Category Archives: Children and Young People

Young Readers Festival Fun!

Our Young Readers Festival is in full swing. It kicked off last Saturday when I saw Cressida Cowell, the author of the ‘How to train your Dragon’ books, featuring Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III the awesome sword-fighter, dragon-whisperer and the greatest Viking Hero who ever lived. It was great fun and I even learned how to read more »

The Great Kindle Relay Project

As part of our 2012 Young Readers Festival I’m lucky enough to be working on an exciting creative reading and writing project with bestselling author Simon Cheshire and 6 Birmingham schools. Between us, we’re co-writing a book that will be launched as part of the ‘festival fortnight’ in June. The idea is that groups from read more »

Putting the Ha! into half term

I love all the themed events Centre for the Child put on – from Circus Stars and Inclusive Week, to Space Hop and Wizard Rock – but my absolute all-time number one favourite is GIGGLEFEST.  When it launched 3 years ago it was the first comedy festival for kids and it seems to be getting read more »

Building update – week 92 on the Library site!

We are now on week 92 of our 165 week construction programme. Since I organised the site aspect of the topping out ceremony in the middle of September, the temporary decking that allowed us to build the structure that will house the Shakespeare Memorial Room (SMR) has been removed. The circular form of the rotunda read more »

Darren Shan terrifies the Library Theatre

It was bloody murder in the library today!  No, it wasn’t the heat but the awesome Darren Shan, who kicked off his UK tour in Birmingham Central Library.  Over 500 young people from Birmingham schools came to see the Master of Horror launch his new book Palace of the Damned which went on sale in read more »