU. I do lots of virtual visits with schools - so if you'd like to find out EXACTLY what I'm doing right now, arrange a call with me. You never know, I might even dress up as a sausage.

Growing up (kind of)


I've dreamed of being an author since I was five. Before I learned to write, I'd fill whole notepads with squiggly lines that looked a bit like joined-up writing. I grew up in a working class household and was the first person in my whole family to go to university. It wasn't easy. I had to work a part-time job as well as studying, but I didn't mind.

When I finished university I started working in advertising agencies as a copywriter. I started writing stories in my spare time, early in the morning and late at night. My first real book came out in 2012. I couldn't quite believe it. Fifty-something books later, I still can't quite believe it - and I'm still working all the hours I can, in between being mum and all that other grown-up stuff. 
One of Michelle's first ever pieces of writing from when she was around four years old. Her handwriting is very messy and her spelling is terrible.
My first ever book!
From scribbles to space! Unbelievable.

What's it like to be an author?

I'm often asked this question. My answer is always the same: it feels BRILLIANT. I love writing and sharing my stories with children. There are still plenty of days when my writing goes wrong. I make mistakes all the time, but it helps me get better. Having actual books with my name on the front reminds me I can do it, so long as I keep trying and don't give up. If you ever find reading and writing tricky, just remember: so do authors.
Michelle is standing behind a group of school children in green school uniforms. They are all cheering and punching the air.
Writing stories and sharing them with children are what makes being an author so much fun

My writing tips

  • Practise makes perfect: try writing a little bit every day. Doodling is never a waste of time.
  • Don't worry if it goes wrong: mistakes and false starts help you become a better writer. I still write stories that aren't good enough to become books.
  • Ask for a dictionary for your birthday. You don't need to fill your stories with too many words, but it's fun finding out what they all mean. 
  • READ! Join a library and borrow books for free. Librarians will help you find books you'll enjoy.
  • Re-write familiar stories in your own words. It's a bit like having stabilisers on a bike - the more you write, the more confident you get, and the more original your own stories will become. You'll soon chuck out those stabilisers and free-wheel!
  • Having dyslexia doesn't mean you can't write. For example, Tom McLaughlin, who illustrated my Chicken Nugget stories, is dyslexic and he's one of the very best children's authors on the planet. 
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