• Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

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Book Festival Seeks to Inspire Stockton Schoolchildren

THE 34th edition of the Northern Children’s Book Festival, held between Monday 6 and Friday 17 November, is set to inspire a love of reading and storytelling in a new generation of Stockton children.

The festival will see six acclaimed authors visiting approximately 2,000 pupils at nine of the Borough’s primary and secondary schools to deliver a programme of reading and storytelling workshop sessions.

Paul Cookson, Helen Stephens, Gary Northfield, Joseph Coelho, John Dougherty and Ross Montgomery will visit a number of schools to give children the opportunity to take part in interactive sessions.

The region-wide festival launches at Stockton Central Library on Saturday (4 November) with a free drop-in event between 1pm and 3.30pm. Award winning illustrators Liz Million and Holly Sterling will be offering illustration workshops on the day alongside the author Simon Bartram.

Councillor Norma Wilburn, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Arts, Leisure and Culture, said: “This is an inspirational festival that provides fantastic opportunities for children to discover the joys of reading, writing, illustration and storytelling.

“Our Libraries service should be recognised for the wonderful work they have done, in partnership with Arts Council England and the Northern Children’s Book Festival, to bring such great authors and illustrators to some of the Borough’s schools.

“I’d encourage everyone to drop in to the launch of the festival at Stockton Central Library and check out the wide range of brilliant books on offer.”

The festival culminates in a free Gala Day celebration event at The Word in South Shields on Saturday 18 November, between 10am and 5pm, where children and their families can take part in creative sessions run by the authors of some of their favourite books.

For more information, visit www.northernchildrensbookfestival.org.uk or www.stockton.gov.uk/libraries

By Emily