Shrewsbury Children’s Bookfest May Festival

Friday 4th – Monday 7th May

Since its launch in 1999, Shrewsbury Children’s Bookfest May Festival has brought hundreds of the best-loved children’s authors and illustrators to Shrewsbury to meet thousands of children. The May Festival 2012 promises to be the most exciting yet…

Here are a few highlights selected by some of the Bookfest Young Ambassadors:
I want to see Mackenzie Crook as his ink drawings are so beautiful and he will be showing us how it’s done. I’m also going to the Best New Illustrators Awards Exhibition for inspiration on other styles.

And he may be mad as a hatter, but I can't wait to meet Andy Stanton. Mr Gum is one of the best baddies to come to life in a book..”
Rebecca Capaldi (13)

Like Rebecca, Laurence Green (14) will be taking part in Bookfest’s all-day action-packed free family event in the Market Square.
Laurence and Angus Warburg (12) say they’re really looking forward to seeing how Martin Brown illustrates the Horrible Histories books.

Lisa Preece and Victoria Capaldi (both 17) will be helping at the younger children’s events: “There are loads of events for very young readers where their favourite stories come to life, like the Sir Charlie Stinky Socks Extravaganza!

And we can’t wait to see The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark too. Blunderbus Theatre Company always make stories so magical with their mixture of puppetry and songs.”
Full details of all the events and ticketing information are at www.shrewsburybookfest.co.uk – and follow @shrewsbookfest on Twitter and on Facebook for Bookfest news and announcements.
 
Shrewsbury Children’s Bookfest
May Festival

Friday 4th May
• Meet Martin Brown, Horrible Histories illustrator

Saturday 5th May
• Read + Draw with Korky Paul, illustrator of Winnie the Witch
• Sir Charlie Stinky Socks Extravaganza Show
• Big Bumper Mr Gum Fun with Andy Stanton
• Mackenzie Crook introduces The Windvale Sprites
• Bookfest in the Square – FREE all-day family event

Sunday 6th May
• From Dinosaurs to Meerkats with Harry and the Bucketful of Dinosaurs author Ian Whybrow
• Blunderbus Theatre company present The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark

Monday 7th May
• Darren Shan – Master of Horror

Shrewsbury Children’s Bookfest
• Shrewsbury Bookfest is the UK’s first book festival just for children
• Our aim is to inspire, enthuse and entertain children through literature and the arts
• We have always been a not-for-profit organisation run entirely by volunteers
• We obtained charitable status in 2007 and in 2009 won the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service – the equivalent of an MBE and the highest award that can be given to a voluntary organisation
• More than 700 children in 23 schools across Shropshire are currently taking part in the Bookfest Book Award 2012 reading project.

Winnie the Witch © Valerie Thomas and Korky Paul, published by Oxford University Press © Winnie the Witch illustration Korky Paul