A VALE children's author, who has been shortlisted for a People's Book Prize, has been entertaining youngsters at Evesham Nursery School.

Julie Fulton, from Cleeve Prior, pens picture story books for children and on Monday, May 12, she brought her tales to life with a reading at the nursery in Evesham.

Her stories all contain an important message and left children "enthralled".

They have also caught the attention of judges for the People's Book Prize and between Wednesday, May 21, and Wednesday, May 28, anyone can vote for Ms Fulton book, Tabitha Posy was ever so Nosy, to win the children's group at peoplesbookprize.com.

She said: "The idea of the People's Book Prize is to get families and children reading. They are trying to libraries to join in so they promote the books during the voting periods.

"Tabitha Posey was ever so Nosy is a fun story, but they all have a message."

During Ms Fulton's visit to the school headteacher Marian Gager said listened to some of the stories in a tent they helped create a week earlier with visiting artist Nancy Evans, which will be on display at the Voices and Visions exhibition in the cloisters of Worcester Cathedral later in May.

"Julie was absolutely wonderful with the children, they were completely enthralled," she said. "We have several Polish children who attend our school and Jona Jung, who illustrates Julie's books is Polish and lives in Poland, we are hoping to send some of our children's drawings to her."

Evesham Nursery School will be holding an open event on Thursday, June 19, from 3.45pm to 5pm.

For more information visit eveshamnurseryschool.co.uk.