The magic of 'The Making of the Word Witch'

Margaret Mahy (Icon) is one of the world's best-loved children's authors who has delighted young and old alike for the past fifty years with her whimsical tales that set fire to the imagination.

The Word Witch is a collection of Mahy's poems, from school readers, collections, picture books and her personal papers, a project that was spearheaded by author Tessa Duder in 2008. The book is testament to how Mahy's lyrical poems can bring to life the weird and the wonderful with rhymes and rhythms that bounce off the tongue and bring the words themselves to life.

Each of the book's 66 poems has been illustrated by renowned illustrator, David Elliot, either with a single image or with a storyboard approach that matches the narrative of the poem.

The Making of the Word Witch is a glimpse of Elliot's creation of the book, from beginning ideas to the finished illustration. It is also a window into the imagination and how ideas can be transformed into delightful images that mirror the spirit of Mahy's magical verse. This is an exhibition that will not only delight, but also inspire, the child in all of us.

Toured by the Ashburton Art Gallery.

Story-telling sessions are at 11am and 1pm on Wednesday, September 29, and Wednesday 6, October. Children are asked to bring along a gold coin and a cushion.