The Lincolnshire Children’s Book Group is offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for people to meet their favourite children’s authors and illustrators when it hosts the Federation of Children’s Book Group’s (FCBG) annual national conference – ‘Inspire’ – on 10th-12th April at the Wyndham Garden Hotel in Marston, near Grantham.
Over 20 top authors and illustrators, including the award-winning co-writer of the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony and Carnegie Medal winner for his book ‘Millions’, Frank Cottrell Boyce, will be speaking and participating in a full programme of workshops during the two-day conference, intended to inspire attendees and give them the chance to ask questions and have books signed.
Other big names from the world of children’s fiction include Philip Ardagh (winner of the Roald Dahl Funny Prize for his Grubtown Tales series), Kjartan Poskitt (children’s TV presenter and Murderous Maths), Simon Mayle (Shoutykid), Tom Moorhouse (River Singers), Jonathan Stroud (Lockwood & Co series) and Steven Butler (The Wrong Pong series).
The illustrators panel comprises Rob Biddulph, Sophy Henn and Dave Shelton, and the Young Adult panel will be chaired by Damian Kelleher alongside Non Pratt, Alice Oseman and Lisa Williamson. A non-fiction session will be led by Zoe Toft with Nicola Morgan, Nicola Davies and Marcia Williams. Publisher Kate Wilson, from her company Nosy Crow, will also be presenting.
On Saturday evening (11th April) a gala dinner in the presence of Frank Cottrell Boyce will follow cocktails with one of the UK’s most acclaimed authors and spoken word artists, Steve Camden, who has performed as Polarbear all over the world.
Places for delegates at ‘Inspire’, either residential or non-residential for the full weekend, for any of the three days individually, or the gala dinner, are still available and start from £40, and will appeal to book fans and anyone with an interest in children’s literature either as a budding author, teacher or librarian. Children over 14 are welcome to attend at a specially discounted rate of £35 and FCBG members will receive a discount on adult rates.
The Lincolnshire Children’s Book Group is one of 12 regional FCBG groups in the UK and is run by volunteers in Grantham. The Group co-ordinates book testing for the Red House Children’s Book Award (RHCBA) and author visits in many schools in the Grantham area. Winners of the RHCBA awards announced in February were Oliver Jeffers and Drew Daywalt (Overall Winner and Winner of the Younger Children Category for The Day the Crayons Quit), Sophie McKenzie (Winner of the Older Readers Category for Split Second) and David Walliams (Winner of the Younger Readers Category for Demon Dentist.)
To see the full ‘Inspire’ conference programme, book a delegate place or for more information visit www.lincschildrensbookgroup.org.uk or call 07713 621672.
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