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Cath Howe
Cath Howe is an author and teacher working in South West London writing for, and working with, Key Stage 2 primary age children.
Nosy Crow published Ella on the Outside in 2018 and Not My Fault a year later. How To Be Me was published in April 2021. Cath’s next book, The Insiders will be published in May 2022. Her educational books are published by Pearson. She has won prizes for stories, poems and monologues and even written a musical.
Cath runs workshops in schools on everything to do with writing and performing, and her book Let's Perform, published by Bloomsbury, is full of drama scripts and gives guidance on encouraging children to perform.
Cath is a member of SCWBI (Society of Children's Writers of the British Isles), NAWE (National Association of Writers in Education), The Society of Authors, CWISL, and Writer in Residence at Kingston University Writing School.
Cath is represented by agent Anne Clark.
Sessions
How To Be Me, Upper KS2 45 mins
How do writers build compelling characters? How do they show feelings in stories? What happens when two unlikely characters meet? Cath’s workshop will use improvisation, writing exercises, drama scripts and extracts to explore themes from How To Be Me, before participants create a How To Be Us poem.
Beverley Birch
Beverley Birch spent her childhood roaming plains and forests near her home in East Africa, dreaming of becoming an intrepid explorer in far-away places. Instead she became a writer, and explores people and places through her books. She writes picture books, biographies, narrative non-fiction, retellings of folk tales and classic works, while her novels range over time-travel, mystery-thrillers, ghost stories, and adventures. Critically acclaimed, translated into many languages, she's been nominated for the Carnegie medal and shortlisted for awards here and abroad. Her latest novel is Song Beneath the Tides.
Website: www.beverleybirch.co.uk
Sessions
Song Beneath The Tides, Yrs 7 + 8 45 mins
Imagine the predicament faced by the characters in this thriller-ghost story, with critically-acclaimed author Beverley Birch. Available as a virtual session.
Margaret Bateson-Hill
Margaret Bateson-Hill is an author and a storyteller. She has published both picture and fiction books, including the prizewinning Masha and the Firebird and the Dragon Racer trilogy. She has told stories in schools, libraries, museums and even royal palaces, from Brixton to Beijing.
www.margaretbateson-hill.co.uk
Sessions
Masha & The Firebird, Yrs 2 + 3 45 mins
When the Firebird asks Masha to help hide her eggs from a witch, Masha paints them to match the four elements. Listen to Margaret tell her story then discover how to make up a description for your own egg.
AM Dassu
A. M. Dassu is a multi award winning writer of both non-fiction and fiction including the internationally acclaimed novel Boy, Everywhere which was one of The Guardian’s, Bookriot’s and BookTrust’s Best Children’s Books of 2020 and has been given a much coveted starred review from Kirkus, Booklist and Publisher’s Weekly in America. It also featured as one of The Guardian’s Children’s Best New Novels on publication and has been listed for 25 awards including the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, and is the 2021 winner of The Little Rebels Award for Radical Fiction. She is Deputy Editor of SCBWI-BI’s magazine, Words & Pictures, and a Director of Inclusive Minds, a unique organisation for people who are passionate about inclusion, diversity, equality, and accessibility in children’s literature. She is also one of The National Literacy Trust ‘s Connecting Stories campaign authors which aims to help inspire a love of reading and writing in children and young people. Previously, she has worked in project management, marketing, and editorial. Her work has been published by The Huffington Post, Times Educational Supplement, SCOOP Magazine, Lee and Low Books, DK Books and Harper Collins. You can also find her on Twitter @a_reflective or Instagram @a.m.dassu
Sessions
Boy, Everywhere, Yrs 6, 7 + 8 45 mins
Refugees are not as different as they’re depicted to be. In this session with multi award winning writer, AM Dassu, we will explore the inspiration behind Boy, Everywhere and imagine having to leave home, making a list or writing a letter to a best friend.
