This July sees 3 Great Book Festivals that Kids (and parents) will love CURIOUS ARTS FESTIVAL at Pylewell Park, New Forest 17-19 July NIDDFEST LITERARY FESTIVAL at Pateley Bridge, North Yorks, 24-26 JULY 2015 HOO'S KIDS BOOK FEST at Luton Hoo Walled Garden, Wednesday 29 July ---- ALSO WHY NOT ENTER RAWORTH’S YOUNG WRITERS’ COMPETITION? Read on for more detail on each of them ... ---- CURIOUS ARTS FESTIVAL at Pylewell Park, New Forest 17-19 July Schools out and what better start to the summer holidays than a packed schedule to delight little ones as well as inspire older children. Aside from the magic of camping in the beautiful grounds of Pylewell Park, storytelling, films, writing workshops, puppet making, poetry trails, life drawing, bat walks and breathing lessons, film club and bedtimes stories will keep them happily occupied from dawn to dusk. Bestselling children’s writer and winner of the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize, Piers Torday presents his enchanting new book The Wild Beyond, the final heart-stopping instalment of the Dark Wild Trilogy. This is the story of a boy named Kester. He has brought the animals of his world back from the brink of disaster, and he believes there is hope on the other side. A must-attend for all those who wish they had better parents, born storyteller David Baddiel will be reading from his first children’s book The Parent Agency, an epic wish-fulfilment adventure for every child – and the child in everyone. Gripping and brilliantly funny. Curiouser and Curiouser: Alice in Wonderland is the story of the summer – we will be celebrating with our own Alice in Wonderland Tea Party. Costumes a must so don’t forget to pack yours! Join author Huw Powell for a talk about Spacejackers and pirates, and another swashbuckling adventure for Jake Cutler and friends, popular with 9 year olds and up. Apparently Huw never does up the top button on his shirt and always wears 2 pairs of socks. We will be checking! Phillip Ardagh has written much-loved bestselling children’s books like The Grunts and the Eddie Dickens Trilogy, adored by 7-14 year olds. He’s collaborated with the likes of Paul McCartney, and Axel Scheffler’s illustrations feature in his books. Writing workshop for 9 year olds +,with the wonderful Nicky Singer, author of Feather Boy, a modern classic and extraordinary tale of self-empowerment, legend and death about Robert Nobel, the school pariah who triumphs over his own fears and the school bully. Join Abi Elphinstone, an author who spent her childhood building dens and hiding in trees, for a talk about her new book, the Dreamsnatcher. A fantastic, magical debut novel about Moll a twelve year old girl drawn into a world of secrets, magic and adventure. Perfect for fans of JK Rowling and Eva Ibbotson. Graphic novelist and animator Sydney Padua, talks hand drawing, computer animation and comics and about her cool graphic novel The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Computer. Don’t miss: Kids’ film and cartoon club on Saturday and Sunday 9am – 11am in the East End Tent. Puppet making with puppet master Allison Ouvry in a hands-on workshop for children and parents. Bedtime stories in The Children’s Tent is the place to be at 7.30pm. Wind down and drift off with Curious Arts Festival favourite Paul Blezard. Also, story-telling with Jay Barnett at 4pm on Saturday, poetry trails and creative craft workshops running all weekend. For tickets and more information visit www.curiousartsfestival.com/for-children.   NIDDFEST LITERARY FESTIVAL 24-26TH JULY 2015 NiddFest - a new family friendly festival celebrating nature in writing - have announced their inaugural programme of events set in the glorious landscape of the Yorkshire Dales. With up to 20 events spread out over the weekend of 24-26 July, the festival promises a thought-provoking weekend packed with talks, outdoor adventures and activities for all ages. Children of all ages are invited to participate at NiddFest with events to suit even the littlest visitors. Saturday 25 July will see a morning of arts, crafts and face painting, with ‘Best Bug’ awards for the cleverest crafters. 