Rochdale author welcomes Manchester Children's Book Festival

Pamela Hill

Tomorrow (1 July 2010) marks the start of the very first Manchester Children’s Book Festival at Manchester Metropolitan University

The program, organised by poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy and concentrated around the university's campus on Oxford Road,  is spread out over a period of four days and will be unique to the North West. 

There will be guest appearances from writers such as Jeanette Winterson, Sherry Ashworth and Cathy Cassidy at the event, which includes a bear hunt for the younger children.

Rochdale author Pamela Hill, famous for titles such as 'Alison' and 'A Sense of Belonging', welcomed the event: “It is imperative that children read from an early age, it doesn’t matter what as long as they are, so they can pick up spelling and grammar. That’s how I started, I read Enid Blyton as a child and that helped me.”

She added: “All of your education comes from books.”

As well as events being held at Manchester Metropolitan University, libraries and schools across the region are also taking part with the programme and holding reading sessions, competitions and character days.

At the university there will be meet-the-author sessions, a family fun day and an interactive Dr Who themed event.

Children and families of all ages are invited to the festival and tickets are available online.