Ollie, Don’t You Go There!

At 1:30pm Saturday July 21, Rye’s very own Art & Soul Gallery will be hosting a signing for new children’s book Ollie, Don’t You Go There! In attendance will be the author Nicola Parkhouse and local illustrator Oliver Brooks (that’s me!) Ollie, Don’t You Go There! is a charming children’s rhyming book, about an adventurous onion who runs away from home to explore the human’s house. However, Ollie soon discovers the dangers that lurk at Number 2 Pippin Street. The book was a delight to illustrate. Nicola Parkhouse, who had already published two previous books, The Rat and the Cat, Well Fancy That and Morris, The Stealing Magpie (both available on Amazon), got in touch through a friend of a friend. Before we met in-person, I drew up some concepts of Ollie, which demonstrated whether, or not, we were on the same level. One book later and apparently we were. The book allowed some great moments of comedy, excitement, and rather dark material, with innocent vegetables sliced and boiled for our supper. I should probably mention at this point that the title character’s name is purely coincidental on my part. Nicola has a son named Ollie, also. What? It’s a great name! Ollie, Don’t You Go There! is a great read for children and adults who love tales of adventure, danger and a little mischief.