Former UK Children’s Laureate and celebrated author Michael Rosen will headline the Children’s and Young People’s Literature Festival in Lancashire this month, per bbc.com.
Running from June 8 to June 20, the event will feature free talks and activities across schools and libraries in Blackburn and Darwen.
The festival, founded by award-winning Blackburn author Christina Gabbitas, aims to encourage reading and storytelling among young people. Rosen, famously known for authoring We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, previously served as the UK’s Children’s Laureate from 2007 to 2009.
This year’s lineup also includes BAFTA-winning British-American writer and producer Jocelyn Stephenson, known for her work on children’s programmes including Bob the Builder, Fireman Sam, Sesame Street and Fraggle Rock.
In addition to international figures, the festival will highlight local talent by sending authors to secondary schools across the borough. Five successful creators from Blackburn and Darwen are scheduled to participate, including Gabbitas, Saira Shah, Iqbal Hussain, Hafiza Issa, and illustrator Reyhana Ismail.
The initiative arrives amid ongoing regional efforts by educators and authors to boost literacy rates and foster a love for reading among school-aged children through direct community engagement.
•Featured image: Michael Rosen/BBC
