A SOMERSET illustrator has launched a fundraiser to support her picture book about the family festival experience, inspired by her toddler's first trip to Glastonbury.

Molly's First Festival, created by Katherine O'Shea, will be about a little girl going to a famous music festival with her family.

Katherine, who has illustrated two children's books for a Scottish publisher, Serafina Press, was surprised to discover that no children's picturebooks about music festivals existed.

Understanding how popular festivals have become with families, and how much children like to see familiar sights in their bedtime stories, she decided make her own.

The project is being published, marketed and funded by Katherine. At the start of the month, she has launched a crowdfunding page to support the book's development.

Katherine hopes the campaign will raise the money she needs to publish the book before next summer's festival season. 

To encourage donations, she is offering to draw people and families who give money to the cause into the book's festival crowds.

Around £1,137 has been raised so far towards Katherine's £3,000 target. She has 35 days to reach the full target as it is an all-or-nothing fund.

Katherine said: “The idea for this story came out of my own experiences of attending this year’s Glastonbury Festival as a parent for the very first time.

“My husband and I had never gone to an event like this with a toddler in tow and were both rather nervous, given the fact she had been born during Covid lockdown and was unused to such a large event.

“Of course, music festivals like Glastonbury are wonderful places for children and despite the ups, downs and general messes, we all had a magical time.

“I know there are thousands of people who will recognise this ‘family experience’ of a festival, and I want to write and illustrate this story for them.”

Alexis Deacon, a New York Times Children's Book Award winner, said: “Katherine’s amazing festival drawings are bursting with life.

“You can almost hear the laughter, feel the bass and smell the mud!”

Katherine worked on some of the artwork for her book at Clayhill Arts, near Bridgwater, between October 24 and 26.

To donate to Katherine's Crowdfunding page, visit www.kickstarter.com/projects/katherineoshea/mollys-first-festival-a-childrens-picturebook.