Sheffield fireman turned children's author pays local school a visit

Joe Moorwood and his sister Anna Stephenson holding copies of their book, The Outside is Inside.

Pupils at Greystones Primary School were treated to a visit from Sheffield firefighter and author Joe Moorwood, who read his new book The Outside Is Inside, and answered the children’s questions.

He was joined by his sister Anna Stephenson, the book’s illustrator, who showed the class how to make her trademark Lino print collages.

Joe, aged 43 and parent to two children at the school works at Chesterfield Fire Station, and was contacted by Greystones Head Teacher, Chris Jennings, about a potential visit.

One of Anna's lino print illustrations in the book.

Joe said: “It was great to read to a new audience who hadn’t heard the story before. They seemed to really enjoy it and asked some great questions, relating to the story’s themes, and the process of writing it.”

Joe has been published twice before, but teamed up with his sister, Anna - an artist and mother of three, based in Sheffield - to create their first children’s picture book.

The story tells of a young boy who has misgivings when his elderly grandad moves into the family home. His concerns are soon replaced by wonder as the two of them embark on a series of adventures. Despite being confined to the house, the pair explore imaginary worlds ranging from tropical rain forests to the open ocean.

Joe said: “I didn’t set out to consciously address any particular issue. The book started as a stand-alone poem, written just before everyone’s life changed so dramatically at the start of 2020.

"As the world went into lockdown, the messages and ideas woven into the poem suddenly felt more relevant than ever. That’s when I shared the story with Anna, who was immediately moved and inspired to create the illustrations, with the hope of one day finding a publisher.”

The Outside Is Inside has been dedicated to Joe and Anna’s mum, Janet Moorwood, who died earlier in the year after a brief battle with cancer.

Anna said: “It’s been a challenging year for all of the family after the devastating loss of our inspirational mum. Especially having to socially distance knowing how little precious time we had left together. The book has proven to be a positive distraction in a really tough period of our lives.”