FOREWORD My love of graphic novels began when my dad used to draw adventure stories featuring me, my brother and sister, when we were small. After that I drew almost constantly for years to achieve that power, and I loved the dreamy invented worlds my drawings took me to. In 2017 I was a contributor to ‘Brighton, the Graphic Novel’ and published ‘Talking to Gina’, my own first graphic novel. Now I work on a practice of daily diary drawing and teaching. Working on Six Boxes with the after school clubs at Little Green Pig has been a roller coaster ride with so many special moments that were full of imagination and connection. Deconstructing the process of telling a story in just six boxes, in comic format, for 7 to 11 year olds, within time constraints, was occasionally a challenge! But as the weeks passed and tentative pens became more confident, somebody said ‘it felt like an art studio’. And it did: Concentration. Quiet chatting while we inked. Intense focus. Stories were being told, characters brought to life on the page. I am very proud of what the children have achieved during this process. Ottilie Hainsworth Guest Artist
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INTRODUCTION There are many different ways to tell a story, and for children, this process often begins with pictures. Shapes and splodges turn into stick figures, stick figures turn into people talking with speech bubbles. But graphic illustration is far from basic - as we’ve learnt, it takes thought, practice and skill to tell a story in just six pictures. Over 50 children from our three clubs in Moulsecoomb, Whitehawk, and central Brighton took part in Six Boxes. Under the gentle and expert guidance of Ottilie, they undertook a journey of imagining, drawing and writing, bringing their black and white stories to life with vivid splashes of watercolour. All these stories tell of transformation - yet, as ever at Little Green Pig, we hope that transformation happened outside of these six boxes too - not just for the children but for volunteers, workshop leaders and artists also involved. From the mundane to the extraordinary, from the friend who won’t get off her phone to rainbow cats and dragon bites, we hope these stories inspire and delight you, and encourage you too to pick up your pen. Ella Burns Director, Little Green Pig
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SEA TIGER GIRL by Abby Moyle
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THE STORY OF THE INVISIBLE PERSON by Abigail Esayas
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UNTITLED
by Aimie-Leigh Miller
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THE FISH MONSTER by Alani-Jaide Miller
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HOW TO TURN INTO AXEZILLA by Alfonzo Mathew Umbalin Larong
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THE COINCIDENCE
by Amarah Mikeila Umbalin Larong
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THE MAGICAL GIRL by Andrea Nicole Francisco
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THE UNIQUE BOY
by Antoine Miguel Umbalin Larong
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THE COCA-COLA MAN by Archie Hatton
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CHARLIE = T.REX = EPIC by Charlie Jones
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THE STORY OF THE SEA by Daisy Templeman
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THE VIDEO GAME by Eden Aborg
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THE STORY OF LOVE by Eloise Wilson
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THE DRAGON WHO CHANGED ME by Ersad Hoti
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THE EPIC SWITCH by Esmee Ajose
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FATIMA AND HER SIBLINGS by Fatima Mohamad
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AND THE WINNER IS... by Freddy Norris
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THE MAGIC METAL ELEPHANT by Harrison Nye
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DEVIL CHILD
by Ivy Pierce-Nicolau
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THE UNICORN OF DESTRUCTION by Jav-el Jazah
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THE ANNOYING BROTHERS by Joel Jacob
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THE PLAN
by Kabelo Watson
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UNFORTUNATE SUCCESS by Klajdi Hoti
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LEXI TURNING INTO A DOG by Lexi Turton
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