Updated 12 July 2002, 18.04

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In fact, he said he was more proud to win an award for his children's books than for his adult ones.

"I am trying to be cool on the outside, but on the inside I'm going 'ner ner ner ner ner!'" he laughed.

'Funny little story'

Terry's written loads of books for adults, including 26 in the massive Discworld series, and just eight novels for children.

"I'm amazed," he said. "I think the children's books field is far more competitive these days, there is such a lot of good stuff out there.

"Writing for children is harder than writing for adults, if you do it properly. What I thought was going to be a funny little story about a cat organising a swindle turned out to be a major project.

"The first novel I ever wrote was a children's book. I have written about eight now. I haven't quite got my foot in the door of the children's book world, but I think I have three toes in.

Happy about Harry

But Terry has mixed feeling about some top children's books.

In a slight dig to the Harry Potter phenomenon, he said fantasy books were about more than just "wizards and silly wands".

But he insisted he had nothing against Potter.

"I do wonder if I'm making more sales as a result of Harry Potter," he laughed. "But I'm making more sales anyway, so you can't work it out.

 Click here for pix of some of the young Carnegie judges

"I'm quite happy about the existence of Harry Potter. It makes fantasy more popular, although you could argue it just makes Harry Potter more popular.

"But I don't think the success of one person in particular is bad for other writers. If people like Terry Pratchett, I don't think they only go out and buy one book. They kind of get a following built up and say 'let's go out and buy all the books'".

More Info

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Past Stories
	Artemis Fowl steals top kids book prize
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	Terry Pratchett
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