Kathleen Jamie

Reading for the first time in Manchester, multi-award-winning poet, essayist and nature writer Kathleen Jamie will launch her new book Sightlines. ‘Kathleen Jamie subtly shifts our focus on landscape and the living world, daring us to look again at the ‘natural’, the remote and the human-made. She offers us the closest of perspectives, inviting us to gaze at vistas of cells beneath a hospital microscope, the pores of a whale’s jawbone under restoration, light filtering through trees. … Written with precision, delicacy and personal recollection, Sightlines invites us to pause and look afresh at our surroundings.’

Kathleen will be reading from and talking about her work, and answering questions from the audience. Drinks will be available from the bar, and there’ll be a special Blackwell’s bookstall, with signing after the event.

Date: Friday 27^th April 2012

Time: 6.30-8.00pm

Entry: Free – all welcome (booking not required, but email:

events@anthonyburgess.org to reserve seats)

Venue: The International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Chorlton Mill,

Cambridge Street, Manchester, M1 5BY

Contact: James Draper: +44 (0) 161 247 1787; j.draper@mmu.ac.uk

The Manchester Writing School at MMU: www.mmu.ac.uk/writingschool

The International Anthony Burgess Foundation: www.anthonyburgess.org

Sponsored by The Midland Hotel, Manchester

www.qhotels.co.uk

Hotel Reservations: 0845 074 0060

April 3rd, 2012 - 15:18pm

GIANTS of children’s literature will descend on Manchester this year to celebrate the North’s largest children’s book festival.

Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy unveiled the full programme for the festival at a noon launch event at New Charter Academy, Ashton-u-Lyne, on Monday, February 20.

On the guest-list will be best-selling writers Philip Pullman (His Dark Materials, The Golden Compass) Cathy Cassidy (Daizy Star series), Tracy Beaker creator Jacqueline Wilson and Michael Rosen, author of ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’.

The 2012 Manchester Children’s Book Festival – a biennial celebration of reading
– will be eleven days of fun, events and activities to inspire children to read. It runs from June 28 – July 8 at the University and at theatres, libraries, galleries and museums across the city.

Mother

Carol Ann, who is hosting the festival on behalf of Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), said: “Since I became a mother, I’ve found myself writing more and more for children, so, when I was appointed Poet Laureate, it felt natural that my first major event should be a children’s book festival.

“We staged a four-day pilot in 2010 and I was delighted with the response. The 2012 Festival is even bigger and better – truly a festival for the city.

“Books are a vital part of children’s lives, as children need places where they can dream and fantasise, be Harry Potter, or Tracy Beaker. They need to be let their imagination run free without fear just as much they need to play football or dance.”

The Poet Laureate, who is also creative director of the Writing School at MMU was joined by university vice-chancellor Professor John Brooks at the event which saw the launch of the festival website www.mcbf.org.uk and festival brochure.

Next generation

Around 150 children from six primary schools in Tameside visited the Academy to listen to Carol Ann reading her fairytale ‘The Princess’ Blankets’ with music from John Sampson.

Professor Brooks said: “The festival this year is bigger and better with 75 different activities and a great opportunity for children to meet their favourite authors.

“As a University, we are committed to investing in the next generation and it is our belief that books and a love of books underpin a good education.”

Paul Jacques, New Charter Academy Director said: “We’re thrilled to be chosen as the venue for the festival launch and just having moved into a new £40m campus, our building is the perfect host for such a prestigious event.

“The city can now look forward to 10 or eleven days in the summer when everyone will be getting involved in reading.”

Enriching words

Carol Ann told the assembled children aged 10-17: “We are lucky to have famous writers but this is not about poets or authors, books are not just for writers but for everyone no matter where your interests lie or your career may take you. Access to books is an enrichment to any life.”

“Manchester Children’s Book Festival runs from June 28 – July 8 and features, among others, Philip Pullman, Cathy Cassidy, Jacqueline Wilson, Michael Rosen, Andy Cope (and Lara), Kate Fox, Adele Geras, Mary Hoffman, Liz Kessler, Justin Somper, Jackie Kay and Ian McMillan.

February 22nd, 2012 - 09:35am

Monday 5^th December 2012 – 1-2.45 pm

Zion Arts Centre

Suitable for Ages 12-16 (school years 7,8,9,10)

Cost: free – contact schoolsoutreach@mmu.ac.uk to book places

Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

The event: by popular demand, Julie Bertagna, author of the acclaimed Aurora trilogy for young adults returns to Manchester to help us launch the Midland Future Manchester Short Story competition to schools. Julie’s presentation explores early science fiction written by teenagers – telling the story of how Mary Shelly came to write Frankenstein and the environmental and scientific developments that inspired her back in the 19^th Century – before talking about how she took inspiration for her own writing from the world around her. She will share some of her own secrets and tips with young ‘imagineers’ of the future to inspire them.

