Feast of fun at Rotherham Children's Book Festival

GERVASE Phinn and Ian McMillan are among the famous names set to bring books to life for Rotherham youngsters in the town’s annual Children’s Book Festival over the next week.

Now in its tenth year, the festival promises a week packed full of fun, imagination and events for kids of all ages.

Joining author Gervase and poet Ian in entertaining young audiences across the borough. will be cartoonist Tony Husband, children’ authors Anthony McGowan and Cat Weatherill and the Annapurna Dance company.

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The festival runs from tomorrow until Saturday, June 26 and is not limited to libraries, with the fun spilling out into Clifton Park

To kick off the festival tomorrow, the park is hosting Family Fun Day activities from 11am, with two Rhyme Time sessions for under fives and a story walk in the afternoon.

Library staff will be found around the children's play area throughout the day wearing “Stop Me for a Story” T-shirts and offering story readings.

The week-long festival features everything from Roald Dahl treasure hunts to a Manga master class, book cover design, story illustration and a magical ventriloquist.

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Ian McMillan, will be joined by Tony Husband for “A Cartoon History of Here” at Wickersley Library for a show which promises to be as fast-paced as it is hilarious.

Magical ventriloquist Kimmo will be joined by his friends at Dinnington Library for a lively interactive show and artist Tasneem Kausar will be showing budding artists the finer points of creating the Japanese phenomenon that is Manga.

Reader development officer Julie Hird, who has co-ordinated the festival, said: “The programme of events this year is one of our best ever and, as it is our anniversary year, we are hoping all the children who have been inspired by past festivals will join us again for another amazing week.

“The festival gives kids a stunning mix of cartoonists, illustrators, storytellers, poets and authors to be inspired by, then gives them the opportunity to use these experiences to fuel their own creativity and, hopefully, become the next generation of artists.

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“Our aim is to celebrate books, reading and stories and to encourage and inspire Rotherham's young people to read and write creatively.

“The opportunity to hear authors and poets talk about their passion is often all kids need to spark their own life-long love of books and reading.”

For more information about this year's festival and events, contact Julie on 01709 815123 or pick up a free booklet outlining all the events at your local library, or view the info online at www.rotherham.gov.uk/libraries.

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