Nick Sharratt brings some Sock 'n' Roll to Feb Half Term
16 Feb 2012
On February 14 over 500 people visited Seven Stories to show their love for award-winning author and illustrator Nick Sharratt and joined in with an event full of sock’n’roll! 200 lucky visitors secured tickets to attend Nick’s sold out event, Sockywockydoodah, in the Artist’s Attic while the rest waited patiently for Nick to sign their treasured books in the Seven Stories Bookshop.
Attendees were introduced to hippos in hats, pandas in pants and cows in kung-fu outfits with plenty of drawing, rhyming and funny games to play. Nick presented his brand new picture book, Socks, and helped visitors to create their own crazy characters, which included a sockodile, a hippo-sock-tamus and, of course, Goldisocks! If that wasn’t enough, Vivian French, author of Hedgehogs don’t eat Hamburgers, The Tales from the Five Kingdoms and The Tiara Club, joined Nick as a special surprise guest.
Speaking about Socks, Nick said, “Socks have managed to find their way into quite a lot of the books that I have illustrate, some quite surprising. This book was a long time in the making. It took ages to get the words just right, years in fact, in huge contrast to the pictures which, when I came to draw them, were very spontaneous for me and huge fun to do.”
Hi continued, “It’s lovely to be back at Seven Stories, it’s got such a friendly, welcoming atmosphere and is the most brilliant venue for children to come tom with so much for them to see and do. I’ll be making time to have another good luck round myself.”
Seven Stories reputation has clearly travelled the globe, as one family from Melbourne, Australia approached the signing table they explained, “We entered the Seven Stories competition to meet Jacqueline Wilson last Autumn, we were picked as runners up and won free tickets to see the exhibition so here we are! When we found out Nick Sharratt was going to be here today too that was just an added bonus.”
Visitors can see Nick’s original illustrations on display as part of the Seven Stories exhibition, Daydreams and Diaries: The Story of Jacqueline Wilson which will run until September 2012. The exhibition guides visitors on a journey through Jacqueline’s stories, characters and daydreams. It shows how popular characters began, including Tracy Beaker, Hetty Feather and The Illustrated Mum, from ideas to text and how illustrator Nick Sharratt brings her stories to life. Step straight into Nick’s studio to hear all about his creative process and see first sketches alongside drawings and photographs from his childhood.
Nick’s work can also be seen in Seven Stories up and coming exhibition, A Squash and a Squeeze: Sharing Stories with Julia Donaldson. This brand-new exhibition brings Julia Donaldson’s captivating stories to life. Find out how she wrote modern classics such The Gruffalo and explore original art work by her many illustrators, including Nick Sharratt.
Signed copies of Socks, by Nick Sharratt and Elizabeth Lindsay are available now in the Seven Stories Bookshop while stocks last. Entry to the Seven Stories Bookshop is FREE, Monday – Saturday: 10am – 5pm and Sundays and Bank Holidays: 10am – 4pm.
Click here to find out more about Seven Stories Event Programme.
