Q&A with Catherine Jacob

Posted on 6 December 2019

Welcome back to our author Q&As!

This December, we’re speaking to Catherine Jacob, author of There’s a Troll on My Toilet, about special Christmas traditions and what books she reads at Christmas.

What does Christmas mean to you?

For me, Christmas is all about my three children… and, of course, telling stories!

Do you have any special traditions you like to do at Christmas?

We have a lovely tradition in our house where I put 24 Christmas picture books under the Christmas tree. We pick the first one on 1st December and every night up until Christmas. For an extra special treat, we sometimes make hot chocolates with squirty cream and marshmallows!

We light our Advent candle, then one of the children chooses a story and we read it together round the tree before bedtime.

Are there any books you like to read at Christmas?

One story is never really enough!

I know it’s not a Christmas book but I may cheekily slip There’s a Troll on my Toilet in the pile as an extra treat one evening.


Catherine Jacob is a writer, an award-winning TV journalist and a mother of 3. This is Catherine’s debut picture book, published by Scholastic, which was inspired by her love of the festive season. Mike Byrne, The talented illustrator, collaborated with Catherine to bring the There’s a Troll on My Toilet to life.

For more insights into Catherine’s world, head over to her Twitter

You can see more of Mike Byrne here Twitter