There’s a great festival of literature, music, comedy and performance for children at the Southbank Centre in London from 12-26 February.
Three events have a looked-after children theme, something very close to my heart, so I’m delighted to have tickets for all of them:
- I’m not like Tracy Beaker on 13 February is a seminar on the experiences of children growing up in care, led by Young Minds.
- On 17 February, in an event called Lyrical Letterboxes, given in association with the Letterbox Club, Roger McGough, Jackie Kay & Lemn Sissay will be talking about their literary heroes, and the books they’d like to come through their letterboxes.
- From Pip to Potter, celebrating the place of children in care in literature on 19 February sounds fantastic. There’s a great panel of speakers, who will be led in discussion by Lemn Sissay.
Other book-related events that caught my eye are performances of The Incredible Book-Eating Boy and Private Peaceful, plus a celebration of the Roald Dahl Funny Prize. And there are loads of authors appearing, among them Francesca Simon, Morris Gleitzman, Andy Stanton, Cressida Cowell, Jeremy Strong and Jacqueline Wilson.