This event is presented by the Manchester Children’s Book Festival in association with Manchester Metropolitan University. Copies of the Aurora books will be on sale at the event and Julie will be happy to sign copies. Competition literature will be available at the event to help publicise the competition in schools.

The Competition: pupils are invited to write a fictional short story set at least 10 years in the future. Imagine how everyday life in Manchester might be affected by technological and scientific advances and/or environmental and population changes. We want to read your pupils’ unique vision of a future Manchester.

The competition is a joint initiative led by the Manchester Literature Festival, Manchester Children’s Book Festival and the Manchester Science Festival. Schools attending the event on Jan 27^th will be given priority for booking free follow-on workshops led by Science/Writing practitioners in Jan/Feb. Pupils are invited to submit their short stories to our panel of judges by March 5^th 2012. The competition is open to anyone and winners will be announced at a Manchester Children’s Book Festival event in July 2012, where they will be presented with copies of the Future Manchester anthology by judges Julie Bertagna, Saki Lloyd and Jane Rogers.

For details of Julie’s last visit to Manchester as part of the Manchester Literature Festival in October see their blog.

www.juliebertagna.com

www.mcbf.org.uk

December 8th, 2011 - 12:24pm

Friday 27^th January 2012, 10am – 11.45am

Zion Arts Centre

MCBF Trailblazer event

Suitable for Age 10+ (school years 5,6,7,8)

Cost: free – contact schoolsoutreach@mmu.ac.uk to book places.

The Manchester Children’s Book Festival is delighted to welcome award winning author/illustrator Curtis Jobling to the Zion Arts Centre in Manchester to launch his latest book, the third in the  Wereworld series, ‘The Shadow of the Hawk’.

Curtis Jobling is probably best known for his work in TV and picture books – he is the designer of hit children’s TV show Bob the Builder and has worked on other shows such as Aardman’s Wallace and Gromit and Tim Burton’s Mars Attacks as well as creating many other children’s books and characters.  Curtis also writes for older readers, though and the Wereworld Series is a fantastic new blend of fantasy and horror for the over 10s.  The books take place in a wonderfully inventive world of lycanthropes, which will appeal to young readers who love fantasy, Darren Shan and action-adventure.

In this event, Curtis will talk about his love of film and books, explaining animation, different mediums, and his early work in picture books. Through a fascinating flipchart demonstration, Curtis will show how he creates his characters before getting them to challenge him to draw things from their wildest imaginations.  This brings him to his horror and fantasy genres, with role-playing and a ‘werewolves in cinema’ pop quiz, finishing with a gripping chapter reading from the new book. The event concludes with a lively question and answer session.

Copies of the Wereworld books Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf, Rage of Lions and The Shadow of the Hawk will be on sale at the event and Curtis will sign copies.

This event is presented by the Manchester Children’s Book Festival in association with Penguin Books, Manchester Metropolitan University and Manchester Children’s Library Services.

December 2nd, 2011 - 13:28pm

Friday 27^th January 2012, 10am – 11.45am

Zion Arts Centre

MCBF Trailblazer event

Suitable for Age 10+ (school years 5,6,7,8)

Cost: free – contact schoolsoutreach@mmu.ac.uk to book places.

The Manchester Children’s Book Festival is delighted to welcome award winning author/illustrator Curtis Jobling to the Zion Arts Centre in Manchester to launch his latest book, the third in the  Wereworld series, ‘The Shadow of the Hawk’.

Curtis Jobling is probably best known for his work in TV and picture books – he is the designer of hit children’s TV show Bob the Builder and has worked on other shows such as Aardman’s Wallace and Gromit and Tim Burton’s Mars Attacks as well as creating many other children’s books and characters.  Curtis also writes for older readers, though and the Wereworld Series is a fantastic new blend of fantasy and horror for the over 10s.  The books take place in a wonderfully inventive world of lycanthropes, which will appeal to young readers who love fantasy, Darren Shan and action-adventure.

In this event, Curtis will talk about his love of film and books, explaining animation, different mediums, and his early work in picture books. Through a fascinating flipchart demonstration, Curtis will show how he creates his characters before getting them to challenge him to draw things from their wildest imaginations.  This brings him to his horror and fantasy genres, with role-playing and a ‘werewolves in cinema’ pop quiz, finishing with a gripping chapter reading from the new book. The event concludes with a lively question and answer session.

