Oscar’s Book Prize has made its debut at the Hay Festival with a children’s storytelling session lead by Gemma Merino, who won the prize in 2016.
Author-illustrator Merino enthralled festival-going children and their parents by reading three of her books, including last year’s Oscar’s Book Prize winner, The Cow Who Climbed A Tree.
Jonathan Douglas, director at the National Literacy Trust, which supports Oscar’s Book Prize, also spoke about the important role of books and reading to children from an early age.
Merino answered questions from her young fans and demonstrated some of the illustration techniques she uses in her work.
Merino, who is a qualified architect, admitted that she ended up making children’s books by chance. Seeking a diversion from the day job some years ago she wanted to enrol on an evening course in baking. When that was full she opted for one on book illustration instead, and baking’s loss became our gain.
During the storytelling session Merino also revealed that she is currently mulling over and sketching out ideas for a new book. Watch this space.
Oscar’s Book Prize is supported by Amazon, National Literacy Trust and The London Evening Standard.
Oscar's Book Prize hosts its debut session at the Hay Festival in Hay-on-Wye
Gemma Merino does a live demonstration at the Hay Festival using one of the illustration techniques she likes to use in her work