Mark Lemon started writing and publishing books after noticing a lack of diversity in children’s books and, as a father of two dual heritage children himself, knew something had to change. His series of books features his own children, Otis and Thea Lemon, and his debut title Otis Lemon & The Spectacular Submarine was awarded the Platinum Junior Design Award for the Children’s Book of The Year in 2016. With his latest book The Magical Wood, Mark drew on his own childhood trauma following his father’s murder when he was aged just 12 years old. Published on the 26th anniversary on his father’s death, the book has been praised by families who are coping with grief or anticipating the death of someone they love. Mark will be talking about his own experience with grief along with how this prompted him to write ‘The Magical Wood’