Bath Children's Literature Festival to return to the city this autumn

Books and stories come alive this autumn as Bath Children’s Literature Festival lands on Friday 29 September. The festival brings over 100 of the hottest debut, local and national writers, creators and illustrators from the world of young people's books to places and spaces across the city of Bath.

Joining the festival for an autumn programme will be authors and illustrators including Sir Lenny Henry, Robin Stevens, Cressida Cowell, Rob Biddulph, Holly Jackson, Dapo Adeola and Nathan Bryon, Nikita Gill, Katherine Rundell, Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet, Holly Bourne, Chris Riddell, Tom Holland and Dermot O'Leary.

Europe’s largest stand-alone children’s book festival has curated a vibrant and packed programme incorporating free family weekend activities, an engaging and inclusive schools programme, craft activities, interactive book events, toddler time film screenings and a host of YA authors and plenty more. 

Taking on the mantle as the festival guest curator for creative/illustrator events for 2023, is award-winning author and illustrator Rob Biddulph: "I can’t wait to recommend some of my fellow authors' and illustrators’ events, particularly ones that celebrate the magic of creativity and the sheer joy of drawing. I just know that the children who come to the festival in 2023 are in for a real treat!” Biddulph will open the festival with a bang on Friday 29 September for over 1000 school children in Bath & North East Somerset, followed by a public event on Saturday 30 September.

Bath Children’s Literature Festival believes everyone should have access to the joy of reading, and will be working with Tickets for Good and their Affordable Ticket Project, meaning that anyone receiving a cost-of-living payment from the UK Government in the last 6 months can access free and affordably-priced tickets. 

The Bath Children’s Literature Festival programme of events has been announced, with general booking opening on Friday 30 June. Look forward to a buzzy, book-tastic Autumn in Bath! 

Highlights of the 2023 festival include:

• Cressida Cowell: It’s the 20th Anniversary of worldwide sensation, How to Train Your Dragon! Come and celebrate with her at a book event that dives into the world of Hiccup and Toothless. She’ll also be staying on to introduce a special film screening at the Little Theatre Cinema, Bath. 
• Hear all about the brilliantly passionate and instantly loveable Rocket and her latest adventures, from award-winning author and illustrator Nathan Bryon and Dapo Adeola. This time she’s organising a peaceful protest to save her local library in Speak Up! 
• Sir Lenny Henry joins the Bath Children’s Literature Festival for the first time with his fun-filled event about his brilliant, action-packed middle grade books, The Boy With Wings and The Book of Legends and Clash of the Super Kids. Sir Lenny’s new book, Clash of the Super Kids, sees the return of Tunde Wilkinson, an ordinary boy who happens to also be a winged superhero.
• Join Waterstones Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho and two of his much-admired fellow poets – Joshua Seigal and  Nikita Gill – as they perform a selection of their favourite poems from each others’ collections that explore a whole range of themes from the hilarious to the heartfelt and the emotional to the empowering. 
• Award-winning historian, author and broadcaster Tom Holland presents his thrilling, accessible retelling of the Persian Wars mashed together with tales from Greek Mythology, The Wolf Girl, The Greeks and the Gods. Join Tom as he chats to bestselling author Maz Evans about his work and inspirations.
• Festival favourite Robin Stevens is back by popular demand to tell us all about her newest thrilling mystery, The Ministry of Unladylike Activity. Robin will share her tips and tricks on how to write the perfect murder mystery and the inspiration behind her new team of detectives. You will also get the chance to put your own sleuthing skills to the test and ask your burning questions, like any good detective.
• You’re Dead to Me podcaster and historian Greg Jenner brings his first children’s book, You Are History, to Bath to share the fascinating history behind ordinary objects you see every day! Mind-boggling tales from the past guaranteed from the historical consultant to the BAFTA award-winning CBBC comedy series Horrible Histories.
• There’s a place where all the wildest stories began… Prepare to be swept away to a land beyond your wildest imagination in Impossible Creatures, as master storyteller Katherine Rundell presents this epic new fantasy series.
• Don’t miss out on the chance to hear from Holly Jackson, the bestselling author of Five Survive and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, as she gives a behind-the-scenes look at the writing process and inspirations behind her blood-pumping thrillers. This event will be chaired by Kate Weston, author of the hilarious YA thriller, Murder on a School Night.
• Another Holly, Holly Bourne, the bestselling author of YA and adult contemporary fiction, will be talking about her mind-blowing YA You Could Be So Pretty, a searing and important look at the dysfunctional way society targets women’s and girls’ bodies. 
• Returning for its second year, Bath Children’s Literature Festival has teamed up with The Egg Theatre to host the Happiness Hub. Young people and their families are invited to drop into The Egg and take part in an array of FREE fun and creative activities designed to ask the question of ‘What Makes You Happy?’. Open to all from 10am-4pm on Saturday 30th September- Sunday 1 October.
• Throwing their gates open and offering FREE entrance for all, The American Museum and Gardens welcomes everyone on Sunday 8th October,as part of a family day out.  Include a visit to the exhibition Brick America: An Adventure in LEGO bricks in the gallery, crafts activities, storytelling and plenty of space to run around in the blooming surrounding grounds.

Tickets go on general release on Friday 30 June. Members who sign up at www.bathfestivals.org.uk/support-us are able to get priority booking, so sign up now to make sure you get tickets for the events you most want to take part in.