The new World of Norm book from Jonathan Meres is out now and well worth a read. It goes a bit like this…

It might be a dream, but Norm soon finds that things go from bad to worse – when his perfect cousins arrive for a walk. If there was one thing worse than spending time with his perfect cousins it was being forced to go on a flipping walk with them! What’s the point in going for a walk – except to get from A to B?!

The Pocket World team caught up with Jonathan for a quick chat about stuff…

Pocket World: Do you think there’s any point in going for walks?
Jonathan: Oh yes. Lots of point. I love walking. Do it all the time. I don’t tend to go from A to B though.  I tend to go from A to P. Or sometimes C to L. Because I’m a rebel.

PW: Do you have annoying brothers like Norm?
JM: Do you mean do I have any annoying brothers like Norm?  Or like Norm does? Because they’re two different questions.  I have 3 sons. And they’re pretty annoying if that helps? Or even if it doesn’t.

PW: Have you ever shaved a dog?
JM: What kind of a weird question is that?  Have I ever shaved a dog? Course I haven’t! I’ve given a badger a manicure. But shaved a dog?  Never.

PW: Will life ever get less unfair for Norm?
JM: I couldn’t possibly say. Unless you were offering me vast amounts of money. Oh, you’re not?  In that case I couldn’t possibly say.

PW: Which books do you think are flipping fantastic?
JM: That’s like asking what my favourite cheese is.  Actually – thinking about it – that’s nothing like asking what my favourite cheese is. There are just too many. Books I mean.  Not cheeses.  Though I have heard that The World Of Norm: May Produce Gas (Orchard Books, October 2012, available at all good bookshops) is particularly flipping fantastic.  By the way, it’s cheddar if anyone’s interested.

PW: Do you have a favourite place to write?
JM: Yes. My office, which is at the bottom of my garden.  That’s where I am right now.  As I look out of my window I can see a pond and flowers and stuff.  And a heron has just flown past.  I’m not making this up.  If I was I’d probably make it a bit more exciting and say that I’d just glimpsed a panda or something.

PW: What are the best and worst parts about being an author?
JM: Best part? Well my job is to make stuff up. Not everybody can say that. Bus drivers for instance.  So that’s pretty cool. Worst part? No excuse for being late for work.

PW: Thanks for the chat Jonathan!