Career
From there she went to the University of Cambridge to study English at Newnham College and then spent two years studying Linguistics at University College London. In 1998 she was made an Honorary Fellow of the Library Association for her work with children and schools. Foreign eighteen years she was Reading Consultant to British Broadcasting Corporation Schools television"s Look and Read series and wrote the teaching scripts.
She has been a freelance, self-employed professional writer and journalist since the mid-90s.
She has been nominated for the post of Children"s Laureate, 2011–2013. She moved from London to West Oxfordshire in 2001.
They have three daughters, including the writer Rhiannon Lassiter.