Creating for Kids
Season 1
Justin Worsley - Illustrator, Author, Toy Designer
by Adam Skuse
Justin Worsley's wonderful new book, Henry the Artistic Dog, is a joyful exploration of art and finding fulfilment...through a rather surprising medium. In this episode, Justin shares how it felt to land a three-book deal as a first-time author; his toy design career that's taken him from Hong Kong to Spain via Sesame Street; and how an MA in Children's Book Illustration helped propel him into a new chapter as an author.
Screenwriter Seyi Odusanya got his break by submitting a sci-fi pilot to the BBC Writersroom. Since then he's become an in-demand writer for global hits that include Peppa Pig, Mr. Bean: The Animated Series, Big Lizard, and JoJo & Gran Gran. In this episode, Seyi reveals how a pub theatre sketch unexpectedly helped land him a job on Peppa Pig; his surprisingly emotional pitch that brought tears to the eyes of a TV producer; and what it was like coming face to face with Mr Bean himself. He also talks about the fulfilment he gets from running after-school creative writing clubs, and how writing purely for the love of it has opened doors he never imagined.