I'm taking bookings for visits in the Spring, Summer and Autumn and Winter terms - and World Book Day 2026!
I love school visits...I'm happy to work with individual classes or year groups or KS groups - and can be persuaded to do an assembly if drawing is involved. I'll start off every session with a story, followed by some live drawing led by suggestions from the children – great for modelling imperfect drawings and being brave, as they invariably ask for something I’m not confident drawing...like horses!
I will often arrive carrying a large rolled up painting under my arm...a pirate ship, football pitch, Mr Mornington playing his saxophone...depending on the books you would like me to work with. This is the basis of a collaborative art work for the children to complete (makes a great display!).
My books are great for teaching empathy - I'll show the children how I portray different feelings - and get everyone pulling feelings faces and drawing them - a hands on approach understanding others feelings and expressing their own.
I do story/character development workshops - I love to use music as a starting point for this. And can also talk about the process of making picture books, bringing in my own preparatory drawings and sketchbooks.
These workshops are suggested starting points - I'm always happy to adapt and fit in with your school’s particular needs. I really enjoy working with SEND schools and developing inclusive activities for their students.
Workshop timings to fit in with your school timetable - I'd recommend 30 mins for EYFS and 45 minutes to an hour for KS1 and KS2. I'm happy to visit as many classes as fit into your school day. I charge £350 for a full day and £200 for half a day (can negotiate for multiple days). I’m based in Bristol but happy to travel if expenses are met.
I’m also a primary school librarian, passionate about reading for pleasure - and DBS checked.
We were delighted to welcome Karen George to our school! The children were captivated by her storytelling and inspired by her journey as an author and illustrator. Karen brought an incredible energy to the workshops, engaging students with fascinating and powerful messages from her stories along with amazing drawing activities that brought the stories to life. It was a fantastic experience that sparked a love for reading and creativity in our young learners. The excitement in the room was palpable as children eagerly asked questions and shared their own imaginative ideas. We can't wait to have her back for another inspiring visit! Ashley Down Primary, Bristol
We absolutely loved having Karen to visit our school! She spoke to our Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 learners who were all captivated by her stories and drawing during her visit. Karen shared her book 'What Happened to You?' and showed the children how she drew character with lots of expression. She then rolled out a huge drawing of a pirate ship and invited the children to have a go at drawing the ship's crew!
An absolute highlight for the teachers was seeing some of our EAL (English as a second language) children fully engaged and able to join in with the event as they were able to clearly follow all of Karen's instructions and ideas.
All of the children were inspired by Karen's visit and lots having been drawing characters since. We also love to see our new pirate ship shared artwork on the wall too - thanks Karen! Mangotsfield Primary School, Bristol
'On behalf of everyone at Clifton High School, we wanted to say a huge thank you for your incredible workshop. Your expertise and passion shone through, inspiring all the students who participated. The workshop sparked their creativity and imagination, and it was evident by the smiles on their faces that they had a wonderful time. We are especially grateful for the giant football pitch and pirate ship posters you generously provided. The children absolutely adored them - they are fabulous additions to our classrooms. Thanks for making World Book Day Week so special. We look forward to hopefully collaborating with you again in the future!' Clifton High School Bristol
We were delighted to welcome Karen George to our school! The children were captivated by her storytelling and inspired by her journey as an author and illustrator. Karen brought an incredible energy to the workshops, engaging students with fascinating and powerful messages from her stories along with amazing drawing activities that brought the stories to life. It was a fantastic experience that sparked a love for reading and creativity in our young learners. The excitement in the room was palpable as children eagerly asked questions and shared their own imaginative ideas. We can't wait to have her back for another inspiring visit!