KIDS LIT FEST:Layout 1
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KIDSlitFEST
A literary feast of fun The Bath Festival of Children’s Literature returns with another jam-packed programme of events this month
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he annual Bath Festival of Children’s Literature returns this month for an action-packed 10 days of fun, games, art, comedy, stories and performance. From Friday 24 September to Sunday 3 October this unique Bath festival brings together some of the most exciting children’s authors, illustrators and storytellers around, including current Children’s Laureate Anthony Browne, popular TV comedian Charlie Higson, world-famous choreographer and star judge Arlene Phillips and events with Peppa Pig, the Mr Men and Ben10. The festival ensures that there is an event to appeal to all ages and literary tastes from The Peter Rabbit Puppet Show and a celebration of Spot the Dog’s 30th birthday for the little ones, to a rare public appearance from the multi-award winning David Almond and an insight into graphic novel illustration for the grown-up kids. Adults are welcome too: just make sure you act your shoe size, not your age! Girly girls can explore tales of glamour, ambition and friendship with Kay Woodward’s Skate School, drift off to a land of mermaids and fairy god-sisters in The Enchanting Worlds of Liz Kessler and enjoy a chocoholic’s night out with Cathy Cassidy.
The visiting writers will be... ❝ sparking young imaginations
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offering hot writing tips and fascinating insights into the wonderful world of writing
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Whereas brave boys (and tomboys!) can discover espionage, secret societies, assassins, airships and dinosaurs in the Return to The Lost World event on Saturday 25 September, and learn the secret art of fighting Ninjas from real martial arts master Chris Bradford in Young Samurais Unite on Saturday 2 October. The Bath Kids Litfest 2010 has also been offering a takeaway option to schools, with a delicious menu of writers, poets and illustrators being delivered directly to the school gates. The visiting writers will be travelling around both Bath and Bristol sparking young imaginations, offering hot writing tips and fascinating insights into the wonderful world of writing.
54 THEBATHMAGAZINE
| SEPTEMBER 2010
The Bath Kids LitFest is also thrilled to introduce its first ever writer-in-residence, Julia Green. A Bath resident, Julia is herself a successful author and is also the course director for the MA in Writing for Young People at Bath Spa University. Aside from leading her own event on this specialist craft on 30 September at the Kids LitFest, Julia will be blogging all of the juicy ‘behind the scenes’ gossip throughout the festival. A long-time supporter of the festival, Julia says: “I hope to support new writers of all ages through my school visits and at festival events. I hope that lots of people will come and meet me at the event and will be inspired to pick up a pen and a notebook, or start tapping at the computer.” Julia’s blog can be found at: www.bathkidslitfest.wordpress.com The Bath Festival of Children’s Literature is run by Bath Festivals – a registered charity, a team of passionate volunteers – and is staged in association with The Telegraph and Waterstone’s booksellers. Together they hope to introduce children to books, authors, illustrators, poets and storytellers and hopefully have a lot of fun along the way. You’re sure to find an event to go to that you’ll remember forever, so what are you waiting for? ■
Above clockwise from far left: The festival’s cover image by Anthony Browne; current Children’s Laureate, Anthony Browne will be opening the festival at the gala event (© Mark Mackenzie); learn how to draw your favourite Mr Men character; below: action hero Ben10
Tickets can be booked on tel: 01225 463362, online at www.bathfestivals.org.uk or in person at Bath Festivals Box Office, 2 Church Street, Abbey Green, Bath.
Highlights:
Friday 24 September: Anthony Browne: Children’s Laureate (A2, 7 – 8pm, Guildhall, £5) Sunday 26 September: A Short History of Ratbridge: An Awful West Country Town Explained (C7, 12 – 1pm, Guildhall, £4.50) Monday 27 September: Artists At Work: Michael Foreman, Charlotte Voake & Hannah Shaw (D1, 1 – 2pm, Guildhall, £5) Saturday 2 October: The Big Puffin Prize Book Quiz hosted by Jeremy Strong (J4, 11.15 – 12.15pm, Guildhall, £5) Sunday 3 October: Meet Arlene Phillips (K4, 11 – 12noon, Guildhall, £5)