Around 200 children were in attendance as the mega-selling illustrator behind one of Britain’s most popular children’s book series visited North Tyneside.
Martin Brown, the illustrator of the Horrible Histories series, hosted an event for pupils from several North Tyneside schools at Wallsend Customer First Centre earlier this week.
Martin was discussing his brand-new book, Lesser Spotted Animals 2, the sequel to the popular first edition, which won the UKLA 7 – 11 Award in 2018.
Speaking after the event, Martin said: “A lot of kids say they can’t draw, which is crazy really as drawing is like anything else – there are different techniques and if you want to draw a certain way, there are lessons you can take, it is entirely teachable.
“Drawing is more about having fun, it’s a pity that kids get self-conscious about how they draw at such a young age
“Just have fun drawing, don’t worry about it too much. If you want to learn how you can, but there are lots of other ways to draw as well.”
The book, which forms part of the drive to eliminate the use of palm oil and single use plastics, is jampacked with often unheard-of animals – from the altai argarli to the yellow-bellied glider.
Containing hilarious illustrations and quirky facts, the book aims to fill the children with knowledge and inspiration for their own reading and writing.
The event was the first show of Martin’s national tour where North Tyneside pitched and was successful in receiving a visit.
ENDS