Welcome to Dumbarton’s first Kid’s Book Fest - 13 Oct 25

Dan Serridge is a storyteller, community artist and facilitator who creates vibrant and exciting community projects for all ages and abilities. He tells stories and helps people to tell theirs, supporting everyone to see their experiences as pieces of artwork waiting to be told. Through a combination of the personal, mythic and folkloric Dan explores the power of metaphor and meaning that sharing stories can hold. Dan is now a fixture of the Glasgow, Scotland and UK storytelling scene and works for The Village Storytelling Centre as their Artform Development Lead

Helen Kellock is an award-winning illustrator and author based in Glasgow, specialising in books for children. Helen’s debut picturebook, The Star in the Forest, won the Batsford Prize for Children’s Illustration and was shortlisted for the prestigious Klaus Flugge prize. Her picturebook, Out to Sea, was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize in 2022. Helen is also the designer behind the tiles at Dumbarton’s new library!

Mark Mechan is an illustrator, graphic designer and author. Originally from Dundee, he now lives in Hamilton. 

His first book Tumshie was published in 2020 and was inspired by Scottish Halloween nights spent with his own kids — creating costumes and carving turnip lanterns. His second book, Welly Boot Broth was inspired by seasons spent in the garden along with his wife and three kids: playing, attempting to grow vegetables — and letting nature take its course.

Mark studied Drawing & Painting at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design and worked as a Medical Illustrator before moving into publishing. Now, as Red Axe Design, he works as a graphic designer, creating covers and illustrations for hundreds of books. He has been twice nominated for Book Cover of the Year in the Scotland’s National Book Awards.

John Chalmers and Sandra Marrs are a Franco-Scottish graphic novel duo who also work under the name Metaphrog. They are winners of the Sunday Herald Scottish Culture Awards Best Visual Artist 2016 and the Excelsior Award Junior 2018. They have received multiple Eisner Award nominations, critical acclaim and have appeared at many international festivals. Find them on Insta @metaphrog_art and TikTok @metaphrog

Neil Slorance is an award-winning Glasgow-based illustrator and comic artist. Best known for his work on the award winning all ages comic Dungeon Fun as well as his work with Doctor Who comics and his own self published work

Susi Briggs is an accomplished author, storyteller, playwright, poet, podcaster and musician hailing from scenic Dumfries and Galloway.

A former Scots Scriever, Susi is deeply passionate about promoting Scots language literacy and celebrates the rich cultural heritage of Scotland through her creative work.