Children’s author and comedian David Baddiel has praised JK Rowling and David Walliams for their contribution in the world of children’s literature.

The well-known television star has written a new children’s story called The Girl Who Had Never Been On a Train.

David Baddiel has written a new book called The Girl Who Had Never Been On a Train (Virgin)
David Baddiel has written a new book called The Girl Who Had Never Been On a Train (Virgin)

He wrote the story while travelling on trains and it tells the story of an 11-year-old girl called Chrissie who embarks on her first-ever train journey with her grandfather Henry, when she has to travel to London for an operation.

The book will be available for children aboard Virgin Trains on their on-board entertainment system.

Illustrations for David Baddie's new book have been done by Jim Field (Virgin)
Illustrations for David Baddie’s new book have been done by Jim Field (Virgin)

Talking about it, he said: “As is usual in my stories, something a bit weird and magical happens early on in the journey, and Chrissie gets taken somewhere she really didn’t expect to go – although it all takes place on the train. Rather like the writing of it…”.

He said of Harry Potter author JK Rowling and David Walliams: “I think what JK Rowling has done is unbelievably important. In general, one thing I noticed that David has done was bring funny, a more modern conception of funny, into children’s books.”

Another venture close to his heart is his latest play, My Family: Not The Sitcom, which has moved from the Menier Chocolate Factor to the Vaudeville Theatre for a five-week run.

He described it saying: “It’s a funny show, and also a very revelatory show, but also emotive.”

“It’s partly about my late mother’s sex life and my dad’s dementia. It is sort of releasing people to talk about something that is very big in their lives but they don’t have an arena to talk about it.”

He hosts a Q and A with the audience after each show which he said “felt very therapeutic.”

The exclusive story is available to read now on BEAM, Virgin Trains’ onboard entertainment platform.