Book Week was made even more special for our Primary students with a visit from award-winning children’s author and illustrator Lucinda Gifford.
Lucinda spent time with our Primary students running fun and interactive drawing workshops. Rather than simply showing students how to draw, she encouraged them to be part of the creative process. Students helped Lucinda come up with ideas for the wacky-looking animals she drew, suggesting funny features and different ideas to bring each character to life. She also gave students new ideas and tips to try in their own drawings.
The workshops gave students a chance to see how an illustrator can turn a simple idea into a character, scene or story. Lucinda showed how drawing can be a way to explore ideas, have fun and bring stories to life.
Meet Lucinda Gifford
Lucinda Gifford is a children’s author and illustrator based in Melbourne. She grew up in Scotland and studied Architecture at Edinburgh and Bath Universities. After working in advertising and graphic design, Lucinda followed her passion for drawing and storytelling and began creating books for children.
Lucinda has now illustrated more than 50 books, with many featuring animals, humour and imaginative characters. She has also written a number of her own books, including Dogasaurus, Whitney and Britney Chicken Divas, Whitney and Britney Chicken Detectives and The Wolves of Greycoat Hall series.
Whitney and Britney Chicken Divas was selected for the 2020 National Simultaneous Storytime. Her Wolves of Greycoat Hall series has also received recognition, with Boris in Switzerland, the second book in the series, winning the Best Children’s Novel category at the 2024 Davitt Awards.
Lucinda’s books and illustrations show her love of creating funny, unusual and memorable characters. This made her visit to Reynella East College a perfect fit for Book Week, as our Primary students had the chance to see her creative process in action and create some wacky-looking animals of their own.