5-11 year olds will be invited to an exciting afternoon in the woods, including woodland games and activities, a lesson on building the perfect outdoor den and hot chocolate and marshmallows around the campfire. For families, a day trip to Studfold Adventure Trail is on offer. Set in a hidden valley in Upper Nidderdale, this full day adventure has a focus on bugs and all things creepy crawly! Leading childrens’ authors Piers Torday and Michelle Harrison will be reading from their award winning books on Saturday 25 July. Michelle’s event will be followed by the prize giving for the NiddFest Poetry Prize, open to all Yorkshire schoolchildren. Winners will receive their awards from Carol Ann Duffy. BEYOND THE FESTIVAL TENT Visitors will be encouraged to step beyond the traditional festival venue and explore the dramatic landscape of Upper Nidderdale. Highlights from the outdoor programme including a morning of foraging with wild food expert Chris Bax, a walk along the banks of the river Nidd to learn about the fragile ecosystem, and a safari to the far reaches of Upper Nidderdale to explore the wild moorland, and a birding walk with Mark Cocker, following his talk on humankind’s relationship with birds. Ticket prices vary with prices starting from just £7 per event and discounts for children under 18. All tickets will be available to purchase from the festival box office in Nidderdale from Friday 24th July. For more information and to view the full programme, please visit www.niddfest.com/programme   Hoo’s Kids Book Fest: A Summer Day Wednesday 29 July 2015 at Luton Hoo Walled Garden LU1 4LF Hoo’s Kids Book Fest takes on a new look for 2015 with three smaller events held between March and October. Book your tickets for two very special events for all the family in the magical Walled Garden!   Pandas, Doughnuts and the Queen’s Handbag, Steve Antony – 12.00-1.00 pm Since his first picture book debuted in 2014, Steve Antony has become the hottest talent around – his first book, The Queen’s Hat, has been shortlisted for the Waterstones Book Prize and has just won the Evening Standard’s Oscar’s First Book Prize. Learn to draw a panda who loves good manners (and doughnuts!), read stories together and get a sneak peek of Steve’s next book, The Queen’s Handbag. Boy. Wizard. Hero. Celebrating the Harry Potter Books – 2.00-3.00 pm Have you ever wanted to explore the magical world of the Harry Potter books? Join our ‘Professor of Potter’ and his plucky assistant as they bring to life the characters, creatures, spells and adventures from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. A fun and interactive event for all the family whether you are new to the books or a dedicated fan. Certificates and postcards for all who attend. Come and share the magic!   Plus art activities, fun and entertainment! Artist Vanessa Stone will be cutting up materials and involving children in something very spectacular! Local illustrator Livi Gosling, who loves creating amazing maps, will be joining us for interactive fun! Professor Pango Mango, the Wandering Poet will be making us all laugh with his wonderful words and delightful ditties! With books from the independent Chorleywood Bookshop come and join us for a great day out in the magical Luton Hoo Walled Garden where there will also be refreshments, food, books, and plants for sale and family fun for everyone!   Tickets available at www.lutonhooestate.co.uk/events   CALLING ALL BUDDING WRITERS! ENTER RAWORTH’S YOUNG WRITERS’ COMPETITION The search is on to find the next JK Rowling, Jane Austen or Stephen King! Harrogate International Festivals, Raworths Solicitors and LendMeYouLiteracy have teamed up to deliver an exciting children’s creative writing competition, with the theme ‘Every Object has a Story’. Entries can include a short story, poem or piece of descriptive writing under 500 words. The competition is open to two age groups, 8-11 years old (Y4-7) and 12-15 years old (Y8-10). The overall winner of each age group will receive £50 book vouchers, a giant bundle of books for their school library, an exclusive author visit to their class, and the chance to read their winning piece live on Stray FM. The ten shortlisted stories will also be shared online at LendMeYourLiteracy.com, giving young authors the chance to share their work with a worldwide audience. Closing date for entries is Friday 31st July and winners will be announced in September. Carmelita Ardren, head of Raworths Family Law says: “We’re very excited to be part of this hunt to unearth young talent and offer such a hands-on way to engage young people. As patrons of the Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival, it’s fantastic to be offering young people in the region a chance to get involved in the world of writing. Who knows what fantastic new writers we’ll discover?” Simon Blower at LendMeYourLiteracy said: “Writing is crucial for all ages, not just in terms of developing literacy, but it engages imaginations, helps young people express themselves, and boosts confidence.” GET INVOLVED! Full guidelines and a Storybox of objects to inspire creative minds for competition entries (as pictured) can be found online at LendMeYourLiteracy.com/raworthsyoungwriters