Grug

You’re invited to meet three of Australia’s most famous children’s book authors and have them sign your books. View their original artworks used in their books.  Meet the life-size character Grug.  Each author will have a ‘Gift with Purchase’ on multiple book sales over the weekend.

Where: Morpeth Gallery, 5 Green Street, Morpeth NSW 2321
When: Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th July 2012.
Time: 10am – 4pm each day.
Entry is Free.

These three creative and talented artists have author/illustrated some of Australia’s most popular children’s books. You will find their books in many child care & primary school libraries in Australia as well as many overseas library’s and private homes.  This is the first time that these three authors have been brought together at one venue at one time.  It is a rare opportunity to attend Morpeth Gallery for two days at a meet and greet book signing.  View their original artworks used to produce their books whilst at the gallery.

A large range of all the authors current books will be available at Morpeth Gallery over the weekend for you to purchase and have signed by the author.  Here’s a brief biography on each author:

Garry Fleming…has 93 published titles in 35 languages in 58 countries.  You may have read Bollygum, Eye Spy, The Cassowary Egg, The Water Dragon & The Magpie Goose, Endangered Species of the World, ABC Animals, or completed one of five special jigsaw books.  NBN’s Big Dog went to bed many a night reading one of Garry’s Big Animal Books with Miss Kim.  His latest releases include a set of four board books – Hug Me, Kiss Me.

Wildlife is Garry’s forte and his original paintings are created to use for his books, which he illustrates, authors and distributes around the world through his own publishing house.  Garry is based south of Sydney. Garry will be at Morpeth Gallery to chat to you about his latest book releases: . From time to time Garry is an artist in Residence at Taronga Zoo.

Ted Prior creator and author of the famous series of 35 Grug books will make the journey from his home on the north coast, just to meet you.
“Grug began his life as the top of a native Australian Burrawang tree. Resembling a small, striped haystack with feet and a nose, he is fascinated by the world around him and solves everyday problems creatively and without fuss. When for example dancing instructions are too difficult to understand, Grug invents his own dance and calls it “The Grug”.
Novocastrian Ted Prior worked as a police officer and an art teacher, teaching at Newcastle TAFE for many years.  He began to write and illustrate the original series of Grug books in 1979. As a result there’s a whole generation of thirty something’s in Australia who grew up loving Grug!
Grug then went out of publication in 1992, skipping a generation, before being published again from 2009.  Grug now has 30 adventures in the Australian bush along with his friends Snoot the Echidna and Carla the python snake.  Children are now discovering Grug for the first time.  Babies and toddlers are fascinated with the bright pictures and adventures of Grug.  They soon learn to read using the Grug stories.
Stories include Grug and His Garden, where Grug discovers a snail eating his garden, so he plants more so they can both be happy; Grug Goes Fishing, Grug Plays Soccer, where Grug and friend Cara the carpet snake play a game, and Grug Learns to Dance, in which Grug creates his own dance called, “The Grug”. Recent editions include, Grug Goes to Hospital and Grug Learns to Fly.
Ted has recently released three new Grug board books for toddlers.  Grug ABC, Grug 123, Grug Animals and for primary school aged children 6-10years, an activity book – Grug’s Big Book of Fun, with over 150 pages of holiday fun.
As well as Ted being present Grug himself will also be at Morpeth walking around so you can have your photo taken with him.  Grug is large standing almost 2 metres high and 1.5 metres wide.

Natalie Jane Parker author and artist of no less than 23 children’s books written in English, and translated into Portuguese, Spanish, Korean, Polish, and German to help kids there to read both their native language but also English. Themes for Natalie’s books include mythical character’s, insects as well as native Australian animals.  She has colouring books, activity books, and most importantly educational books.

Natalie Jane Parker resides in the foothills of the Barrington Tops National Park, Hunter Valley, which gives her all the inspiration she needs to create her Australian themed children’s books.  Kids love following their adventures, identifying all the native birds and animals as they go.

Meet Willow the Wombat, Echo the Dolphin, Bella Butterfly, Frankie Frog, Lulu Ladybird, Blip & Pip, Bumble the Bee, Marshall Mouse & the brand new character Casey the Kitten.  This is Natalie’s latest release.  Her books teach children to count, read the time, about the days of the week, identifying colours & shapes – often in an Australian bush setting.

Echo the Dolphin presents an environmental message about the dangers of the ocean, when his friends get caught in a net and he sets about helping them escape.

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