All Speakers and Events
-
Jack Mackay
£0.00DESIGN YOUR OWN VILLAIN WORKSHOP
What do YOU think makes a spooky villain? In this workshop Jack Mackay will read from his spine-tingling debut novel GLOAM, and then help you create your own villain. As you craft a character you’ll learn about storytelling (especially scary stories!).
SATURDAY 16th MAY | 10:00 – 10:45 | ROOM 8
-
Really Big Pants
£0.00SUDDENLY!
Children’s performers Really Big Pants are on the up, spreading the word about their twin passions of the environment and the theatre.
SATURDAY 16th MAY | 11:15 – 12:15 | MAIN HALL
-
Jamie Littler Workshop
£0.00CREATING FANTASY WORLDS
Design your own fantastical world with the author of Frostheart.. .
SATURDAY 16th MAY | 11:15 – 12:00 | ROOM 8
-
Jamie Littler
£0.00FANTASTIC ADVENTURES
Jamie presents the awe-inspiring worlds of Frostheart and Arkspire – realms of myth and magic (and the odd yeti!)
SATURDAY 16th MAY | 13:00 – 13:45 | MAIN HALL
-
Draw a Dragon 13:00 – 13:45
£0.00DRAW A DRAGON WORKSHOP
We’re so excited to welcome fantasy author and concept artist John McCambridge back to Linton with his extremely popular dragon-drawing workshops.
SATURDAY 16th MAY | 13:00 – 13:45 | ART ROOM
-
Laura Henry-Allain
£0.00MAYA & MARLEY
Laura Henry-Allain MBE is the creator of the characters of the well-loved JoJo and Gran Gran CBeebies series – and now she’s back at book fest with a whole new story about acceptance and community.
SATURDAY 16th MAY | 11:15 – 12:00 | COMMON ROOM
-
J T Williams
£0.00THE LIZZIE AND BELLE MYSTERIES
Step into the eighteenth-century with award-winning author J.T. Williams, as she introduces her thrilling middle-grade mystery series The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries. Expect fascinating facts, head-scratching mystery, and lots of writing tips.
SATURDAY 16th MAY | 14:15 – 15:00 | MAIN HALL
-
Event Full!
Draw a Dragon 14:15 – 15:00
Original price was: £2.00.£1.00Current price is: £1.00.DRAW A DRAGON WORKSHOP
We’re so excited to welcome fantasy author and concept artist John McCambridge back to Linton with his extremely popular dragon-drawing workshops.
SATURDAY 16th MAY | 14:15 – 15:00 | ART ROOM
-
Kate Wakeling
£0.00POETRY POWER WORKSHOP
Join Kate Wakeling to race a comet through outer space, bake an exceptionally weird cake and consider eleven (unexpected) uses for a garden pea! Come along for poetry performance and writing poems of your own.
SATURDAY 16th MAY | 13:00 – 13:45 | ROOM 8
-
Kate Wakeling
£0.00POETRY POWER WORKSHOP
Join Kate Wakeling to race a comet through outer space, bake an exceptionally weird cake and consider eleven (unexpected) uses for a garden pea! Come along for poetry performance and writing poems of your own.
SATURDAY 16th MAY | 14:15 – 15:00 | ROOM 8
-
Sonia Leong 10-10:45
£0.00MANGA DRAWING WORKSHOP
Learn to draw and design your own manga characters with professional Manga artist Sonia Leong.
SATURDAY 16th MAY | 10:00 – 10:45 | ART ROOM
-
Sonia Leong 11:15-12
£0.00MANGA DRAWING WORKSHOP
Learn to draw and design your own manga characters with professional Manga artist Sonia Leong.
SATURDAY 16th MAY | 11:15 – 12:00 | ART ROOM
-
Yu Rong
£0.00CHINESE PAPER-CUTTING WORKSHOP
Learn about the art of traditional Chinese paper-cutting with picture-book illustrator Yu Rong. Come along to cut, colour, and experiment with rice paper and produce something beautiful.
SATURDAY 16th MAY | 13:00 – 13:45 | COMMON ROOM
-
Cathy Reay
£0.00JUNIOR JOURNALIST WORKSHOP
Pick up your pen, prick up your ears, Cathy Reay is here to share what it takes to become a journalist.
SATURDAY 16th MAY | 14:15-15:00 | COMMON ROOM
-
James Campbell
£0.00COMEDY 4 KIDS
Hold onto your socks, take the banana out of your ears and enjoy the best comedy for kids.