Copies of the Wereworld books Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf, Rage of Lions and The Shadow of the Hawk will be on sale at the event and Curtis will sign copies.

This event is presented by the Manchester Children’s Book Festival in association with Penguin Books, Manchester Metropolitan University and Manchester Children’s Library Services.

November 29th, 2011 - 12:42pm

Monday 5^th December 2012 – 1-2.45 pm

Zion Arts Centre

Suitable for Ages 12-16 (school years 7,8,9,10)

Cost: free – contact schoolsoutreach@mmu.ac.uk to book places

Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

The event: by popular demand, Julie Bertagna, author of the acclaimed Aurora trilogy for young adults returns to Manchester to help us launch the Midland Future Manchester Short Story competition to schools.  Julie’s presentation explores early science fiction written by teenagers – telling the story of how Mary Shelly came to write Frankenstein and the environmental and scientific developments that inspired her back in the 19^th Century – before talking about how she took inspiration for her own writing from the world around her.  She will share some of her own secrets and tips with young ‘imagineers’ of the future to inspire them.

This event is presented by the Manchester Children’s Book Festival in association with Manchester Metropolitan University.  Copies of the Aurora books will be on sale at the event and Julie will be happy to sign copies.   Competition literature will be available at the event to help publicise the competition in schools.

The Competition: pupils are invited to write a fictional short story set at least 10 years in the future.  Imagine how everyday life in Manchester might be affected by technological and scientific advances and/or environmental and population changes.  We want to read your pupils’ unique vision of a future Manchester.

The competition is a joint initiative led by the Manchester Literature Festival, Manchester Children’s Book Festival and the Manchester Science Festival.  Schools attending the event on Jan 27^th will be given priority for booking free follow-on workshops led by Science/Writing practitioners in Jan/Feb.  Pupils are invited to submit their short stories to our panel of judges by March 5^th 2012.  The competition is open to anyone and winners will be announced at a Manchester Children’s Book Festival event in July 2012, where they will be presented with copies of the Future Manchester anthology by judges Julie Bertagna, Saki Lloyd and Jane Rogers.

For details of Julie’s last visit to Manchester as part of the Manchester Literature Festival in October see their blog.

www.juliebertagna.com

www.mcbf.org.uk

November 29th, 2011 - 12:41pm

The fifth (and final) in a new series of FREE events features Alan Hollinghurst.

Alan Hollinghurst was born in Gloucestershire and is a graduate of Magdalen College, Oxford. He lectured at Oxford, and at University College London, before becoming Deputy Editor of the Times Literary Supplement in 1982.

His first novel, The Swimming Pool Library, was published in 1988 and won the 1989 Somerset Maugham Award. It was followed by The Folding Star (1994 – and winner of the James Tait Black Memorial Prize), The Spell (1998) and the Booker Prize-winning The Line of Beauty (2004). His latest novel, The Stranger’s Child, was published in the summer of 2011 and long-listed for that year’s Man Booker Prize.

Alan will be talking about his work and answering questions from the audience. Drinks will be available from the bar, and there’ll be a special Blackwell’s bookstall, with signing after the event.

Alan Hollinghurst (photo by Robert Taylor from www.picador.com).

Date: Thursday 8^th December 2011

Time: 6.30-8.00pm

Entry: Free – all welcome (booking recommended;

email: events@anthonyburgess.org to reserve seats)

Venue: The International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Chorlton Mill,

Cambridge Street, Manchester, M1 5BY

Contact: James Draper: +44 (0) 161 247 1787; j.draper@mmu.ac.uk

The Manchester Writing School at MMU: www.mmu.ac.uk/writingschool

The International Anthony Burgess Foundation: www.anthonyburgess.org

Sponsored by The Midland Hotel, Manchester

www.qhotels.co.uk

Hotel Reservations: 0845 074 0060

November 24th, 2011 - 17:18pm

Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf

Friday 27^th January 10am – 11.45

Zion Arts Centre

MCBF Trailblazer event

Suitable for Age 10+ (school years 5,6,7,8)

Cost: free – contact schoolsoutreach@mmu.ac.uk to book places.

The Manchester Children’s Book Festival is delighted to welcome award winning author/illustrator Curtis Jobling to the Zion Arts Centre in Manchester to launch his latest book, the third in the  Wereworld series, ‘The Shadow of the Hawk’.

