This April your library has planned something super special!

Artist and author Leigh Hobbs, best known for the 23 Children’s Books he has written and illustrated featuring his characters Old Tom, Horrible Harriet, Mr Chicken, Fiona The Pig and The FREAKS in 4F, is visiting with us. And you can come and meet him too!

Leigh was Australian Children’s Laureate 2016 – 2017. In 2019 he was one of five Children’s Literature creators honoured by Australia Post with their own postage stamps.

Leigh is visiting Grafton Library for 6 sold-out school workshops and a special all-ages, family event on Wednesday 28th April. There will also be a book signing event at I Scream ice creamery with Grafton Book Warehouse on Tuesday 27th April.

The focus of Leigh’s time in the Clarence Valley is to share his characters and skills. ‘Our time together is not about who is best at art or drawing but how different we all are’ he says.

Throughout April and May you can also view the exhibition “Leigh Hobbs: Characters from the Drawing Board” at Grafton Library featuring original works, journals and the stories behind his characters.

Leigh was a secondary school art teacher for 25 years and now lectures and runs writing & drawing workshops in schools and at festivals all over Australia as well as in the UK. His book ‘Mr Chicken Goes to Paris’ has been a best seller at The Louvre Museum Bookshop in Paris for ten years.

Old Tom has been brought to life by Leigh in eight books featuring this orange, furry, feral rascal with one bung eye and bandaged foot who always carries a fishbone (his dolly.) Leigh’s books, plus a highly successful French/Australian animated TV series, have built up Old Tom’s reputation to almost cult status amongst children.