MORE than a hundred local primary school pupils were treated to an insight into the workings of an author and illustrator who were talking about their new book.

Curtis Jobling and Tom McLaughlin called into Stockton Library today (Thursday, May 15) talk about their new book, ‘Old MacDonald Had a Zoo’.

During the session the authors talked about and read from their books but also showed some of the cartoons which Mr Jobling has worked on.

Mr Jobling, a former pupil of Cleveland College of Art and Design, in Middlesbrough, is best known as the BAFTA award winning designer of Bob the Builder, BBC CBeebies series Raa Raa the Noisy Lion and BBC CBBC’s Frankenstein’s Cat.

Throughout the session, the children were also asked to ‘challenge the illustrator’ by suggesting animals the duo could conjure up before their eyes.

Mr McLaughlin spent nine years as the political cartoonist at The Western Morning News before leaving the paper to become a freelance illustrator. Since then he has designed and created a number of animated TV concepts and written and illustrated several picture books, including The Diabolical Mr Tiddles and Captain Buckleboots on the Naughty Step.