Guildford Book Festival’s new co-director Alex Andrews tells Maria Reeves about what’s on for kids at this year’s event
Once upon a time, the world of children’s literature was tucked away on a shelf at the back of the bookshop. Fast forward to 2016 and children’s authors are big names, with multi-million selling titles jostling for space in the bestsellers list.
Fortunately, the organizers of the 27th Guildford Book Festival are determined to ensure this year’s event reflects this phenomenon as Alex Andrews, its new co-director, explains:
“There are so many fantastic books around for children but it’s important that young people can meet authors, listen to what they have to say and ask questions. At school, creative writing can be so prescriptive, and kids need to see that reading is a pleasurable experience and not just an academic pursuit.”
Alex and festival co-director, Jane Beaton, were appointed in March and visited the London Book Fair to select the best new releases to coincide with the festival.
“With our different experience we have split the programme,” says Alex. “Jane is a former head of publicity for HarperCollins with excellent contacts in the adult publishing world, and I am experienced in the children’s and educational side of things.”
Alex previously managed Puffin Post and Puffin Book Club magazines, worked on the Red House Children’s Book Award, and was head of publicity at Templar, the Surrey-based children’s publisher. She grew up in Guildford and has enjoyed scouring the area, finding suitable venues for the right authors. For example, the only place big enough to accommodate Alex’s special reader event featuring Lauren Child, the creator of Charlie and Lola, is the enormous marquee in the grounds of the Cathedral.
“I’m really excited about Lauren Child’s event,” she says. “From my background working with book clubs, I wanted to hold something that would be available specifically for clubs and groups. So this will be a free event for members of the local Girlguiding association. Children who attend Brownies in the Guildford area will be invited through their local groups, and we should be able to include some of the older Rainbows and younger Guides, too. Lauren will be talking about the final book in her Ruby Redfort series, which is perfect for this wide age range.”
Thirteen-year-old Ruby Redfort, undercover agent, code-cracker and mystery solver, will be familiar to Child’s readers as a character from her book Clarice Bean. Ruby was brought to life in her own series after the author was bombarded with requests from fans. The sixth and final book, Blink and You Die, will be released in the week of the festival.
Other children’s events at the Guildford Book Festival, open to all, include Alastair Wilson’s shows at Guildford’s Electric Theatre inspired by The Dinosaur that Pooped (age 5+) and Diary of a Wimpy Kid (age 8+).
There’ll also be a hands-on workshop by Britta Teckentrup, the award-winning illustrator of Oskar Loves, Before I Wake Up and The Memory Tree (age 7+).
Alex believes the activities play an important part in promoting reading.
“This year we are building on what the previous director, Jim Park, achieved,” she says. “We are looking to bring something interactive to the public and show that there are different ways for children to interact with the text.
“When I was young, I used to go to Godalming library. I started with the Alfie books by Shirley Hughes, Graham Oakley’s Church Mice series and anything illustrated by Judith Kerr, then on to my favourite, Roald Dahl’s Matilda. As I got older I visited Guildford library and wanted books with the same formula such as the Sweet Valley High series and anything by Judy Blume.”
However, the festival team know that, despite the success of children’s publishing, reading books as a habit tends to fall away after the age of 10.
“Nothing will take books away from preschoolers,” says Alex. “Sitting with a child and reading a book is a great way to build a relationship. But publishers realise there are increasing demands and distractions for older children, and there are efforts to address this.”
The festival’s schools programme is one approach. At least five authors will present workshops to a total of 1200 primary and secondary children from more than 15 schools. The larger events are being hosted by the Royal Grammar School in Guildford, Longacre in Shamley Green and King Edward’s in Witley, with other local schools and home-educated children invited to attend, too.
Laurel Remington, a Surrey-based author, is one of the visiting authors. Her book, The Secret Cooking Club, turns the issue of young people and social media on its head. The story follows 12-year-old Scarlett as the star – and victim – of her mum’s popular blog. Eager to stay out of the spotlight, Scarlett finds the house next door left empty, and forms the Secret Cooking Club in its incredible kitchen.
BBC Pictures
“Social media has become an important part of life but I think that many people are still struggling to get to grips with it in the context of the family,” says Laurel. “Children are influenced by their parents’ behaviour both consciously and unconsciously. ‘Do what I say, not what I do’, rarely works.
“If parents want to encourage children to read books, then they must act as the primary role models. Reading together is one of the most special bonds between a parent and a child, and one that can encourage a lifelong love of books.”
With such a jam-packed programme, Alex doesn’t know how she is going to choose what to go to. “We also have household names such as Graham Norton and David Essex, and bespoke events such as our How to Hygge Scandi-style coffee morning. And one of our trustees, councillor Jennifer Powell, will be herding sheep down the High Street. You won’t see that anywhere else...”
Don’t miss authors:
- Ally Sherrick’s historical adventure Black Powder, young Tom tries to save his father from the hangman’s noose, only to get mixed up in the Gunpowder plot.
- Susan Moore: The author left the Star Wars studios Lucasfilm in California to move back to Surrey and write the high-tech action adventure Crimson Poison.
- Rob Biddulph: The Children’s Book Prize winning author-illustrator presents his new picture book Odd Dog Out.
- Jonny Lambert: His fantastic illustrated animals in The Great Aaa-ooo! are inspired by his Surrey farm upbringing.
Guildford Book Festival, Oct 9-16; guildfordbookfestival.co.uk
Check out another one of our special October education features, like former Good School's Guide writer Suzie Oweiss' round up of the best state schools in Surrey, Berkshire & SW London
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