Curtis Jobling is probably best known for his work in TV and picture books – he is the designer of hit children’s TV show Bob the Builder and has worked on other shows such as Aardman’s Wallace and Gromit and Tim Burton’s Mars Attacks as well as creating many other children’s books and characters.  Curtis also writes for older readers, though and the Wereworld Series is a fantastic new blend of fantasy and horror for the over 10s.  The books take place in a wonderfully inventive world of lycanthropes, which will appeal to young readers who love fantasy, Darren Shan and action-adventure.

In this event, Curtis will talk about his love of film and books, explaining animation, different mediums, and his early work in picture books. Through a fascinating flipchart demonstration, Curtis will show how he creates his characters before getting them to challenge him to draw things from their wildest imaginations.  This brings him to his horror and fantasy genres, with role-playing and a ‘werewolves in cinema’ pop quiz, finishing with a gripping chapter reading from the new book. The event concludes with a lively question and answer session.

Copies of the Wereworld books Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf, Rage of Lions and The Shadow of the Hawk will be on sale at the event and Curtis will sign copies.

This event is presented by the Manchester Children’s Book Festival in association with Penguin Books, Manchester Metropolitan University and Manchester Children’s Library Services.

November 24th, 2011 - 16:03pm

Julie Bertagna

Monday 5^th December 2012 – 1-2.45 pm

Zion Arts Centre

Suitable for Ages 12-16 (school years 7,8,9,10)

Cost: free – contact schoolsoutreach@mmu.ac.uk to book places

Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

The event: by popular demand, Julie Bertagna, author of the acclaimed Aurora trilogy for young adults returns to Manchester to help us launch the Midland Future Manchester Short Story competition to schools.  Julie’s presentation explores early science fiction written by teenagers – telling the story of how Mary Shelly came to write Frankenstein and the environmental and scientific developments that inspired her back in the 19^th Century – before talking about how she took inspiration for her own writing from the world around her.  She will share some of her own secrets and tips with young ‘imagineers’ of the future to inspire them.

This event is presented by the Manchester Children’s Book Festival in association with Manchester Metropolitan University.  Copies of the Aurora books will be on sale at the event and Julie will be happy to sign copies.   Competition literature will be available at the event to help publicise the competition in schools.

The Competition: pupils are invited to write a fictional short story set at least 10 years in the future.  Imagine how everyday life in Manchester might be affected by technological and scientific advances and/or environmental and population changes.  We want to read your pupils’ unique vision of a future Manchester.

The competition is a joint initiative led by the Manchester Literature Festival, Manchester Children’s Book Festival and the Manchester Science Festival.  Schools attending the event on Jan 27^th will be given priority for booking free follow-on workshops led by Science/Writing practitioners in Jan/Feb.  Pupils are invited to submit their short stories to our panel of judges by March 5^th 2012.  The competition is open to anyone and winners will be announced at a Manchester Children’s Book Festival event in July 2012, where they will be presented with copies of the Future Manchester anthology by judges Julie Bertagna, Saki Lloyd and Jane Rogers.

For details of Julie’s last visit to Manchester as part of the Manchester Literature Festival in October see their blog.

www.juliebertagna.com

www.mcbf.org.uk

November 24th, 2011 - 15:55pm

The fourth in a new series of FREE events features historical crime writer Laura Wilson.

Historical crime writer Laura Wilson

Laura Wilson was brought up in London and is a graduate of the University of Oxford and University College London. She currently lives in Islington, is the Crime Fiction reviewer for the Guardian newspaper and writes a “Crime Fiction Masterclass” column for Mslexia magazine.

Her novels include A Little Death (short-listed for a CWA Dagger award), Dying Voices, My Best Friend, Hello Bunny (published in the USA as Telling Lies to Alice, The Lover (short-listed for both a CWA Gold Dagger and the Ellis Peter Historical Dagger), A Thousand Lies, Stratton’s War, An Empty Death, A Capital Crime and The Man Who Wasn’t There.

Laura will be talking about her work and answering questions from the audience. Drinks will be available from the bar, and there’ll be a special Blackwell’s bookstall, with signing after the event.

Date: Thursday 24^th November 2011

Time: 6.30-8.00pm

Entry: Free – all welcome (you can just turn up on the night, or email

events@anthonyburgess.org to reserve seats)

Venue: The International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Chorlton Mill,

Cambridge Street, Manchester, M1 5BY

Contact: James Draper: +44 (0) 161 247 1787; j.draper@mmu.ac.uk

Later in the series: Alan Hollinghurst (08/12/11)

The Manchester Writing School at MMU: www.mmu.ac.uk/writingschool

The International Anthony Burgess Foundation: www.anthonyburgess.org

Sponsored by The Midland Hotel, Manchester

www.qhotels.co.uk

Hotel Reservations: 0845 074 0060

November 23rd, 2011 - 09:47am