Sketch the Story event for children is free and happening online

The Sketch the Story event in partnership with An Post Irish Book Awards will be led by Alan Nolan and will feature leading children’s book illustrators discussing children’s books, drawing techniques and more.

Parents keen to foster a love of reading, writing and creativity in their children can sign up now for Sketch the Story, a terrific online event organised by The Irish Times in partnership with An Post Irish Book Awards, starring some of the country’s best loved children’s book illustrators.

The free online event, which takes place August 5^th at 11am, is part of Re-ImagineNation, a major campaign from An Post designed to promote the joy of reading and writing for kids.

The competition asks them to imagine themselves as a character from their favourite book, draw a scene that features them, and tell the story of what’s happening.

To get 6 -to 12-year-olds sharpening their brush strokes, the Irish Times Sketch the Story workshop will be led by Alan Nolan and will have leading children’s book illustrators Fatti Burke, Jennifer Farley and Tarsila Kruse online too, to talk best books, drawing techniques and more.

Alan Nolan has written and illustrated many books and comics for children including Fintan’s Fifteen, Conor’s Caveman and Let’s Colour Ireland! Another great one for a staycation summer, this last book offers a fun take on a variety of Irish landscapes, characters and places – from Fungi the Dolphin to the Rock of Cashel.

Children participating in the Sketch the Story online event will hear these illustrators talk about their own books

Waterford native Fatti Burke is well known for her children’s non-fiction bestsellers Irelandopedia, Historopedia and Focloirpedia, as well as her latest book British Museum: Find Tom in Time, Ancient Egypt.

Jennifer Farley is an award winning designer and illustrator of books such as the award winning Shooting for the Stars, written by Dr Norah Patten. Farley has written her own picture books too including Island of Adventures, which is all about the amazing things you can do and see in Ireland – perfect for a staycation summer.

Tarsila Krüse is illustrator of My Little Album of Dublin, written by Juliette Saumande, as well as Irish language books Na Gabh ar Scoil! and Bliain na nAmhran.

Children participating in the Sketch the Story online event will hear these successful illustrators talk about their own books, plus they’ll provide youngsters with great reading recommendations and host short drawing workshops to help teach them how to draw.

They will also explain all about the materials they work with and share tips and tricks designed to support children to enter An Post’s Re-ImaginationNation competition.

Competition details

This major nationwide competition is well worth entering, with prizes that include a year’s supply of books as well as Art & Hobby vouchers. The winning artwork will also be displayed as a ‘wrap’ on a post box in the child’s local area.

Entries for the Re-ImagineNation competition close on 14^th August 2020 at 5pm. It is part of a major partnership between An Post and charity, Children's Books Ireland, designed to promote the joy of reading to children all over Ireland.

During the early part of the Covid lockdown the partnership resulted in the publication of The ImagineNation Playbook, a beautifully illustrated activity book given out for free to children all over Ireland.

“The original idea for ImagineNation came about because An Post and Children’s Books Ireland, a charity, were looking for ways to help children stuck at home in the lockdown and keep them busy because, with working parents and all that going on, it was a shock to the system,” explains Louise Cronje, sponsorship manager at An Post.

The result was the 20-page activity book which featured contributions from famous Irish children’s book authors and illustrators such as Sarah Webb, Don Conroy and Oliver Jeffers.

“It was sent out by post in time for Easter, as a lovely surprise for children,” says Cronje. “We also sent it out to homeless hubs, children’s hospitals and direct provision centres, as well as with The Irish Times’ Easter weekend edition. Some one quarter of a million copies went out in total, all free of charge.”

Activities such as ImagineNation, speak to An Post’s “brand purpose”, she says, “which is to act for the common good, to improve the quality of life for everybody in Ireland.”

It's about encouraging children to read and to be creative. Creativity and literacy is very much an important part of our heritage

This mission was seen in action during the lockdown in a variety of ways, including through postal workers checking in on the elderly, a free postcard initiative, the delivering of newspapers and, last year, the creation of postal addresses for people who are homeless.

“With Re-ImagineNation we know a lot of people will not be going on summer holidays, will be staycationing and looking for things to do with their children,” she says.

An Post sponsors the Irish Book Awards and is a major champion of literacy and literature. “It’s something we are very serious about. We know the importance of it and the benefits it brings in terms of improving a person’s quality of life,” says Cronje.

“This initiative is about encouraging children to read and to be creative. Creativity and literacy is very much an important part of our heritage, we are a nation of writers.”

In a time of pandemic the benefits of such pursuits are even more important, she believes. “Reading, writing and creativity can help to decrease stress and this is an anxious time for children. This initiative is also for parents, who see that their children’s screen time has gone up during Covid, and who are looking to provide their children with alternative activities that use their creative skills.”