About Family Workshop: Design My Cover
Be inspired by cover designer Jason Lyon as he reveals how professional book covers are designed. Explore text, image and layout as you discover the secrets of the trade.
Then join three middle-grade authors, Eric Huang, William Yamaguchi Dobson and Lucy Tandon Copp, as they pitch their books to you. Have fun and get creative as they compete to persuade you to design a new book cover for their story. Which story will you choose?
Your support
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Eric Huang
Eric Huang is the author of the Guardians of the New Moon chapter book series.
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As a child, he dreamt of being a palaeontologist but fieldwork didn’t live up to his Jurassic Park dreams. Eric has been an editor, a publisher and a podcaster. He lectures on the Creative Writing and Publishing master’s programme at City St George’s, University of London.
Jason Lyon
Jason Lyon is a British-Chinese illustrator is known for a signature style of magical realism that blends the mythological with the mundane.
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Drawing inspiration from mythology, science fiction, cinema, and nature, Jason works across advertising, medical journals, newspapers, magazines, picture books, book covers.
Lucy Tandon Copp
Lucy Tandon Copp is a Malaysian-Chinese and English children's author and award-winning journalist.
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She is the author of teen novel K-pop: Making The Band, and picture books Logan's Lantern and A Love as Full as the Moon.
Lucy's stories are bursting with heart and spread a message of inclusivity and empathy through lovable characters and universal themes that everyone can relate to.
Lucy lives in Buckinghamshire with her family and a not-so-miniature schnauzer called Moose.
William Yamaguchi Dobson
William Yamaguchi Dobson was born in Japan where he developed a love of stories through manga.
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A former barrister, his debut middle-grade novel, Kamizen: Fortress of Lost Memories was released first as a full-cast Audible Original. He likes to start the day with a cup of matcha and a smile.
Family activities at the Library
We have lots of free family events and workshops in London and West Yorkshire. Spaces can fill up quickly, so please book ahead.
You can also pick up a Family Trail from the Information Desk to help you explore the Library further, and visit our free Treasures Gallery.
Food and drink
Families are welcome at all of the Library’s cafés and restaurants. The Terrace Café on the first floor has lots of seating (including an outdoor terrace for sunny days). Highchairs are available in the Terrace Café and the Upper Ground Floor Café, subject to availability.
Families with children may also bring their own food to eat outside on the Piazza or in our public spaces, and there are water fountains that can be used to refill water bottles across the building. Please do not consume food or drink inside the exhibition galleries.
Baby-feeding
Parents are welcome to breastfeed or bottle-feed anywhere in the Library. Please ask a member of Library staff if you would like help finding a quieter space.
Please note that we cannot heat bottles or baby food in our cafés and restaurants.
Bags, cloakrooms and lockers
Our cloakroom and digital lockers are free to use, located on the Lower Ground Floor with step-free access. Please note our cloakroom is closed on Sundays, but you can still use our lockers. View more information on our bags and luggage restrictions.
Baby-changing and toilets
There are baby-changing stations available in the following toilets:
- in the men's and women's toilets on the Lower Ground Floor, near the cloakroom
- in the women's toilets near Reader Registration on the Upper Ground Floor
- in the men's and women's toilets in the Terrace Café on the First Floor
- in the men's and women's toilets in the Knowledge Centre.
Accessible toilets can be found on all floors. The nearest Changing Places toilet is at King's Cross station.
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