An award-winning author and illustrator came to North Ayrshire recently to read his stories to primary pupils, writes Gabrielle Boyd.

Ed Vere, whose stories include Grumpy Frog, Max the brave, and Mr Big, was on a tour of Scotland’s schools.

The tour was sponsored by the Scottish Book Trust and Scottish Friendly and saw Ed visit St Anthony’s Primary in Saltcoats, St Mark’s in Irvine, St Bridget’s in Kilbirnie, and St Winning’s in Kilwinning.

The author spoke to the pupils about tolerance, through the power of picture books, and encouraged them with interactive storytelling and draw-along activities.

After reading to the children on his tour, Ed said that he has a ‘step-by-step drawing activity’ of a character from one of his books. This, he believes, allows the kids to experience what it is like to draw.

He said: “I am very keen on children being able to draw.

“Lots of children come to school and they’re really good at drawing and they love to draw, but then they leave primary school and 80 per cent of them say ‘oh I do like drawing, I’m no good at drawing’ and it’s shame because they all have the ability to draw. It’s good if children should draw.”

Ed also told the Herald that he had recently finished a book and is currently working on a new one.

The author’s first book was Getaway, a story about a mouse that has stolen some cheese and is asking the reader to help him escape from a policeman, who is an elephant.

Ed explained that he got into writing when someone asked him to illustrate a couple of stories.

He began to enjoy it and started to draw some of his own characters and saw what their stories were and started writing.

To find out more about Ed Vere, visit here.