2pm Ken Wilson-Max, Astro Girl, KS1 45 mins
Join award-winning author, illustrator, and publisher of children's books, Ken Wilson-Max, to explore everyday science and how you should always hold on to toy dreams - because you never know!
WEDNESDAY 2ND FEBRUARY
9:30am Frann Preston-Gannon, The History of the World in 100 Animals, Yrs 2 - 4, 45 mins
Discover this brand new non-fiction book from award-winning author and illustrator, Frann Preston-Gannon, through interactive drawing games and a step-by step guide to get children illustrating animals of their very own.
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11am Mo O'Hara, Agent Moose Yrs 2 + 3 45 mins
Using Mo’s graphic novels, explore how to storyboard, create character scenes, write dialogue and lay out your story visually. Come ready to write, draw and explore the fun world of graphic novels.
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11am Alice Hemming, The Leaf Thief, KS1 + EY 45 mins
Alice will read her latest picture book about a confused squirrel who’s lost his leaves. Then everyone will have the chance to come up with their own leafy ideas.
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2:00pm Margaret Bateson-Hill, Storytelling, KS3 45 mins
An interactive folktale suitable for all, using song, action and rhyme.
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2:00pm Alice Hemming, The Frozen Unicorn, Yrs 3 - 6 45 mins
Alice will read an extract from her latest book, The Frozen Unicorn, share how she works as a writer and where she gets her ideas. You might even find inspiration yourselves…
THURSDAY 3RD FEBRUARY
9.30AM Karin Littlewood, Immi SEND & Yrs 1 + 2 45 mins
Everyone is an illustrator! Karin will show you quick and easy ways to draw and inspire you to make your own stories from your pictures.
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11am Ally Sherrick The Queen's Fool Yrs 5 + 6 45 mins
Hop on board Ally’s time machine and travel back to the court of King Henry VIII and his queen, Katherine of Aragon. Once you’ve arrived, Ally will introduce you to the people and places of the day to help tell the story of her exciting new historical mystery adventure, The Queen’s Fool.
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11am Jackie Marchant A Girl Called Tom Yrs 3 + 4 45 mins
How to make a superhero - Jackie will help you to create your very own superhero and tell a story about them.
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2pm Andrew Weale Poetry workshop KS2 45 mins
Poets are like magicians, and in this fun and interactive workshop you will wave your magic pen and transform the ordinary into something extraordinary. There will also be a game of Hangman! There will be rhyme! And lots of creating and writing!
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FRIDAY 4TH FEBRUARY
10am Adisa The Verbaliser Lip Hopping With the Fundi Fu Yrs 4 - 6 45 mins
We will be writing poetry based on proverbs derived from Ghanaian adinrka symbols, to truly explore the belief that a picture paints a thousand words. Our poems will be written in the Cinquain form.
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10am (accessible venue) Collar & Cuffs Co Be Not Afeard All ages 60 mins
The isle is full of twangling sounds, paint and play; it feels scary at first, but you can learn to be confidently curious. Join a musical sensory telling of ‘The Tempest’ suitable for 0-7s, and fully inclusive for those with special needs, with multi award-winning Collar & Cuffs Co.
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11am (virtual session) Miriam Halammy, Always Here For You KS3 45 mins
Miriam will talk about her career as a writer and reveal some of her juicy writing tips! She will read from her novel, Always Here For You, which explores the potential risks of social media, then lead her famous 'one word' writing exercise.
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1.30pm (Station Hall) Collar & Cuffs Co Be Not Afeard All ages 60 mins
The isle is full of twangling sounds, paint and play; it feels scary at first, but you can learn to be confidently curious. Join a musical sensory telling of ‘The Tempest’ suitable for 0-7s, and fully inclusive for those with special needs, with multi award-winning Collar & Cuffs Co.
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2pm Sarah Mussi Here Be Dragons Yrs 7 + 8 45 mins
Journey deep into Snowdonia to find the story behind Here Be Dragons . We will investigate how an author puts a story together and whether magic really exists. We may encounter monsters so beware!