Children across St Austell are gearing up for a fabulous literature festival on June 17. 

The inaugural St Austell Festival of Children’s Literature was the brainchild of Simon Pollard, headteacher of Carclaze Community Primary School. 

There are 16 authors on the programme, imparting their wisdom at venues including St Austell Library, White River Cinema, Unit 4 and a pop-up venue in an empty shop unit near Boots and Argos. 

Top of the bill is AF Steadman: the biggest selling children’s author of the past decade, her Skandar books are so popular and about to be made into films.

She is joined by Sufiya Ahmed, author of Secrets of the Henna Girl, which covers topics including bullying and forced marriage; and picture book authors including Naomi Jones, Rebecca Cobb, Clare Helen Welsh, and Julie Sykes.

Isabel Thomas, who specialises in books about science for young readers, will host a workshop at which children can submit impossible questions to be used her next book.

Local authors include Ben Rowswell from Liskeard, Ellie Jackson from Looe and Anna Wilson from West Cornwall.  

“I’m very passionate about how important this festival is,” said Mr Pollard. “I decided to organise it because I know the difference children choosing to read makes to children’s life chances. It is recognised as the single most important indicator of a child’s future success, therefore I see encouraging families to read as a moral duty.”

Unfortunately, a survey commissioned by Farshore revealed that between 2012 and 2021 the number of children reading for pleasure every day has reduced from 38% to 23%, while the number of three and four-year-olds who are read to daily or nearly every day reduced from 68% to 50% in the same period.

“Schools work hard to teach reading, but time and money are needed to help provide teachers and children opportunities to find books that they love and meet authors,” Mr Pollard continued. “The children’s laureate charter says children should have the opportunity to meet at least one author. I wanted to provide children in St Austell with the opportunities that children in less remote parts of the country might get more regularly.”

Inspired by the children’s book festival in Rochdale, Lancashire, Mr Pollard created its St Austell counterpart to foster a love and knowledge of children’s literature among a community of younger readers, and increase the number of families using the town library. 

Writer’s Block will host workshops throughout the day, and The Soroptimists will be giving away free books in the Market House. 

A creative writing competition runs alongside the festival; the overall winner will have their story illustrated by Emma McCann, whose previous work includes illustrations for books by Bear Grylls.

A book trail is currently running until June 17. There are 16 book covers in shop windows around the town; simple write down the name of every shop that has a book cover in it and match it to the author. Prizes are signed books.

Tickets for all events cost £1 and can be exchanged for £1 off a book from the festival bookshop, run by Reading Rocks. Tickets are all available for Cornish Riviera Box Office at www.crbo.co.uk 

The event has been funded by grants and sponsorship including FEAST, Cornwall Community Grant fund, Cornwall Council Community Chest, St Austell Town Council, St Austell Brewery, St Austell Print Company, Cornwall Signs and many more. All venues have been given freely.