Why children's authors shouldn't always 'kill the parents'

Writers for young people are often urged to get rid of the parents as a first rule, but Sally Nicholls urges for space to stories about loving families too, whatever their shape and size

• Watch a video of Sally on her Guardian children’s fiction prize longlisted An Island of Our Own, and why you should enter our young critics comp
  

Every so often, someone comments on how different all my books are. It’s not surprising; I’ve written everything from medieval apocalypse to contemporary realism. When this happens, I nod and agree that, yes, I am indeed a fabulously diverse and creative writer, thank you very much. But inside, I’m just hoping they don’t find me out.

As far as I’m concerned, all my books are about the same thing.

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