VIDEO AND PICTURES: Julia Donaldson meets her fans

Children were delighted to meet one of their favourite authors when she popped into Steyning Bookshop.
Author Julia Donaldson at The Steyning Bookshop with Joanna Rachtan and her children, from left, Dexter, seven, Eloise, seven, Lucy, five, and John, nine. Picture: Derek Martin DM1840295aAuthor Julia Donaldson at The Steyning Bookshop with Joanna Rachtan and her children, from left, Dexter, seven, Eloise, seven, Lucy, five, and John, nine. Picture: Derek Martin DM1840295a
Author Julia Donaldson at The Steyning Bookshop with Joanna Rachtan and her children, from left, Dexter, seven, Eloise, seven, Lucy, five, and John, nine. Picture: Derek Martin DM1840295a

Julia Donaldson was celebrating the publication in paperback of her picture books What the Ladybird Heard on Holiday and The Everywhere Bear.

Among the queue of parents and children on Saturday morning was James and Gloria Huitson with their three-year-old daughter Lucy, who said The Paper Dolls was her favourite Julia Donaldson book.

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James said: "We have such a lot of fun reading the books together at bedtime, it was really nice to meet her ourselves."

Author Julia Donaldson at The Steyning Bookshop with Joanna Rachtan and her children, from left, Dexter, seven, Eloise, seven, Lucy, five, and John, nine. Picture: Derek Martin DM1840295aAuthor Julia Donaldson at The Steyning Bookshop with Joanna Rachtan and her children, from left, Dexter, seven, Eloise, seven, Lucy, five, and John, nine. Picture: Derek Martin DM1840295a
Author Julia Donaldson at The Steyning Bookshop with Joanna Rachtan and her children, from left, Dexter, seven, Eloise, seven, Lucy, five, and John, nine. Picture: Derek Martin DM1840295a

Sara Bowers, owner of the bookshop, said it had been an exciting Easter holiday event, with Julia be signing any of her titles purchased on the day or pre-ordered from the shop.

Such is the popularity of the author that the wait was long but Sara organised free activities and refreshments for the children 'to make the experience more bearable'.