Oi Chelmsford! Kes Gray: Chelmsford Born and Read

A family-friendly exhibition that explores the works of Chelmsford-born bestselling children’s author, Kes Gray.

Through interactive exhibits, toys and illustrations this exhibition celebrates the author’s best loved book characters and shares how his childhood experiences across Chelmsford have influenced their adventures.  

Kes Gray was born and grew up in Chelmsford in the 1960s and ‘70s. He has published over 100 books, including the popular Oi Frog! and The Trouble with Daisy series. Well-loved by young families for their humour and creativity, his books are largely inspired by his memories of growing up in Chelmsford and feature regular references to places and people across the district.  

An ode to Kes Gray’s quirky imagination, children will be able to immerse themselves in the author’s books, with large, bold and colourful illustrations on display – including drawings by famed children’s illustrators, Jim Field and Nick Sharratt. His stories and characters will also be brought to life through sensory-stimulating activities and role-playing games for children to interact with. 

Oi Chelmsford! has been curated by the museum in collaboration with Kes Gray and publishers Penguin and Hachette. The museum has also worked closely on the exhibition with young Special Educational Needs (SEN) families through the charity Action for Family Carers."

Read more about the exhibition in this City Life article.