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John Fardell

All of the information on this page has been provided by the author. If you need an author to have specialist skills, experience or knowledge please ask for more information about this ahead of booking them for an event. Please note that Scottish Book Trust cannot carry out Disclosure checks on Live Literature authors for most events. It is the responsibility of the person organising the event to carry out the appropriate Disclosure checks.
Contact: [email protected]
Local authority: Edinburgh City
Languages: English
John Fardell's headshot

I write and illustrate picture books with comic strip elements and children's adventure novels, which combine excitement and humour, and often extraordinary inventions and places.

My sessions and workshops are interactive and fun, with an emphasis on the imaginative scribbly processes behind creating books, with lots of joining in drawing and story inventing activities, and lots of tips and inspiration for children to create their own stories. This illustration-led approach seems to work well for enthusing pupils who don't see themselves as confident writers and readers, as well as those already keen.

My sessions work well for any ages of primary school children, as well as teens and adults interested in the techniques of creating illustrated fiction, and a mix of all or any of these ages in the one session, for example whole schools or family sessions is fine. I can work with groups of any number - from small groups to a whole hall full. The format of my events can vary from: general sessions on creating illustrated stories, workshops on creating stories in comic strip form, multi-session residency projects, out-of-classroom sketching-for-inspiration tours, and sessions geared to a particular topic.

I'm pretty flexible and always up for new ideas and requests! (Photo credit: Camilla Rockwood)

Local authorities will visit

Aberdeen City; Aberdeenshire; Angus; Argyll and Bute; Clackmannanshire; Dumfries and Galloway; Dundee; East Ayrshire; East Dunbartonshire; East Lothian; East Renfrewshire; Edinburgh City; Falkirk; Fife; Glasgow City; Highland; Inverclyde; Midlothian; Moray; Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles); North Ayrshire; North Lanarkshire; Orkney Islands; Perth and Kinross; Renfrewshire; Scottish Borders; Shetland; South Ayrshire; South Lanarkshire; Stirling; West Dunbartonshire; West Lothian

Events will deliver

Live drawing; Panel event; Reading; Residency; Talk; Workshop; Professional development, CLPL or CPD; Chairing events

Audience will work with

Prisoners & young offenders; Reluctant readers; Young people with additional support needs (under 18) (ASN/SEN)

Topics of work

Adventure; Animals; Childhood; Coasts, seas & oceans; Comedy, humour & funny books; First experiences for younger readers; Friendship; Mystery & thriller; Nature; Picture books; Vehicles

Age groups published for

Children

Age groups will work with

3-5; 6-8; 9-11; 12-14; 15-18; 18+

Audience size

0-10; 11-30; 31-100; 100-500; 500+