Children’s BookFest Chichester 2019

October 2019

For our first Children’s BookFest in October 2019 we were able to involve 20 local primary & secondary schools. 19 authors pledged their support for this new event which ran from 1st-3rd October. During this time, authors, poets and illustrators spent an hour in classrooms across the City. Not only reading and talking about the stories they write and illustrate, but also sharing their own very personal experiences of school - funny, sad and hugely inspirational.

Children met and talked with well-known authors and illustrators and received signed copies of their book to take home and keep. Having had feedback from the schools and authors, this was the most special part and the children really treasured their books and the time spent with their author, poet or illustrator. (I’m sure many of our visitors are good at all 3 things!)

Many of the schools made a special book focused learning week where they created wonderful events to inspire a love of books and reading. Children created work based on books by authors and their favourite books to remind them of the seeds of imagination which books can sow. 

An army of wonderful volunteers also helped to take authors to and from different schools. They were essential in helping the event to run smoothly. Amazing! Thank you. 

Here are just some of the comments sent to us after the event...

  • “We feel privileged to have been a part of the very first Children’s BookFest and we very much look forward to seeing how this event grows and develops in the future and being a key part of it.......Very exciting.”

    North Mundham Primary School

  • “What an amazing experience our students have had. They were totally engaged and went away full of excitement and enthusiasm.”

    Chichester Free School

  • “A truly inspiring event .....Seeing our children excited about receiving a signed book and some of our Year 6 reluctant readers come into school the next day talking engagingly about the books was brilliant - a moment to capture!”

    Chidham Parochial Primary School

  • “Today was totally amazing, our author was fantastic. We had a campfire story telling event with hot chocolate in the evening. The children and parents were all in their Jim jams!”

    Portfield Primary Academy

Author Philip Ardagh talks to a classroom of primary school pupils during Children's BookFest
Primary school pupils sat reading in their school's library area
Children's author and illustrator Zehra Hicks talks to primary school pupils about the illustrations from her book 'Giraffe and Frog'
Children's author Ally Sherrick with size primary school children holding their free, signed copies of her book 'The Buried Crown'
Author Lauren St. John with four primary school pupils during her Children's BookFest visit
Primary school pupils listening to an interactive presentation from children's author David Fuller
Children's author and illustrator Zehra Hicks reading from her book 'Giraffe and Frog'
Children's author Abie Longstaff talks about where story ideas come from with pupils from Tangmere Primary Academy
Children's author Luke Temple mimes fishing with an Oakwood Prep School pupil
David Fuller engages with his audience at Oakwood Prep School during Children's BookFest
Children's author Luke Temple with four Lavant CE Primary School pupils holding free, signed copies of his book 'Albert and the Blubber Monster'
Author Philip Ardagh with Lavant CE Primary School Headteacher Adrian King
North Mundham Primary School - Ally Sherrick.JPG
Kingsham Primary School - Lauren St John.png
Great Ballard School - Abie Longstaff.JPG
Chidham Parochial Primary School - Matt Carr.jpg
Boxgrove C of E Primary School - Lucy Griffiths.JPG
Fishbourne C of E Primary School - Roger Stevens.JPG
Chidham Parochial Primary School - Rob Lloyd Jones.JPG
Chichester Free School - Jo Simmons.JPG
Bishop Luffa C of E Secondary School - Andy Mulligan.JPG
Birdham CE Primary School - Rob Lloyd Jones.jpg
Birdham CE Primary School - Matt Carr.jpg