Great-grandmother publishes her first children’s book at 82, to help autistic great-grandson

Judith Simmons painted all the illustrations for her book, Oscar and the Dragon, and completed the story in rhyme.

She wrote it for seven-year-old Oscar McFarlane, a pupil at Chesswood Junior School in Worthing, and plans to follow with a book for each of her four other great-grandchildren.

Judith said: “I have done a lot of writing in the past but only small things have been published. I am really more into painting. I did all the drawings and all the words myself.

“I used bright colours and painted 24 pictures. Having started it rhyming, I had to do it all that way, which wasn’t always easy.

“I have stories buzzing around my head. The more I talk about it, the more ideas churn about.

“Oscar was four when I started. They weren’t very interested when I was writing the book but they love it now.

“It really is difficult for an autistic child. They are just wired up differently and people think they are simple but they are not. Oscar is in mainstream school and he reads quite well.”

Judith, of Burwash Close, had 50 copies of the book made and has given one to East Preston Library.

In the story, no-one talks to the dragon and he cannot puff out and flames. Oscar finding him crying while walking in the woods and befriends the dragon.

Kelly McFarlane, mother of Oscar and his four-year-old brother Jake, said: “We are all very proud of Judith, my nana, or Big Nana, as her great-grandchildren call her.

“Oscar is very open about his autism. He was diagnosed nearly two years ago now and Judith has done a lot to educate herself about autism and how it affects people, often cutting out bits from magazines or newspapers to give to me when she finds articles about it. She even ordered, and then painted, a Wendy house style tent to have at hers for when we go over, so Oscar can have somewhere to ‘hide’ if he needed to.

“She noticed how few children’s books there are about autistic children, so decided to write one, with Oscar being the main character. Jake is obsessed with dinosaurs, so Judith managed to get a T-Rex called Jake in the story, too.

“Both Oscar and Jake are very proud of the book and both took it into their schools to show their class and teachers. Jake even slept with the book in his bed for a few days after we received it.

“Judith has vowed to write a book for each of the five great-grandchildren, so it may be the start of a whole series.”

Oscar and the Dragon, by Big Nana, is written and illustrated by Judith Simmons and printed by PEP the Printers in Worthing

When Jake read the book to his class at Springfield Infant School and Nursery in Worthing, his teacher messaged Kelly to say: “Jake was very pleased to share his story book. He was able to tell us who the characters were and told us the main events that happened on each page in the story book.

“Jake showed the children the pictures after he had told them what happened. Well done Jake for your confidence in sharing the book with your friends.”

Judith is now well into book two, which will be for Jake.

She said: “He finds a lovely stone on the downs and when he gets it home, it hatches into a pterodactyl. It will keep me busy for a long while, as I have five great-grancshildren, so must do a book for each of them.

“My grandmother was 102 when she died, so I keep telling the family, coronavirus willing, they have me for another 20 years yet.”

A message from the Editor, Gary Shipton:

Thank you for reading this story on our website.

But I also have an urgent plea to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality local news on this free-to-read site and in print, please purchase a copy of our newspaper as well. With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on our town centres and many of our valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you buying a copy.

Our journalists are highly trained by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards anywhere in the world. Our content is universally trusted - as all independent research proves.

As Baroness Barran said in a House of Lords debate this week on the importance of journalists: “Not only are they a trusted source of facts, but they will have a role to play in rallying communities and getting the message across about how we can keep ourselves and our families safe, and protect our NHS. Undoubtedly, they have a critical role.”

But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis. In return we will continue to forensically cover the local news - not only the impact of the virus but all the positive and uplifting news happening in these dark days.

In addition, please write to your MP urging the Government to provide some additional financial support for local newspapers and their websites like this one and ensuring that supermarkets continue to stock them. I cannot stress enough how important such an intervention would be.

We thank all our readers and advertisers for their understanding and support - and we wish YOU all the best in the coming weeks. Keep safe, and follow the Government advice. Thank you.