hm
http://arstechnica.com/old/content/2007/07/research-optimal-copyright-term-is-14-years.ars
"Without my 'favourite' author getting a penny. Why would I want to do that to my favourite author ?"
Even if the copyright expires, there's nothing stopping you from giving the author money. Also, it would be difficult for someone to publish a book whose copyrights have expired but many aspects of it are still trademarked, because that probably class as counterfeiting.
"do you want Noddy's children to starve ?"
Don't care about his children. If I die, I could leave my kids money and a house. Why should his children get money, a house and something that magically keeps making more money even though he's dead?