SATURDAY 16th MAY | 15:30 – 16:15 | MAIN HALL
-
Peter and the Wolf
£0.00PETER AND THE WOLF
A magical show for children aged 0-5 and their grown-ups, featuring live classical music, dance, and wonder.
SUNDAY 17th MAY | 10:00 – 10:45 | MAIN HALL
-
Tom and Layla’s Theatre Games
£0.00THEATRE GAMES WORKSHOP
In this workshop, Tom and Layla use fun drama games to take you on a playful exploration of Shakespeare’s magical tale ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.
SUNDAY 17th MAY | 10:00 – 10:45 | DRAMA STUDIO
-
Draw a Dragon 10:00-10:45
£0.00DRAW A DRAGON WORKSHOP
We’re so excited to welcome fantasy author and concept artist John McCambridge back to Linton with his extremely popular dragon-drawing workshops.
SUNDAY 17th MAY | 10:00 – 10:45 | ART ROOM
-
Nazima Pathan
£0.00DREAM HUNTERS WORKSHOP
Let your ideas and imagination run wild as author Nazima Pathan provides inspiration and guidance to bring your own characters to life and set them off on fantastical adventures!
SUNDAY 17th MAY | 11:15 – 12:00 | ROOM 8
-
Draw a Dragon 11:15-12:00
£0.00DRAW A DRAGON WORKSHOP
We’re so excited to welcome fantasy author and concept artist John McCambridge back to Linton with his extremely popular dragon-drawing workshops.
SUNDAY 17th MAY | 11:15 – 12:00 | ART ROOM
-
Jude Simpson
£0.00A NOISE ANNOYS SHOW
Using poems, puns, tongue-twisters, quirky props and a trusty guitar, this show will engage children with the spoken and written word, and leave them full of joy at the possibilities of language.
SUNDAY 17th MAY | 11:15 – 12:15 | COMMON ROOM
-
Matt Bothwell
£0.00ASTROPHYSICS FOR SUPERVILLAINS
Astrophysicist and author Matt Bothwell takes families on a fascinating tour of the universe through his second book in the Astrophysics for Supervillains series: The Great Alien Hunt.
SUNDAY 17th MAY | 13:00 – 13:45 | MAIN HALL
-
Event Full!
Lion Learners
Original price was: £2.00.£1.00Current price is: £1.00.ANIMAL EXPERIENCE
The fantastic Lion Learners are here with all their array of curious animals for you to get up close to and learn about. Exciting, interactive, and fact-filled story-times.
SUNDAY 17th MAY | 13:00 – 14:00 | DRAMA STUDIO
-
Kate Winter
£0.00FOSSIL HUNTING WORKSHOP
Kate will share her award winning and beautifully illustrated book The Fossil Hunter and teach children fossil drawing and cutting, to create their very own fossil cabinet!
SUNDAY 17th MAY | 13:00 – 13:45 | ROOM 8
-
Greg Stobbs
£0.00TRUE COLOURS
Join Greg Stobbs for a joyful storytime as he reads from his new picture book, Isla and the Sky! The pick up a pen and create your own multi-coloured sky.
SATURDAY 16th MAY | 10:00 – 10:45 | COMMON ROOM
-
Helen Rutter
£0.00BIG DECISIONS
Guess what? What happens in Helen’s presentation is up to you!
SUNDAY 17th MAY | 14:15 – 15:00 | MAIN HALL
-
Event Full!
Lion Learners 2
Original price was: £2.00.£1.00Current price is: £1.00.ANIMAL EXPERIENCE
The fantastic Lion Learners are here with all their array of curious animals for you to get up close to and learn about. Exciting, interactive, and fact-filled story-times.
SUNDAY 17th MAY | 14:15 – 15:15 | DRAMA STUDIO
-
Event Full!
Kate Winter 2
Original price was: £2.00.£1.00Current price is: £1.00.FOSSIL HUNTING WORKSHOP
Kate will share her award winning and beautifully illustrated book The Fossil Hunter and teach children fossil drawing and cutting, to create their very own fossil cabinet! (Ages 6-8)
SUNDAY 17th MAY | 14:15 – 15:00 | ROOM 8
-
James Mayhew
£0.00A SYMPHONY OF STORIES
Live illustrating to music! James creates works of art live on stage accompanied by musicians playing classical masterpieces
SUNDAY 17th MAY | 15:30 – 16:30 | MAIN HALL
-
£10 Donation
£10.00SUPPORT US
Although the 2026 festival has been funded by our generous sponsors, please consider donating £10 which will be put towards future festivals or our outreach work with local schools. Linton Children’s Book Festival is a registered charity no. 1131016.