Until this weekend, children’s writer Malorie Blackman may have been forgiven for thinking of trolls as ugly creatures who live under bridges. Not any more. After being misquoted by Sky, the Noughts and Crosses author has fallen victim to cyberbullies, whose racist attacks are as hideous as any monster.
On Sunday, Sky News ran an interview with the Children’s Laureate, in which she carefully explained why she thought young fiction should try to include more black and mixed ethnicity characters. “I think what we need, especially in publishing, is more commissioning editors, and editors who are people of colour,” said Blackman. “I think there is a very significant message that goes out when you cannot see yourself at all in the books you are reading.”
Her nuanced critique was then given the sledgehammer treatment, when Sky presented the story as: “Children’s Books Have Too Many White Faces”. Blackman swiftly took to Twitter to point out that “not once did the phrase … pass my lips because I don’t think in those terms”. The headline was amended to reflect Blackman’s actual words but the damage was done: a torrent of Twitter abuse had already arrived and continued yesterday.
Playwright Bonnie Greer, fellow children’s writer Laurence Anholt and novelist Joanne Harris were among those who leapt to Blackman’s side. But despite the solidarity and an apology from Sky, Blackman tired of the vitriol and left Twitter last night. After Kathy Lette named the villain in her novel after book-banner Chris Grayling, will an army of trolls be taught a lesson in Blackman’s next work?
