A Selection of Garry's Books
Garry Parsons
Type of Artist:
Garry Parsons is an award winning illustrator of books for children including the best selling picture book “The Dinosaur that Pooped Christmas” by Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter.
Garry’s illustrations have accompanied the words of many prestigious writers of children’s literature including Kes Gray, Jeanne Willis, Ian Whybrow, Peter Bently, Julia Jarman, Julia Donaldson and for older readers Josh Lacey in “The Dragonsitter” series and Lucy and Stephen Hawking in the space adventure series “George’s Secret Key to the Universe”.
He can offer a full day visit which would include one group assembly followed by up to 4 illustration workshops of roughly 30 minutes duration.
The assembly would give the children an opportunity to gain a light-hearted insight into the working life of an illustrator with fun interaction through live drawing and a lively questions and answers session.
The workshops briefly outline the process of illustrating for publication with a chance for the children to make drawings themselves based upon a theme. Themes can be based on particular publications or to key in with current school projects.
Details
Preferred age range:Primary age range, including Reception
No of sessions per day:
Whole school assembly plus up to 4 workshops.
Session Length:
20-45 minutes for assembly;
45-60 mins for workshops, plus signing time afterwards.
Areas prepared to travel to:
Based in London but can go anywhere in the UK if travel expenses and overnight accommodation expenses are met.
Transport:
Preferably train
Fees:
Please indicate which author you are interested in. Garry also teams up with author Josh Lacey (The Dragonsitter) and author Gareth P Jones (Are You the Pirate Captain? & The Dinosaurs are having a Party!")
Website:
Titles include:
Illustrator of:
The Greatest Magician in the World by Matt Edmondson (7yrs & above)
Happy Easter Tooth Fairy by Peter Bently
The Dinosaur that Pooped a Planet (Series) by Tom Fletcher & Dougie Poynter
The Dragonsitter (Series) by Josh Lacey
George's Secret Key to the Universe (Series) by Lucy & Stephen Hawking.
Daisy & the Trouble with Life (Series) by Kes Gray
The Tooth Fairy's Christmas by Peter Bentley
The Tooth Fairy's Royal Visit by Peter Bentley
There's an Ouch in my Pouch by Jeanne Willis
That Naughty Meerkat by Ian Whybrow
Nuddy Ned & Nuddy Ned's Christmas by Kes Gray
Are You the Pirate Captain? by Gareth P Jones (Long listed for The Kate Greenaway Medal)
The Dinosaurs are having a Party! by Gareth P Jones
Stuck in the Mud by Jane Clarke (Winner of Nottingham Children's Book Award)
Trouble at the Dinosaur Cafe by Brian Moses
Dr Hoof by Diana Kimpton
Billy's Bucket by Kes Gray (Winner of the Red House Children's Book Award)
Krong! by Garry Parsons (Winner of Perth & Kinross Words Out! Picture Book Prize )
Testimonials:
"Garry's visit was a great success! The workshops he offered were interactive, funny and interesting. He was also very kind with the children. We are very happy he came to our school."
Librarian, International School of Geneva - Primary
"What a fabulous Dino themed World Book Day 2017 we had! Garry came to visit with his amazing energy taking workshops for the whole day with all of the children at school. It gave them a wonderful insight to the life of an illustrator and how a book is created from the initial rough drawings and ideas to the finished printed proofs! It was fabulous to see them all creating and drawing in the sessions which were inspired by Garry. They went away with wonderful experiences and even created their own books and characters! I would highly recommend Garry to an event. It was a truly ROOOAAARRRING success!"
Hannah Mee, Librarian, Ipswich Prep School.
Our day was a huge success- thank you! Most of the children bought a book and The Dragonsitter books are now hugely popular in our school. Yesterday was a lovely day which was enjoyed by all our children and staff and one which will be remembered for a long time to come. Thank you for all your help in organising this. No doubt we shall be in touch again next year, although after last year's visit by Ali Sparkes and this year by Josh and Garry, they will all be hard acts to follow!
Sue Farr, Warden Hill Junior School, Luton.
"Garry came to our school during book week 2016. He took a whole school assembly with Josh Lacey and then took small group sessions. He was lively and entertaining and gave us some wonderful illustrations that he had drawn through the day.
The sessions were perfectly pitched at the children's age and ability. He was kind and encouraging and spent a long time after school signing and illustrating books that the children bought. He was great company and I would definitely recommend him to any Primary school, including inner city schools with lots of EAL pupils."
Sue March, West Hill Primary School, London.
'Garry visited The Falcons School for Girls during Bookweek in 2015; working alongside Josh Lacey, he gave a lively and inspiring insight into his work and the way he works. The girls were thrilled to watch his deft and vivid pen-work and delighted to be involved in the creative process of making three dragon-filled artworks which now hang in the school library and corridors.
A year on, the impact of his visit can be seen in both the girls' enthusiasm for reading books containing his work and in their own creative work which remains heavily dragon-inspired.'
Diana Hillier. The Falcons School for Girls, London.
Published work:
Photos: