Words and Pictures Merge in Workshops for Young People

Children's Services Library Manager Mark Heaton said: "Whether your thing is to make up stories, flick through comics, or simply escape into a good book, if you want to learn how to draw or develop your creative writing skills then this is for you.

"Taking the 'work' out of 'workshop' the events taking place in libraries this summer, are going to be great fun. We're especially delighted that we've been able to entice two leading children's authors to visit - Ali Sparkes and Margaret McAllister. Both will be encouraging you to get into writing mode after describing how they began as authors.

"Or perhaps you're curious to know how Japanese artists pen their comic books? If so, you're invited to come and get graphic at our Manga art workshops with talented artists Tasneem Kausar and Leah Simpson."

The events have been organised as part of Radar, a project for 12 to 16 year olds aimed at giving young people something positive to do over the summer.

The first Manga workshop will take place over three days in the new Library and Cultural space at Riverside, Main Street, and will run from 2.30pm to 4.30pm each day on Monday, 30 and Tuesday, 31 July and Wednesday, 1 August 2012. Participants will be expected to book onto all three sessions.

The workshops will start with the basic principles of Manga and move on to produce some pieces of art linked to the characters and theme of this year's Story Lab Summer Reading Challenge, which is also taking place across Rotherham libraries.

For young people who can't make the sessions, or those who find it more convenient to attend classes in Swinton and Maltby, there will be further Manga masterclasses with local artist Leah Simpson in August.

Sessions will take place over three days at Swinton Library on Monday, 13, Tuesday, 14, and Thursday, 16 August and at Maltby Library on Monday, 20, Tuesday 21, and Thursday, 23 August 2012. Each session will last two hours from 2.30pm.

All art work will be displayed at the end of the summer and the contribution of the participants will be acknowledged.

In early August, young people will be given a unique insight into what it takes to produce a children's story by popular children's author Ali Sparkes.

Ali is author of 'Monster Makers', 'Shapeshifters', and 'Dark Summer'. Her book 'Finding the Fox' was nominated for the 2007 Bolton Children's Book Award, and she is winner of two Blue Peter awards.

Ali will be visiting Wath library on Thursday, 2 August at 2.30pm and Dinnington Library on Friday, 3 August at 10.30am.

Later in the month, another much-loved author, Margaret McAllister, will visit Rawmarsh library to talk about her own dreams of writing as she grew up on the north-east coast.

Margaret always wanted to write and used to make up stories in her head even before she was old enough to get them down on paper. Her first book, 'A Friend for Rachel' (now entitled 'The Secret Mice') was published by Oxford University Press in 1997. She is now the author of several children's books, which are often merged with historical fiction.

Margaret McAllister will appear at Rawmarsh library on Friday, 17 August at 2.30pm.

Works by the authors will be available at all book events.

All Radar events are free but places must be booked in advance. Call into your local library or call Children's Services on 01709 815123.

Keep up to date with more information on the Rotherham Radar Facebook page. 

Last update: 31/07/2012