2021 › Stafford

Past event

Natalia and Lauren O'Hara Performance

How did it go?

The Children's Bookshow was thrilled to be back at the very handsome Stafford Gatehouse to welcome seven primary schools to the O'Hara's event. Sisters Lauren and Natalia O'Hara create their picture books together - with Lauren illustrating and Natalia writing, to create a magical atmospheric world for their stories.

The sisters shared photographs of themselves as children growing up in Manchester and described to us how they now, from different homes in different countries, create their wonderful picture books. They read together to us from The Bandit Queen, Hortense and The Shadow and their brand new, yet to be announced (shhh...) fairy tale book.

To the enormous delight of the children, Lauren demonstrated some of her illustration techniques talking us through the different effects that she uses - sometimes a watery brush, or paint drops or even a washing up sponge, with a little bit of collage added in too. Then ... loud oohs and aahs from the children as the sample techniques formed into a curious colourful caterpillar looking out from the paper, as Lauren painted eyes and feet onto the oval shapes.

Time for some interesting questions from the attending schools before leaving the theatre with a free copy of The Bandit Queen and a Frindleswylde postcard for each child.

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FREE copy of *The Bandit Queen* for every child attending this performance! cover

FREE copy of The Bandit Queen for every child attending this performance!

Venue:
The Stafford Gatehouse, Stafford, ST16 2LT
Date:
Tuesday 12th October
Time:
10:30 am
Duration:
Approx. 1 hour
Age range:
Years 1 and 2

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Lauren O'Hara

Lauren O’Hara is an illustrator and lives in Dublin. She studied Art and Illustration at Kingston University. Lauren's sister Natalia suggested they work together on a picture book, which became Hortense and the Shadow. As well as two books with Natalia, she illustrated Madame Badobedah by author Sophie Dahl.


Natalia O'Hara

Natalia O’Hara is a children’s author and lives in London. She studied English at Oxford and Cambridge, and has worked as a journalist, a script developer and a travel writer in five countries. Natalia has written two books, Hortense and the Shadow and The Bandit Queen, both illustrated by her younger sister Lauren.


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