– Chiswick Book Festival to hold Children’s Books Day with schools and arts organisations for National Year of Reading 2026.
– Writers, publishers & presenters will discuss ‘Golden Age of Children’s Books, TV & Theatre’ on Saturday March 7th in Chiswick W4.
– Schools and families are invited to ‘Meet the authors, Buy the books and Paint a puffin!’
Children’s Books Day: Why we love them and why they matter!
Saturday March 7th: St Michael & All Angels Church & Tabard Theatre, W4
The Chiswick Book Festival is to hold a Children’s Books Day for the National Year of Reading, aimed at encouraging more children to make reading part of their daily lives in the digital age. It will take place on Saturday March 7th in St Michael & All Angels Church and the Tabard Theatre in Bath Road, London W4, close to Turnham Green tube station. Tickets now on sale here.
The Festival is partnering with local schools and libraries and three national arts organisations – Action for Children’s Arts, the Children’s Media Foundation and the Cultural Policy Unit – in a day of discussions, readings, screenings and craft activities.
Speakers at the morning sessions on ‘the Golden Age of Books & Television’ will include Janet Ellis (Blue Peter, Twice Upon A Time podcast), Vicky Ireland (Words & Pictures, Polka Theatre, Founder & Ambassador, Action for Children’s Arts), Jonathan Cohen (Play School, Jackanory), Lucy Briers, daughter of Richard Briers (Roobarb & Custard, Noddy, Watership Down, The Wind In The Willows), Alison Cole (Bod’s New Leaf, Cultural Policy Unit) and Greg Childs (director, Children’s Media Foundation).
Valerie Grove, biographer of the legendary children’s publisher Kaye Webb of Puffin Books, will discuss her influence with broadcaster Janet Ellis, presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Great Lives: Kaye Webb. They will be joined by Puffin colleague Jane Nissen, former editorial director of children’s books at Penguin, Methuen and Hamish Hamilton, who launched her own list of out-of-print classics, and Sally Floyer, former MD of Ladybird Books and of Beatrix Potter’s publisher Frederick Warne. The session will be chaired by Torin Douglas, director of the Chiswick Book Festival.
“The morning is aimed at parents, grandparents and those in the worlds of publishing, TV and theatre who look back fondly at the ‘golden age’ – and care about the future – of works for children” said Douglas. “Anyone who was a fan of Puffin Post, Blue Peter, Play School or the Polka Theatre will enjoy the morning. After lunch, we’ll open the church to families to celebrate some of today’s children’s authors and illustrators with readings, screenings and craft activities, including plenty of puffins!”
Also after lunch, In the Tabard Theatre opposite the church, ‘the Golden Age of Children’s Theatre’ will be discussed by Vicky Ireland (former artistic director, Polka Theatre) and David Wood (writer, director, producer, “The National Children’s Dramatist” – The Times, and president ACA), chaired by Janet Ellis.
The Festival is partnering with local schools and Chiswick Library in the London Borough of Hounslow for ‘Children’s Books Day’. Its children’s books liaison Jenny Griffiths, former Primary School Librarian of the Year, will take part in the discussion ‘Taking action for children’s arts in the National Year of Reading’.
There will also be an exhibition in the church – ‘Chiswick’s Books for Children’ – displaying book covers, illustrations and TV shows featuring artists, publishers and performers who lived in Chiswick.
“We’re highlighting Chiswick’s own place in the untold story of children’s books” said Douglas. “Most of the day’s speakers live or grew up in Chiswick, as did Kaye Webb. The Observer once wrote that ‘Chiswick may be Britain’s most literary location’ and we can now see that it has a fine record in works for children too.”
Three tickets are now on sale at https://www.chiswickbookfestival.net/childrensbooks/
Ticket 1 – Morning session, The Golden Age of Children’s Books & Television:
St Michael & All Angels Church, Bath Road, London W4, £12.
Ticket 2 – Afternoon session for families – Meet the authors, Buy the books:
St Michael & All Angels Church, Bath Road, London W4, £6.
Ticket 3 – Afternoon session, The Golden Age of Children’s Theatre:
Tabard Theatre, Bath Road, London W4, £12.
Plus, all week – Exhibition in church: Chiswick’s Books for Children
Including displays of book illustrations by Chiswick artists, Jane Nissen Books covers and Chiswick performers’ children’s TV series.
Admission included in the ticket price of church events. Free admission on other days.
Any profits from the day’s event will be donated to Action for Children’s Arts and the Heritage Conservation Fund of St Michael & All Angels Church. This event is kindly supported by Action for Children’s Arts, Chiswick Book Festival, The Children’s Media Foundation, The Cultural Policy Unit, St Michael & All Angels Church, The Arts Society Chiswick, Waterstones Chiswick, Savills Chiswick, Orchard House School, The Chiswick Calendar, Green Guide Chiswick, ChiswickW4.com and Chiswick Community Hub & Library.