All events on the programme for children and young people are selected because they promise terrific entertainment, whether for pre-schoolers or 17-year-olds. We hope the 34 different events will be full of laughter, fun, ideas, information and inspiration. This year we celebrate some significant anniversaries: the bicentenary of Dickens’s birth, with a unique discussion of his legacy to literature for the young; the 110th birthday of Peter Rabbit, with a special birthday show; the centenary of the Tarzan stories with Andy Briggs’ survival skills quiz; and 25 magical years of Winnie the Witch.

In Olympics year both Jeanne Willis’s and Jeremy Strong’s new books have fun with sporting contests. After the premiere of Stephen Spielberg’s adaptation of War Horse, we are privileged to welcome Michael Morpurgo. We are also delighted to have snatched from the West End actor-turned-author Mackenzie Crook with his debut children’s novel. We remember Ian Fleming with Frank Cottrell Boyce, author of the sequel to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Charlie Higson, creator of Young Bond.

Meanwhile, the Scarrow brothers (Alex and Simon), Joanne Harris, Kevin Crossley Holland¸ Francesca Simon, Kelly Gerrard, Emma Dodd and Caroline Lawrence will transport us elsewhere: to the worlds of the Romans, Egyptians, Norsemen and the Wild West, while Jewell Parker Rhodes will take us into the path of Hurricane Katrina and Christopher Lloyd back to the dawn of the universe.

We have an exceptional panel of sophisticated writers for young adults, including two Carnegie Medal winners, Tim Bowler and Patrick Ness, a Branford Boase winner, Sally Nicholls, and this year’s Costa Children’s Novel prize-winner, Moira Young. There are events for wildlife lovers, Steve Bloom and Gill Lewis; for aspiring writers, with Katherine Rundell, the youngest ever Fellow of All Souls; for thrill-seekers, with Derek Landy’s smart-talking skeleton detective Skulduggery Pleasant; and for fans of Blue Peter, in the company of the authors shortlisted for the Book Award and a mystery celebrity.

Young people can see unicycling and circus tricks at the Amazing Esme event, make their own graphic novel, decorate cakes with Flossie Crums, enjoy a cookery challenge at the Chartwells event, and handle real dinosaur bones with Jeanne Willis.

The lively programme of interactive events for under-6s includes some of our finest picturebook makers, with hilarious storytelling from, for instance, Andrew Weale and Giles Andreae, breathtaking live drawing with Axel Scheffler, Chris Wormell, and Janet Cronin, a back garden safari with Penelope Harper, crafts from collage to pom-pom sheep with Clara Vulliamy, Emma Chichester Clark, Clare Beaton, and Mei Matsuoka; and silly songs with festival favourite Kristina Stephenson.

Also back by popular demand is Bookcamp, a workshop for adults on how to get a children’s book published, and the inimitably daft double act of Jeremy Strong and Andy Stanton. These were among the sell-out events of last year’s programme. Do book early this year.

Nicolette Jones
Children’s and young people’s programme director

For the full line-up click here